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Bird and Veo outline response steps as council presses on underage riders and abandoned scooters
Summary
Bird and Veo told Newark council members Jan. 14 they operate local field teams and a roughly 1,000‑vehicle fleet in the city, and they described 24/7 response lines and removal policies for bad weather as council members pressed them on underage riders and abandoned devices.
Representatives from Bird and Veo told the Municipal Council Jan. 14 that each company operates a local crew in Newark and said they are working with the city on docking corrals, school no‑ride zones and enforcement against underage riders.
Dolores Martinez Woodin, director of the Department of Engineering, introduced company representatives and noted the companies had circulated a briefing deck to council staff. Veo’s senior director and policy staff and Bird’s local operations representative answered council questions on staffing, response times and safety.
Key points from the companies’ presentations and the council’s questions: - Local workforce and operations: Bird reported about 35 employees working in Newark; Veo reported about 31 employees. Both companies said they operate a local warehouse/ops hub in Newark and staff field teams to pick up or rebalance vehicles. - Fleet size and activity: Companies said the program in Newark includes roughly 1,000 vehicles in the program; usage varies by hour with commute periods seeing heavier movement. - Response and contact: Both companies said they operate 24/7 customer operations lines for reports of obstructions; Bird gave the number 866‑205‑2442 and Veo gave 855‑836‑2256 and both said contact details are also on the Newark Go website and on device stickers. Representatives said a customer call typically generates an operations ticket and that field teams aim to respond within about 1–2 hours depending on daily workload. - Weather and safety: Veo and Bird said they remove vehicles in severe snow and heavy storms; they said the app can be made inactive for riders when the companies and the city agree to a suspension period. - Underage riders: Both companies said the age limit is 18. The vendors described ID checks and account bans for underage riders; Bird’s operations representative said the companies pursue “instant ban” enforcement when staff or reported evidence show underage riding. Bird said approximately 120 riders had been banned (company figure) in the period discussed. - No‑ride/parking zones and docking corrals: The companies are working with the city to refine geofenced no‑ride zones (several were placed near schools) and to identify locations for parking corrals/docking stations; council members urged those corrals not be sited in front of private homes and asked the city to require company signage and branded pickup vehicles so residents can identify vendor crews.
Council members sought additional information: the mix of full‑time and part‑time local employees, salary levels, and the companies agreed to provide follow‑up data. Council members also pushed for faster removal of devices left in front of homes and stronger measures to deter underage riders in school areas.
Why it matters: Dockless mobility affects pedestrian safety, sidewalk access and neighborhood quality of life. The companies’ commitments on response times, no‑ride zones and removal during bad weather are operational policies the city and vendors must enforce if the program is to function without creating hazards for residents.
