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College Park officials press Veo and law enforcement to curb abandoned scooters and unsafe riding
Summary
City officials and police described increased abandoned and unsafe e-scooter use after fleet expansion, reviewed geofencing and a two-hour pickup process with the vendor, and said officers are issuing citations and conducting education.
City code and contract police told residents at the public safety briefing that abandoned and improperly parked Veo scooters and reckless micromobility riding have increased since the vendor expanded its fleet.
"We've been conducting enforcement for the scooters ... writing citations where needed, and also educating with warnings," Sergeant Weinkoop said, describing traffic stops and citation practices for reckless scooter operation.
Mike Ledbetter of the University of Maryland Police Department said the university is staffing high-traffic nights with additional officers and running ‘knock and talks’ with students as part of outreach. He added that the university’s updated policy this year bars personally owned scooters on campus.
Code enforcement explained the city’s practical process: staff photograph abandoned devices, forward location and ID to Veo (and named contacts), and the vendor has two hours to retrieve the device before penalties apply. City staff said geofencing in the contract and an MOU give Veo an incentive to remove devices left outside designated hubs.
Council members and residents were urged to report abandoned or badly parked scooters via the College Park Connect app; staff said reports can be submitted anonymously and that planning staff will follow up with Veo.
Officials emphasized education first but warned repeated violations lead to citations and referrals to student-conduct offices for repeat offenders. City staff and contract police said they will review the vendor’s ride-end process to ensure the app and enforcement steps prevent riders from circumventing hub rules.
Next steps discussed included a follow-up between city planning staff (named in the briefing as Jacob Vasilotti and Carlos Nunez) and Veo to clarify ride-end compliance and geofencing enforcement and a staff review of whether additional hub placement or targeted enforcement is needed.
