Denver's New Scooter Contract Delayed Again Amid Tensions Between Lime and Veo

Concerns raised over Veo's approach to low-income rider access program

Apr. 1, 2026 at 11:08pm

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The Denver City Council's Transportation and Infrastructure Committee has delayed a vote on the city's new scooter contract with Veo for the second time, citing concerns over the contract details and a lack of access to the full document. The delay has sparked tensions between Lime, the outgoing scooter provider, and Veo, the incoming provider, over issues like the transition period and Veo's proposed changes to the low-income rider access program.

Why it matters

The scooter contract is a crucial piece of Denver's transportation infrastructure, impacting how residents and visitors get around the city. The tensions between the providers and the city's handling of the contract transition have raised concerns about potential disruptions to service and access, especially for low-income riders who rely on the scooter program.

The details

The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee delayed the vote on the Veo contract after receiving the document late the night before the meeting. Council President Amanda Sandoval was also concerned about a provision in the contract that would allow Veo and the city to discuss instituting a monthly fee for the low-income rider access program if ridership exceeded 25% - a threshold that would likely be reached quickly based on current enrollment. After the 9News report, that part of the contract was changed to say the access rides would remain free, but the city council wasn't given the updated contract until the meeting. The new contract also reduces the number of free rides for access program users from three 30-minute rides to two. Lime has asked for a longer transition period to ensure a smooth handover, but Veo's Alex Keating accused Lime of trying to "hold the program hostage" and said the vendors need to "come to grips" with the fact that they lost the contract bid.

  • The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee delayed the vote on the Veo contract on Wednesday, April 1, 2026.
  • Lime and Bird's current contract ends on May 15, 2026 and cannot be extended without city council approval.

The players

Amanda Sandoval

Denver City Council President

Veo

The new scooter provider set to replace Lime and Bird in Denver starting in May 2026

Lime

The outgoing scooter provider in Denver

Alex Keating

Veo's head of policy and partnership

Zach Williams

Lime's regional head of government relations

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What they’re saying

“Our proposal for the next contract was all built and designed around keeping free rides free, no matter the context for whatever happened in the last meeting. We knew exactly what we were promising. I think it's disconcerting to see a back and forth over whether or not there's going to be a fee charged for riders.”

— Zach Williams, Lime's regional head of government relations

“First and foremost, the companies at hand can do everything within their power to make that transition more seamless. They will refuse to do that because their goal is to hold this hostage, not to work for the benefit of riders or Denver residents. That's playbook, right? There's no legal challenge to be made. So the next best thing is to try to hold a program hostage.”

— Alex Keating, Veo's head of policy and partnership

What’s next

The Denver City Council's Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is scheduled to vote on the Veo contract again on April 15, 2026.

The takeaway

The ongoing tensions and contract negotiations between Lime and Veo, as well as the city's handling of the transition, have raised concerns about potential disruptions to Denver's scooter program and access for low-income riders. The outcome of the contract vote and the ability of the providers to ensure a smooth transition will be crucial for maintaining reliable and equitable scooter transportation options in the city.