Denver will start enforcing its scooter law against Veo on Nov. 1

If you've dodged a scooter on a Denver sidewalk this year, the city says help is coming. Starting Nov. 1, Denver will enforce its scooter and e-bike rules against Veo, the company that runs the city's shared fleet, according to a city announcement on Oct. 22.

A review by the City Attorney's Office found that Veo was not fully following parts of its contract and the city ordinance, the city said. The rules bar riding on most sidewalks and require proper parking, and they put responsibility on the company, not only the rider.

What officials said

Mayor Mike Johnston said the city has a duty to keep sidewalks "safe and accessible," according to the city release. Council member Chris Hinds, who sponsored the ordinance and asked for the review, cited Veo's own numbers showing more than 338,000 sidewalk-riding events in its first two months and called it "a compliance problem," the Denver Gazette reported.

After meetings with city staff, Veo announced plans to fine riders for sidewalk riding, add parking corrals and improve its sidewalk-detection technology, the city said. Neither the city nor the Gazette listed fine amounts for the company. Residents will also be able to report Veo problems directly to the city, but no start date was given.

Axios Denver reported in August that Veo's ridership was rising but complaints were not going away, and that Hinds' office had logged more than 100 Veo complaints.

What our records add

The law. Council Bill 25-0599 added requirements for companies that rent e-scooters and e-bikes, including sidewalk-riding detection. Hinds was the primary sponsor, with Darrell Watson and former at-large member Sarah Parady. It passed 12-0 in May 2025, with Council member Shontel Lewis absent. A committee first postponed it a week in April 2025 before approving it (Legistar bill).

The contract. Council Resolution 26-0326 approved a three-year license with VeoRide Inc. to run the shared bike and scooter program. The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee postponed it twice, on March 18 and April 1, before it passed the full Council 11-0 on April 27, 2026, with Council members Paul Kashmann and Hinds absent.

What members asked this fall. At a Sept. 24 budget hearing, Hinds pressed transportation staff for a timeline to bring the program into compliance with the law and the contract (video at 1:00:00). A transportation official answered that the city has one staff member who spends most of his time on the scooter program, and said that while riding a bike lane he had received 10 false sidewalk alerts, a sign the technology still needs work (video at 1:01:28). The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee also got a briefing on the program's sidewalk-detection data on Sept. 2 (video).

What's next

• Nov. 1: Enforcement against Veo begins, per the city.
• The city says it will keep working with Veo until it complies with the ordinance and the contract.
• Contract questions go to the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, which meets Wednesday, Oct. 28 (agenda).

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