VeoRide Optimizes Service Area and Introduces 'Hubs'

Dane Eifling

VeoRide "hub" stocked with standard and e-assist bikes at the Corner of Church Avenue and Center Street in downtown Fayetteville.

A little more than one month since its launch, the VeoRide bike-share program has been used by more than 6,000 individuals who have taken more than 16,500 rides covering over 6,000 miles ridden in Fayetteville. Thanks to the GPS trackers on every bike, these rides have generated a wealth of data regarding the bikes' thousands of routes, origins and destinations. After evaluating the data, the VeoRide team has worked with University of Arkansas and city of Fayetteville Staff to align its service areas and rebalance the plan to meet demand on campus and in the greater community. 

The redesigned primary service area will allow for a greater density of bikes on the UA campus, in downtown Fayetteville, and around many of the most popular bike routes in Fayetteville.

VeoRide also manages the redistribution of bikes from low-demand areas back to areas with higher demand for rides. These high-demand areas are key staging locations called "hubs." Unsurprisingly, most rides start at higher elevations and end in lower areas. Accordingly, the hubs are located at highpoints on campus and in downtown that also have abundant bike parking and demonstrated high rates of use.

The in-app map indicates the location of the 340 bikes available in town. Riders will also be able to reliably find bikes at these hubs and enjoy riding to destinations anywhere within the service area.

As always, riders are strongly encouraged to park bikes at a bike rack and to avoid parking bikes in sidewalks, walkways and trails.

The hubs are listed below.

Campus

1. Garland Avenue at the University Transit Center bike racks
2. Dickson Street and Duncan Avenue at Champions Hall and the Bell Engineering Building
3. Campus Walk at Old Main, Discovery Hall and Bell Engineering building racks
4. The Student Union at the bike racks in the north plaza
5. Maple Street at the School of Law building bike racks
6. Garland Avenue Parking Garage at the north plaza bike racks
7. Maple Hill and Reid Hall at the central bike racks

Off Campus

1. The Downtown Square
2. The Fayetteville Public Library
3. The bike-parking corral at the corner of Church Avenue and Center Street
4. North Street trail crossing at the Marion Orton Recycling Center