Spin e-scooters will not return to Athens campus
E-scooters will not be re-deployed this spring after the company that provides them, Spin, opted not to renew its partnership agreements in several markets, including at Ohio University and Athens, as a part of a global market re-evaluation effort.
The scooters had already been picked up for the annual winter hibernation.
“While we are disappointed that the e-scooters won’t be a micro-mobility option this spring, we continue to offer a variety of ways for students, faculty and staff to get around campus and the surrounding Athens community if they’d rather not walk,” said Tia Hysell, director of VPFA Auxiliary Services, which includes Transportation and Parking Services.
Ohio University Transportation and Parking Services offers an array of free transportation options for students, faculty and staff, including CATS: daily campus shuttles, CATS Late Night: evening and weekend shuttles, and CATCAB: accessible transit service. Students, faculty and staff can also travel around Athens via Bobcat Pass, the University’s partnership with Athens Public Transit, by using their university ID’s.
“The City of Athens will continue to evaluate the best ways to create and promote alternative modes of transportation throughout the City, including e-scooters and shared bike programs,” Athens Service Safety Director Andy Stone added.
The Spin scooters were first launched on campus in Spring 2020 as an additional mobility option for campus.
Despite Spin exiting the Ohio University and Athens market; Ohio University maintains a shared mobility program that allows vendors who are interested in operating on campus to apply. Any vendor must also be licensed to operate in the City of Athens. The University worked closely with campus stakeholders and partners with the City of Athens to implement the e-scooter program, and those parameters are still in place.
For additional information on campus transit services, please visit the Transportation and Parking Services website or contact tps@ohio.edu.