TOLEDO, Ohio — Gas prices have seen record highs this summer. Despite a slight relief after gallons costing upwards of $5, people are getting creative to get around and save money.
Data from both VEO scooters and Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority shows usage of electric scooters and bus ridership is up in Toledo right now, both companies said.
Leaders from VEO evaluated ridership data over the past few weeks and have seen increasing ridership correlate with increasing gas prices.
Since the beginning of 2022 in Toledo, people are taking longer trips on the scooters, not just downtown joy rides, according to VEO data.
"In Toledo, we are seeing an increase in trip length and duration since the beginning of the year. However, please note that given that we are new to Toledo as of last fall, we don’t have annual data to compare that to," VEO representative Paige Miller said.
VEO services cities across the country with electric scooters and conducted their first annual rider survey in May.
According to their results, 43% of riders said VEO has helped them get rid of personal vehicles or driven less
Scooters aren’t the only alternative modes of transportation people are taking. TARTA is also seeing an increase in ridership.
While they can’t directly relate it to gas prices, the busses averaged 2,500 riders per week last year. Now that number is over 6,000, TARTA's Communication and Marketing Manager Andy Cole said.
“There hasn’t been a direct correlation between gas prices and the number of people riding public transit.," he said. "That being said, gas prices have never been this high before so I’m sure some people who are riding who are trying us out now with the price of gas."
TARTA officials are hoping more people consider them as an option to save money, Cole said.