ofo customers wonder if they'll get refunds after service shuts down

KBTX

By Clay Falls

Published: December 10, 2018

BRYAN, Tex. (KBTX) - A bike share company that has shut down in College Station has some customers wondering if they'll ever get their money back.

On Friday, College Station revoked ofo's permit and the yellow bikes are being impounded after the company didn't replenish their escrow account with the city. ofo had announced they were pulling out of the College Station market at the end of the year. They'd been plagued with problems, including bikes continually being left in improper places and staffing cuts.

Some customers pre-paid for the service and wonder what's next.

"It was a great idea and they loved it. I hope the next one works out better," said Bryan mom Sharon McGregor.

She said she is disappointed to see ofo call it quits. Her two sons attending Texas A&M University loved using the bike sharing service. They pre-paid for a year of service until next October. That was before the company's wheels fell off.

"It was like $70 each and, like I said, it's not the money so much as the principle of the matter," said McGregor.

"It was just very handy. So, after a month or several single pays we talked about it and kind of calculated everything out and it really was cheaper to do the year if they were going to use it. And they did," explained McGregor.

She wants to know if her boys will get refunds.

"It's not like a great amount of money, but to a college kid you know that's money," she said.

Texas A&M Transportation officials told KBTX Monday they are working on addressing the transition plan for the new company coming, VeoRide. McGregor says she's not been able to get any answers from ofo about their money.

"I've had a couple of friends say the same think, like, 'Oh I'm glad you said something so maybe they'll look into that'. We're not getting the service we paid for," said McGregor.

KBTX has reached out to ofo for answers. We'll keep you posted on what they say. Texas A&M Transportation Services told KBTX they will create an online form to help advocate for ofo customers to get refunds.

Transportation Services also sent this statement Monday:

Texas A&M University Transportation Services notified ofo of the termination of their contract effective the end of this year. VeoRide has the contract to provide bike share to the university beginning with the spring semester. VeoRide bikes will begin arriving next week and will be readied for deployment by the start of the spring semester. To avoid potential charges, we recommend deactivating ofo accounts for customers who do not intend to ride the bikes for the remainder of the year. Additionally, an online form will be created by Transportation Services in an effort to help advocate for customers having trouble getting appropriate refunds from ofo.