Ofo Left Dallas, But Its Bikes Are Still Here

A pile of ofo bikes. Jim Schutze

Audio By Carbonatix

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Ofo, the China-based purveyor of the yellow bikes that overwhelmed Dallas' urban landscape during the fall and spring, announced Thursday that it's getting out of the city.

Dallas' newly passed bike-share rules were too much for the company, said Texas General Manager Everett Weiler, who added that the company had chosen to "re-evaluate markets that present obstacles to new, green transit solutions." Nearly a week later, however, the bikes are still here.

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They're still, somehow, everywhere.

Stephen Young

There are dozens of them. They're in downtown, Bishop Arts and Far North Dallas. There's a big clump of them south of downtown, near the corner of Harwood and Corinth streets. The bikes are all still available for rent and still waiting for someone to pick them up.

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A still-wild pack of ofos.

Stephen Young

Eric Smith, ofo's regional head of communications for the western United States, told the Observer on Tuesday that he doesn't know when or if the bikes will be picked up but that he'd try to find out for us by Friday, his last day with the company.

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Wonder how this one got all the way up here.

Stephen Young

The city didn't get back to us Tuesday with an answer about what might happen to the bikes, which don't have permits, but we'll let you know when we find anything out. For now, though, the yellow, two-wheeled zombies rmain, a sad reminder of the time before the scooters.

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Three ofos, none of which is in one of the company-recommended parking zones.

Stephen Young