ofo bike share company leaving Dallas market

At one point, the bike share company with the most bikes in Dallas was ofo.

Now, ofo is taking all its bright yellow bikes out of Dallas and not coming back. It’s also doing the same in many U.S. markets.

It's not just ofo. There were spots in downtown where five to 10 bikes could easily be found. Now, it's just a couple scooters.

It appears there are fewer bikes overall now. And with ofo officially out, that's confirmation.

No longer in groups or rows, the bright yellow bikes left are now stragglers on the Dallas streets.

Leonardo sierra was using one of the only ones he could find along Uptown's busy McKinney Avenue.

“They were slowly becoming less and less,” he said. “And now, it’s a little bit harder to find them.”

Finding ofo bikes is about to become impossible. The Chinese-based company announced it will leave Dallas, saying it will not seek a permit as required as part of Dallas' new regulations.

For some, it's hard to imagine the ofo bikes gone. At one point this year, there were so many bikes. Dallas had the most in North America with an estimated 18,000. At times, frustrations mounted among people who thought there were too many. After allowing unfettered access at first, the city of Dallas passed regulations in June.

Now just before the permits are required, ofo is out. They released a statement saying “ofo has begun to reevaluate markets that present obstacles to new, green transit solutions, and prioritize growth in viable markets that support alternative transportation and allow us to continue to serve our customers."

Riders are hopeful other bike companies don't follow suit.

The market is also changing as rental scooters become a popular option. They are now almost a more common sight that bikes.

The scooters are currently allowed under a pilot program. And on a blistering summer day, it’s a preferred option for some over riding a bike.