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Air pollution is a major problem in major cities and the recently launched public bicycle rental service could serve as an example for other regions.
A pilot public bike rental has been launched in Hai Phong, a port city in northern Vietnam. The service is operated by Tri Nam Group JSC, with 500 bikes currently available at 39 city center locations. The bikes can be rented for VND 5,000 for the first 30 minutes and VND 1,000 for every six minutes thereafter, and they are parked on sidewalks in Le Chan, Hong Bang and Ngo Quyen districts, local media reported.
To use the service, users need to download a mobile app, create an account and fund it. Each bike is equipped with an ID, smart lock and locator so the driver can track the vehicle’s location. Bikes can be returned to any station and the service is expected to be fully operational within a month, after which day or month tickets will be available.
During the two-day trial period on Saturday and Sunday, 40 people rented the bikes. Public bike-sharing services are also available or being trialled in other cities in Vietnam, including Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Da Nang and Quy Nhon in Binh Dinh province, according to local media.
“Air pollution is a major problem in major cities, and the recently launched public bicycle rental service could serve as a model for other regions,” a resident named Dung Duong told Vietnam Insider. Many locals have expressed their intention to make more use of this service in the future.
