Tea for Two and Two for Taiwan

This month has seen the launch of two bike-sharing programs in Taiwan - the first in the southern port town of Kaohsiung City, called C-bike, and the second in Taipei, called YouBike.

In Kaohsiung, the service (pictured above) offers 1,500 bikes and 20 stations with plans to expand to 4,500 bikes and 50 stations by the end of May. According to the Kaohsiung City press release, "The system has been constructed on a build- operate-transfer (BOT) basis at a cost of NT$90 million ($2.58 million). Some NT$15 million ($444,000) was put up by both the EPA's air pollution control fund and the city government, and another NT$60 million ($1.77 million) came from the central government's economic stimulus package. Tung Li Development Co. has been commissioned by the government to operate the system over the next five years.

"Members will be able to use the bike for free for the first 30 minutes and will be charged NT$10 ($0.30) for each subsequent 30-minute period for a maximum of NT$230 ($6.80) for 12+ hours."


Taipei's YouBike presently has five stations with an indeterminate number of bikes from the Website (anybody know?). The first 30 minutes are free with additional time at NT$10 ($0.30) per 30 minute period.


Congratulations, Taiwan!

image credits: Yam Blog and David on Formosa

A Giant Step for Taiwan

According to Central News Agency via Taiwan News, Giant Manufacturing Company will be launching a bike-sharing program in the business district around Taipei 101, the world's tallest occupied building. The Department of Transportation will allow Giant to set up 11 stations with 500 bikes for a planned launch in March.

Taiwan News reports, "Customers will be required to use a credit card or the city's EasyCard to rent a bike. The first 30 minutes of rental will be free, and the rate for additional use will be set at NT$10 [Taiwan New Dollars (US$0.30)] for every 15 minutes.

"The system will allow for bikes to be rented at one location and returned at a different point. If the bike is stolen, the renter will be required to pay NT$1,500 (US$45) in compensation, provided he or she could prove that the theft was reported to police within seven days. Otherwise, the compensation fee will be NT$3,000 [US$89]."

image credit: Kruger

Taipei Goes for 500

According to The Taipei Times:

"The Taipei City Government will provide 500 bicycles for rent near MRT stations by the end of this year to encourage residents to take better advantage of public transportation, Taipei City's Transportation Department said yesterday.

"In a test run of the city's "public bicycle rental system," a total of 500 bicycles will be arranged at 10 rental stops near the Taipei City Hall and Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall MRT stations, said Chen Rong-ming (陳榮明) (sic), a division chief at the department.

"Chen said that people will be able rent a bicycle at one rental stop and return it at another one and they may choose to pay the rental fee by cash, credit card or MRT EasyCard.

"The department budgeted NT$12 million (US$300,000) to establish the system."

This is an extraordinarily low cost of a bike-sharing program of which I'm familiar. As much of the world's bicycle frame and parts production is done in Taiwan, this would make providing the bikes less expensive than abroad. However, there was no mention of the technology they plan to use, so I'm curious about this. If cash may be used, maybe the stations will be attended.

image credit: Wikipedia