A BICYCLE rental service launched in Shekou a month ago still cannot be used.
The 16 bicycle stands installed across Shekou Peninsula remain idle even though 300 people had registered and received prepaid cards.
The service is idle because the electricity supply has not yet been connected to all the bicycle stands, a manager with Shanghai Forever Bicycle Co. named Yu said.
This meant customers were unable to use their cards. Yu said the service was expected to be working by the end of the week.
The service was launched Sept. 22 to mark World Car Free Day. Residents in Shekou need to deposit 100 yuan (US$15) to rent a bicycle for free for the first hour and pay 1 yuan for each additional hour.
In the past month, about 300 people had registered and received prepaid cards, theoretically allowing them to rent a bicycle and return it to any one of the 16 stands.
Some residents in Shekou criticized the strict requirements for a rental card, as applicants must possess Shenzhen hukou or a property title. Additionally, it took two weeks for applications to be approved.
But Yu said he was more concerned that his company might not be able to keep up with demand if the number of applicants exceeded 4,000.
We are offering a micro transport system connecting with buses and Metro trains. It is a trial and when the whole system is operating, we expect around 3,000-4,000 users, he said.
The system was not yet available to travelers and migrant workers and targeted only Shekou permanent residents, he said. Foreign nationals can rent the bicycles by presenting their passports. (Han Ximin)
