YouBike

YouBike, originally Taipei Bike Sharing System, is a public bicycle sharing service offered by the Taipei City Department of Transportation in a BOT collaboration with local manufacturer Giant Bicycles. As of 26 May 2016, service stations in the bike system are available in Taipei City, New Taipei City, Taoyuan City, Hsinchu County, Hsinchu City, Hsinchu Science Park, Miaoli County, Taichung City, Chiayi City, Tainan City, Kaohsiung City, and Pingtung County.[1] In Taipei City, rental is NT$5 for the first 30 minutes of use and adopts progressive tolls from NT$10 to NT$40 thereafter. No other fee, such as yearly deposit, is required. There is a 15-minute renewal restriction period at the station to which the bike was returned.[2][3]

YouBike
YouBike kiosk
YouBike kiosk

In 2014, the system saw 22 million rentals, double the 11 million rentals the previous year, with 196 rental stations circulating 6,046 bikes.[4][5] As of February 2023, there are a total of 1,582 YouBike 1.0 rental stations and 5,246 YouBike 2.0 rental stations across Taiwan, with a total of 653 million rentals.[6]

History

Launched in 2009, the system initially saw an unexpectedly small number of daily users in the trial district of Xinyi. This prompted the city's Department of Transportation to expand the system along the Taipei Metro lines and into several more districts.[7] The slow initial adoption of YouBike rentals was overcome through adjusting the business model, such as by lowering rates (including making the first 30 minutes free of charge), and increasing ways to open an account (online via the YouBike website or at the kiosks).[2][8] In April 2015, the Taipei Department of Transportation began charging YouBike riders for the first 30 minutes of use.[9]

In 2020, the improved new system, YouBike 2.0, is taking its trials near National Taiwan University. The new system allows bike renting with only smartphones and reduces the limitations of station infrastructure. The government hopes that the new system will help build a larger scale of bike rental network.The new, white, 2.0 system is now found across Taiwan.[10]

In 2021, the Taipei City government has pledged to retire all of the first version of YouBike, YouBike 1.0, by the end of 2022 due to positive feedback on YouBike 2.0.

Youbike 1.0 service in Taipei City is retired since December 2022.[11]

Bikes
Two YouBikes 1.0 in Taipei
YouBike 2.0 Station in Taipei
YouBike 2.0E(Electric bicycle)

According to the company, each of the system’s bikes costs about NT$10,000 (US$330) because they are designed to withstand frequent use. The bicycles are built to be used 13 times a day on average, much more often than the twice daily use that most other bicycles average.[12] Each bicycle has an RFID tag for vehicle tracking and theft prevention.[13]

References
  1. "YouBike微笑單車-收費方式". YouBike 微笑單車 (in Traditional Chinese). Retrieved 2023-03-02.
  2. About YouBike. Taipei City Department of Transportation. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  3. YouBike前30分鐘　免費制將改成收5元
  4. Two wheels make a comeback in Taiwan, BBC News, 11 Feb 2015
  5. Lee, Hsin-Yin (24 October 2014). "YouBike ridership surpasses 30 million". Central News Agency. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  6. "YouBike微笑單車-站點地圖". YouBike 微笑單車 (in Traditional Chinese). Retrieved 2023-03-01.
  7. Mo Yan-chih (2012) "Taipei to boost its public bicycle rental program" 27 May. http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2012/05/27/2003533855
  8. "Taipei City Expands Its YouBike Network". Department of Economic Development, Taipei City Government. 15 October 2012. Retrieved 23 October 2013.
  9. Huang, Lee-yun; Kao, Evelyn (31 March 2015). "Taipei set to start charging YouBike riders for first 30 minutes". Central News Agency. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  10. 北市府網站管理員 (2020-01-09). "Taipei City Government". Taipei City Government. Retrieved 2020-03-31.
  11. 臺北市政府交通局 (2022-11-18). "臺北市政府交通局". 臺北市政府交通局. Retrieved 2023-03-01.
  12. Giant looks to expand YouBike rental system
  13. 偷YouBike怕被發現 噴漆上路仍被逮
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