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Youbike


I am sure that you must have seen a row of yellow bicycle in Taipei city all the time, and the bike got “smile” mark on it, Yes, it’s “Youbike” or you can call it “U-bike”, “U” means smile. NOW, About “U-bike”, you might have the following questions:
 


About Youbike

To encourage people to use less polluting and low energy consumption transportation for short-range, in order to improved urban traffic congestion, reduce environmental pollution and energy consumption purposes. Taipei City Government and the Taiwan Giant together to launch Taipei public bicycle service plans. Operation started On March 11, 2009. Currently has more than 100 sites and a total of 3456 vehicles in Taipei. Also expected to increase 162 more vehicles by the end of 2013.
 


How to use
JoinTakeRideReturn
 


  1. Prepare your Easy Card or chip card, go to each YOUBIKE rental station, follow the instructions on the screen, open the card for bike rent services.

     
  2. Select a bike, holding the card which has been complete the open card procedures, and put it to the parking columns sensing area sensing. Pick up the car after the green light emits short beeps, pull the bike backwards, complete pick up the car.

     
  3. You can go to any station, select one empty parking column, inserted the bike latch to parking column. sensing Easy Card, blue light emits short beeps, complete the car return.

     

Rate

 

Stations Map
http://www.youbike.com.tw/info04.php

Other Cities

   Know more details : http://www.youbike.com.tw/guide.php (English)

Supplementary information

 

YouBike is the public-private partnership working mode operation.
Taipei City Government opened bidding , and Giant (Giant Manufacturing Co. Ltd) bid for the right to operate.

Giant research and development in particular, manufacture anti-theft, anti-rust and anti-roll designs.

Bicycles are made from non-standard parts, can't compatible with other bikes in the market. Assembly and disassembly required specialized tools, equipped with patented anti-theft vehicle parking lock cylinder, greatly reducing the possibility of theft.

Every bicycle will have an individually numbered, by controlling the wafers and related identification systems, in order to facilitate identification of management, each YouBike value of about NT $ 10,000.
 


Why Giant want to participate in public bicycle service?

Youbike spokesman said, this is the Giant Chairman劉金標's "fish farming policy", hope to drive the Taiwan public bicycle trend, and with Giant brand can make a mutually complementary effect.

The implementation of public bike is exactly an experiential marketing, let cycling becoming a lifestyle, not just for the transport.

Maintenance

Light doesn't shine, bell doesn't ring, brakes not working, flat tire, etc., those are common state of repair, such un-serious situation like flat tire, maintenance personnel can dealt with immediately, but if the situation will takes much more time to repair, will be shipped back to the service center for processing.

Currently, YouBike has 30 maintenance personnel, they inspect each station everyday. And with the increase of rental station YouBike will hire more maintenance staff to provide better services.


Is there any opposition?

Many schools and institutions are opposed at beginning, they considered that the bike rental station will take up too much space, causing inconvenience. Such opposition result lots losses at the early time of YouBike promote, But After they seeing the effectiveness of promotion, those organizations also expressed cooperation station wishes.




Press Releases by Taipei Govt.

http://www.taipei.gov.tw/ct.asp?xItem=62100765&ctNode=5158&mp=10
http://www.ssdo.taipei.gov.tw/ct.asp?xItem=39585656&ctNode=45085&mp=124011