Commute and short-distance travel made fun and easy on electric bikes and scooters in Seoul
Arirang News
2019-05-17
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Most of us have experienced running late for work or an appointment that's too far to reach by foot... but not close enough to take public transport.
And a number of so-called micro mobility platforms in the country are looking to close this gap.
Our Oh Soo-young has more.
It's one block too far to walk, but too close to take a taxi or a bus.
In recent months, new sharing platforms have been popping up in Korea,... creating dockless mobility solutions for commuting and traveling short distances around the city.
A bike-sharing service in Seoul offers rental rates of 200 won, or less than 20 cents, for ten minutes,... compared to the fixed hourly rates charged by existing bike-share platforms.
"Our service helps reduce commute time substantially and also make it more enjoyable. Our users mostly use G. Bikes for 15 to 20 minutes at a time, although some use it for much longer."
As the bikes are dockless, based on a GPS system,... you don't have to look for a designated bike stand when you arrive at your destination. You can simply leave it there for someone else to use.
Electric scooter rentals are also offering a more compact and speedier way to get around the city while beating the traffic,... and can go up to 25 kilometers per hour.
"Scooters have largely been used for leisure but it is rather an ideal means of transport in a complex city. It's also eco-friendly. 80 percent of cars on the road are used by the driver alone. Electric scooters are one-hundredth of their size and also consume one-hundredth the amount of energy, without emitting greenhouse gases. The number of users and the level of usage has grown three-fold since March 1st."
"As convenient and popular as electric scooters are, there are still some safety issues and regulations that need ironing out."
Electric scooters can't be used on sidewalks or bicycle lanes as they could pose a danger to pedestrians and cyclists traveling under 25 kilometers per hour.
Platform companies have complained this hinders their businesses from growing.
Given the surge in demand for micro-mobility services and promising market prospects, a transport ministry official has said some of these restrictions may be eased and safety standards revised during the latter half of this year.
Oh Soo-young, Arirang News.
And a number of so-called micro mobility platforms in the country are looking to close this gap.
Our Oh Soo-young has more.
It's one block too far to walk, but too close to take a taxi or a bus.
In recent months, new sharing platforms have been popping up in Korea,... creating dockless mobility solutions for commuting and traveling short distances around the city.
A bike-sharing service in Seoul offers rental rates of 200 won, or less than 20 cents, for ten minutes,... compared to the fixed hourly rates charged by existing bike-share platforms.
"Our service helps reduce commute time substantially and also make it more enjoyable. Our users mostly use G. Bikes for 15 to 20 minutes at a time, although some use it for much longer."
As the bikes are dockless, based on a GPS system,... you don't have to look for a designated bike stand when you arrive at your destination. You can simply leave it there for someone else to use.
Electric scooter rentals are also offering a more compact and speedier way to get around the city while beating the traffic,... and can go up to 25 kilometers per hour.
"Scooters have largely been used for leisure but it is rather an ideal means of transport in a complex city. It's also eco-friendly. 80 percent of cars on the road are used by the driver alone. Electric scooters are one-hundredth of their size and also consume one-hundredth the amount of energy, without emitting greenhouse gases. The number of users and the level of usage has grown three-fold since March 1st."
"As convenient and popular as electric scooters are, there are still some safety issues and regulations that need ironing out."
Electric scooters can't be used on sidewalks or bicycle lanes as they could pose a danger to pedestrians and cyclists traveling under 25 kilometers per hour.
Platform companies have complained this hinders their businesses from growing.
Given the surge in demand for micro-mobility services and promising market prospects, a transport ministry official has said some of these restrictions may be eased and safety standards revised during the latter half of this year.
Oh Soo-young, Arirang News.
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