The public bicycle service in HCM City was launched in 2021. Nearly 400 bicycles have been distributed across 43 stations in District 1. Tri Nam Group Joint Stock Company operates the service.
Public bicyles in HCM City (Photo by Phuong Nhi)
Currently, most stations in the city remain idle, with only a few young people renting bicycles on weekends.
According to Do Ba Quan, chairman of Tri Nam Group Joint Stock Company, after three years of operation, HCM City's public bicycle service has around 250,000 registered accounts. However, statistics indicate that the number of users has dropped by 70-80 percent compared to the initial period.
In May this year, the municipal department of transport added 80 more public bicycle stations in districts 1 and 4. However, Quan stated that pavement fees has put more pressure on his company. He suggested that the service could have growth potential if the city adopts more favourable policies for public bicycles.
Dr Tran Quang Thang, director of the Ho Chi Minh City Institute of Economics and Management, suggested that the city should have dedicated bicycle lanes.