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Specifically, Tri Nam Group (the investor) plans to import 500 vehicles to Ho Chi Minh City in early November, with 388 vehicles for rental and the remainder as reserves. The fleet will be stationed at 43 locations on the sidewalks of several streets in District 1, near bus stops, waiting areas, parks, and tourist attractions, to serve short-distance travel. Each station will have an area of 10-15 square meters.2For parking 10-20 cars in two rows, the minimum width per car is 1 meter.
Regarding the placement of these locations, the unit plans to deploy them within 1-2 weeks after the bikes arrive, in preparation for a one-year pilot program. Previously, the plan to operate the public bicycle system was scheduled to launch in August, but it was postponed due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The pilot program for the Mobike public bicycle service in District 1 was approved by the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee in April of this year, following a proposal from the Department of Transportation and collaboration with relevant departments and agencies. During the one-year pilot period, the Department of Transportation will calculate and flexibly adjust the number of bicycles and the service area, and summarize and evaluate the results.
The Mobike bicycles were tested in District 1 in October 2020.
The bicycles used in the pilot program are equipped with smart locks, featuring GPS tracking, and can be locked or unlocked via 2G, 3G, 4G, or Bluetooth mobile network connections. Users install the Mobike app on their phones, scan for nearby stations with bikes, then use the app to scan a code to unlock the bike and register for fares based on usage time.
Initially, the rental price will be 5,000 VND/30 minutes and 10,000 VND/hour per vehicle. The operating company will later explore various ticket options. The first 15 minutes will be free to attract users.
To prevent theft or loss, users must provide and verify valid personal information when registering. Each bicycle is also fitted with an identification ID tag. Through the central software, operators can track the bicycle's route and the rider's movement.
The opening of a public bicycle rental service in the center of Ho Chi Minh City has attracted interest from many organizations. In 2018, a company experimented with smart E-bikes at the National University of Ho Chi Minh City (Thu Duc City) but discontinued the project. According to the Department of Transportation, the bicycle network helps connect people to bus stops more conveniently, instead of walking as is currently the case.
