"Monthly Pass 10,000 Won" KT Launches Shared Bicycle Service

Revival of Suwon Shared Bicycle Service 'Tajo'
1,000 Shared Bicycles to be Initially Deployed in September
Expansion to 3,000 Units by Early Next Year

[Asia Economy Reporter Koo Chae-eun] KT and Omni System announced on the 21st that they will launch the shared bicycle service "Tazo (TAZO)" in Suwon City. Tazo will offer a free trial service until the 27th, and from the 28th, it will be a paid service. The fee for one use is 500 KRW per 20 minutes. After that, an additional 200 KRW is charged every 10 minutes. A monthly pass allowing unlimited rides costs 10,000 KRW.

To provide the Tazo service, KT, Suwon City, and Omni System signed a business cooperation agreement at the end of February this year and prepared for six months. KT is responsible for the service platform, smart locking devices, and wireless communication, while Omni System manages bicycle operations, the Tazo application (app), and service operations. Suwon City is in charge of the shared bicycle infrastructure and administrative support.

The Tazo shared bicycles can be used at about 60 major locations in Suwon City, including subway stations, bus terminals, and parks. KT and Omni System will deploy 1,000 bicycles for the Tazo service within this month. They plan to expand this to 3,000 bicycles by early next year. Through this, it is expected that 1.19 million Suwon citizens will be able to use an eco-friendly transportation method more conveniently and safely.

KT and Omni System applied Internet of Things (IoT) technology based on wireless communication and GPS to the Tazo operation platform so that any Suwon citizen can easily use the shared bicycles. After registering on the Tazo app on their smartphones, completing identity verification and card registration, users can conveniently rent or return bicycles by scanning the QR code attached to the bicycle with their smartphone camera.

Kim Jun-geun, Head of KT Incubation Division (Executive Vice President), said, "The Suwon City shared bicycle service 'Tazo' is a case of digital transformation of shared bicycle services using KT's advanced service platform and wireless communication technology." He emphasized, "KT will continue to strive to lead innovation in shared bicycle services in other local governments, starting with Suwon City."

Park Hye-jin, Chairperson of Omni System, said, "Tazo is the first shared mobility service applying Omni System's IoT monitoring technology." She added, "It is expected to play a significant role in improving the local environment through the expansion of bicycle use as an eco-friendly transportation method and in the development of Suwon City as a Green Smart City."