Suwon City to 'Resume' Unmanned Rental Bicycle Service from the 28th

[Asia Economy (Suwon) = Reporter Lee Young-gyu] Suwon City in Gyeonggi Province is restarting its unmanned rental bicycle service.

On the 21st, Suwon City held a launch event for the Suwon-type unmanned rental bicycle 'Tazo' (TAZO) in front of Suwon City Hall, together with KT and Omni System.

Suwon City will expand infrastructure necessary for the unmanned rental bicycle project, such as bicycle parking lots and dedicated roads, and provide administrative support. KT will develop the shared bicycle operation platform, wireless communication system, and locking devices, while Omni System will supply the bicycles based on this and manage the user app and overall service.

The city has been operating 100 Tazo bicycles on a trial basis in the Yeongtong-gu area since the 4th.

Starting from the 28th, the city will officially launch the service by deploying a total of 1,000 bicycles. An additional 2,000 bicycles will be added in the first half of next year.

The unmanned rental bicycle system does not require bicycle racks or unmanned information guidance systems. Using a smartphone, users can easily rent and return GPS-equipped bicycles at bicycle parking spaces located throughout Suwon City.

To use the shared bicycles, users must download the 'Tazo' app from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store. After signing up as a member and registering a credit or debit card, users can scan the QR code on the bicycle with their smartphone to use the service.

The usage fee is 500 won for 20 minutes (basic fee). An additional 200 won is charged for every 10 minutes. A 30-day pass costs 10,000 won.

Tazo operates a dedicated call center (1577-5942) and a website (https://www.tazo.kr).

Yeom Tae-young, Mayor of Suwon City, stated, "We expect Tazo to establish itself as an eco-friendly transportation means representing Suwon City."