Amid the global paradigm shift toward 'low-carbon green transportation' Korean Government has been encouraging its people for years to use bicycles for moving around in town. Several municipal governments in Korea are currently operating some form of ...
Amid the global paradigm shift toward 'low-carbon green transportation' Korean Government has been encouraging its people for years to use bicycles for moving around in town. Several municipal governments in Korea are currently operating some form of public bicycle systems in their cities. Changwon city is one of them and may be considered a leader in this area.
This study looks into the public bicycle system "NUBIJA" of Changwon city - operating concept of the system, current status, success factors, opinions of the public about the system, issues to be solved, etc. - in order to find a viable solution to an economic and green transportation needs in town. Changwon city is the first in Korea to have set up a network of unmanned bicycle storage and rental stations with a fully integrated operation and control system.
The study shows as success factors of Changwon city its mild climate, relatively flat and level grounds, well-maintained bike lanes. On top of these the mayor created an office to support the bicycle users with various incentives and insurance coverage. A network of unmanned bike storage and rental stations were established throughout the city, and its operation was consigned to a public enterprise which administers bicycle races in the area so as to make use of their best knowledge.
An issue to be resolved is how to generate enough revenue to cover the high operating cost of a public bicycle system. One way is to encourage public donations and provide tax benefits, but further studies need to be carried out on the economics of the public bicycle system.