Wuxi launches new measure on public bicycle rentals

Wuxi has waived the 20-yuan ($3) guarantee fund of the app "Ma Shang Xing" for its public bicycle users. [Photo/wxrb.com]

The city of Wuxi has waived the 20-yuan ($3) guarantee fund of the app "Ma Shang Xing" for its public bicycle users.

The move aims at a "zero-threshold" public bicycle rental system, allowing those who have registered the app with their real names and bound bank cards to borrow and return Wuxi's public bicycles without any guarantee fund.

According to the Wuxi Public Bike Development Company, the app can be used to rent bikes and also travel on the Wuxi metro. It used to require a 20-yuan minimum balance to take the subway.

Now Wuxi citizens will be free from the minimum balance restriction by binding bank cards and registering with their real names on the mobile app. It means that authenticated users can rent public bikes with the app even if their account balance is zero.

As of this month bicycle rentals will be unavailable for users without real-name authentication.

In the past one year, the Wuxi government has added some 100 static parking stations for its 10,100 shiny red bicycles, mainly around subway stations, bus stops and large shopping malls. Wuxi's public bikes are free for the first hour and cost one yuan per hour after that.

Wuxi government has added some 100 static parking stations around subway stations, bus stops and large shopping malls during the past year. [Photo/wx.bendibao.com]