Qidong deploys electric bikes for public use

Residents of Qidong, a county-level city in Nantong, in Jiangsu province, are now able to get access to sharing electric bikes, according to a news release issued by the local urban management authority on May 8. [Photo/WeChat account of Qidong Daily]

Residents of Qidong, a county-level city in Nantong, in Jiangsu province, are now able to get access to sharing electric bikes, according to a news release issued by the local urban management authority on May 8.

The officials said that a total of 600 sharing electric bikes were placed on streets of Qidong, and the number of the bikes will be increased in the future.

According to the officials, users are required to register before using a bike. Those aged under 16 and above 65 are forbidden from using the bikes in consideration of their safety. 

Users will be charged two yuan ($0.3), if their cycling distance is within four kilometers. Beyond four kilometers, an extra 0.5 yuan for per km is needed. 

Officials said that if users are injured during riding the sharing electric bikes, they should immediately call customer services. Once the case is confirmed by the hospitals or judicial department, injured users can be paid compensation by the company Songguo Co Ltd which runs the sharing bike business.

To prevent users from improper use of bikes, such as disordered parking and vandalism, the bike sharing service operator will blacklist those who disobey the rules.