Kakao Mobility Launches Pilot Operation of 'T Bike Parking Zones'

by Lee Seungjin

Published 05 Oct.2022 09:54(KST)

Kakao Mobility Launches Pilot Operation of 'T Bike Parking Zones'

[Asia Economy Reporter Seungjin Lee] Kakao Mobility announced on the 5th that it will pilot the ‘T Bike Parking Zone,’ which awards points for device return and parking in designated zones in six areas?Seongnam, Asan, Ansan, Wirye, Changwon, and Cheonan?over a three-month period until the end of the year.

Kakao T Bike is a mid-to-short distance transportation mode that fills the mobility gap not covered by existing transportation means. Recently, to expand user options in line with diverse usage patterns, it operates not only electric bicycles with PAS (Pedal Assist System) electric motors but also regular bicycles in areas such as Geomdan in Incheon and Ulsan, and additionally provides kickboard channeling services.

Kakao Mobility is introducing and piloting the ‘T Bike Parking Zone,’ a system that maintains the convenience of the dockless usage method?allowing bicycles to be freely used and returned anywhere?while preventing obstruction to other citizens’ passage by designating parking zones to improve shared personal mobility parking culture.

Having already verified user convenience through a promotional operation in April, the company aims to build the necessary systems for parking zone operation through this pilot service. To this end, the pilot service will be provided in six areas with high user response to shared economy infrastructure?Seongnam, Asan, Ansan, Wirye, Changwon, and Cheonan?and plans to expand the applicable areas in the future to contribute to the spread of a proper shared PM usage culture and to further refine service operation policies.

The ‘T Bike Parking Zone’ is operated using Kakao Mobility’s big data analysis expertise and information and communication technology (ICT) such as GPS. When using the Kakao T Bike service, it checks whether a parking zone is set near the destination, then after using the device, the user parks it in the parking zone, takes and registers a parking photo upon completion of use. Based on GPS, it determines whether the device was returned within the parking zone and awards points accordingly. Users who return devices within the designated parking zones automatically receive 200 Kakao T Points, which can be used like cash within the Kakao T app.

Ahn Gyu-jin, Vice President and Head of Business Division at Kakao Mobility, said, “Kakao T Bike is establishing itself as a service that allows users to use it safely and enjoyably, beyond simply being a last-mile transportation mode. Kakao Mobility will continue to strive to prepare various measures that can contribute to the establishment and spread of a mature usage culture like the ‘T Bike Parking Zone’ by combining service operation know-how and advanced ICT technology in step with the expansion speed of shared economy infrastructure.”