Bike-sharing firm Mobike rolls out in Sydney

SYDNEY: Chinese bike-sharing giant Mobike is the latest company to offer the alternative mode of transport for Australian commuters facing high-density development.

The Beijing-based company will initially put 500 bikes on the city’s roads, where users will be able to activate the vehicles with their mobile devices and ride them for free with a one-Australian dollar deposit in November.

Speaking at the launch event downtown in front of the Museum of Sydney, Mobike Australia General Manager Mina Nada said the rollout will be at the city’s Green Square area, where there will be many commuters facing packed buses and trains.

“In consultation with the City of Sydney, we’ve heard that there was a real crunch on availability of public transport ... Green Square is going to be Australia’s most densely populated area. So we’re servicing a population that is under-serviced with transportation options and also has a variety of socioeconomic levels,” Nada said.

There are more than 4,000 dockless bikes in Sydney with other operators including Reddy Go, oBike, Airbike and ofo, according to a City of Sydney spokesman. — Xinhua