Since March 2023, Da Nang has implemented a public bicycle model with 61 stations and approximately 600 bicycles installed throughout the city's districts at locations near bus stops to facilitate the use of residents and tourists.
In the initial trial period, this model had a large number of users, with young people often experiencing it around 20h - 21h, at that time, if they did not arrive early, there would be no bicycles available for use.
As of now, Da Nang still maintains the same locations for the bicycles but no longer has as many users as before. Tourists also have fewer options for this service.
Mr. Võ Minh (Hai Chau district) stated that he has used this service since the city first implemented it, however, he only uses it in the evening or on days without sunshine.
“I occasionally top up my account and ride a bicycle around the city, in autumn or winter, I can ride more often, but during the summer, Da Nang is very sunny, so it is not convenient for riding bicycles,” Mr. Minh said.
Mr. Minh also stated that each resident has their own personal vehicle, and the locations of workplaces are far apart, making it difficult for people to change their habit of using bicycles for transportation. For tourists, this mode of transportation is more suitable as they want to slowly explore Da Nang at an affordable cost.
In addition, some locations where the bicycles are placed do not have shade, and there is no area to provide shelter, so the bicycles are exposed to the sun and rain, which can cause damage.
Living near the public bicycle station, Ms. Kiều Liên (Cẩm Lệ district) often walks around the area and sees few people using the bicycles, last year when this model was first introduced, many people had to wait in line to use the bicycles.
“The bicycles are left outside, so when it is sunny or raining heavily, they do not have any shelter, I do not know if they will be damaged if left outside for a long time like this. Sometimes the bicycles are stacked on top of each other, and some users do not leave them in order,” Ms. Liên shared.
It is known that the development of the public bicycle model aims to support other types of public transportation, contributing to changing the habits of Da Nang residents, in particular, and Vietnamese residents, in general, in protecting the environment, towards a green and clean life.
However, the implementing unit also needs to regularly monitor the situation and trends to facilitate the use of the service by residents and tourists, prioritizing the use of the service when needed to avoid waste.
