Shuttle bus ends daily shared bike battle

A shuttle bus route ferrying white-collar workers in Hongqiao to their workplaces and Metro stations started operations yesterday. 

The bus runs between entrance D of the Metro station serving Hongqiao Railway Station and Sincere Center in the business district from 7:30am to 9:30am and 5:30pm to 7:30pm on work days. 

The bus will run every 10 minutes with the fare set at 3 yuan (44 US cents). 

Passengers can pay with public transport card or cash. QR code payments will be added soon, said Zhao Fanglai, in charge of the operation.

Two electric buses will ply the route, each with 45 seats. 

The trip takes roughly nine minutes, whereas previously it was a 30 minute walk. 

More than 700 companies have established offices in the business district — including Roche, Fiat and Shell Global — employing about 50,000 office workers. 

Sun Yan works in the Ali Center near Sincere Center. 

She said it used to be a daily battle outside the Metro station for shared bikes during rush hour.

“When I get out from the station around 9am, all bikes are gone already,” she said. 

Another office worker Bai Jianbin, takes bus 173 to Shenbing and Ninghong roads every day. 

“But after I get off the bus, I still have to walk for about 20 minutes before I get to my office,” he said. 

“The bus will save me at least 30 minutes every morning.” 

According to the sub-district, 108 people took the bus on its first day.