Beijing has rules for shared bike industry

Beijing authorities have stipulated specific standards for shared bike technology, services and parking.

According to rules issued by the local government, shared bikes should be installed with satellite positioning devices. Smart terminals should be installed to collect information about the location, use time, and lock status of bikes. Electronic maps should be provided on user APP to show parking lots and areas where parking and riding are prohibited.

Shared bikes should be upgraded or scrapped after three years in operation. Bike companies must make sure that at least 95 percent of shared bikes on the market are good for use, and sub-standard bikes should be recalled.

The government ordered using electronic enclosures as well human staff at transportation hubs, metro stations and major commercial areas to supervise the use of shared bikes.

Eight types of areas should be off-limits for parking, including driveways, fire passages and tracks for the blind.

The information collected by the companies should be updated and relayed to the government, and the companies' servers should be located in the Chinese mainland.

Authorities with the Beijing Municipal Commission of Transport said that the regulations will help with the healthy development of the shared bike industry and the transportation system.

Beijing banned the new addition of shared bikes in the city earlier this month.

According to BigData-Research, 19 million people used shared bikes in China last year, and the number is expected to rise to 50 million this year.

There are 2.35 million shared bikes from 15 companies on the streets of the national capital, according to a spokesperson with the Beijing Municipal Commission of Transport.