The Da Nang Traffic Lights and Public Transport Management Center (DATRAMAC) said on Sunday that it has begun arranging about 600 bicycles at 61 stations in the city’s five districts to pilot its first public bicycle rental service.

The one-year pilot program will officially start on March 29 as Da Nang authorities hope to curb personal vehicles, reduce environmental pollution, and promote smart sustainable transport.

A total of 61 stations with about 600 bikes will be opened across five districts, namely Hai Chau, Thanh Khe, Son Tra, Ngu Hanh Son, and Cam Le, in the coastal city. 

The stations are built near bus stops and crowded areas to attract users.

The bikes used in the program are designed with an anti-theft lock, an ID card, a locating device, and a solar charger.

The bikes cost VND5,000 (US$0.21) for every 30 minutes and VND50,000 ($2.1) per day for each trip lasting 7.5 hours at the maximum.

Bike users must download the TNGO app by Tri Nam Corporation on their cellphones to unlock the vehicles and can pay via e-wallets including ZaloPay, MoMo, ViettelPay, and VTC Pay.

Tri Nam has been also operating the same public bicycle share service in Ho Chi Minh City, Vung Tau City in southern Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province, Quy Nhon City in south-central Binh Dinh Province, and Hai Duong City in the namesake northern province, according to the company’s website.

Ho Nguyen Quoc Cuong, deputy director of DATRAMAC, said that after the pilot period, the program’s effectiveness will be reviewed for expansion.

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