Charlotte, N.C. Welcomes Another Dockless Bike Option

Mobike will launch in the city over the holiday weekend.

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(TNS) — Another dockless bike-share company is coming soon to Charlotte.

Charlotte is the second U.S. city for Bejing-based Mobike, which will place a limited number of its bikes around Charlotte this weekend, according to a statement from the company. The company’s other U.S. city is Washington, D.C.

In Charlotte, Mobike joins a growing number of bike shares, including Limebike, Spin and B-cycle. A Chinese-based company called Ofo soon plans to add 500 yellow bikes around Charlotte as well.

Like Limebike and Spin, Mobile has “smart bikes” that are equipped with GPS and proprietary smart-lock technology. Through a Mobike mobile app, users can find, unlock and pay for Mobikes throughout the city. Mobike charges $1 per 30 minutes.

Also like Limebike and Spin, Mobike doesn’t require users to leave the bikes at a designated station when they’re finished with their ride.

Mobike operates in 200 other cities across 12 countries.

“Charlotte is a leader in technology and smart city infrastructure, so it’s only natural that dockless bikesharing would thrive here” said Jason Wong, U.S. general manager for Mobike, in a statement.

This month, Charlotte City Council approved nearly $1.7 million in federal transportation grants for Charlotte B-cycle, which will nearly double its number of docking stations and allow the program to expand beyond the center of town.

B-cycle is the city’s only bike-share program to receive public money.

©2017 The Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, N.C.) Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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