Dockless bike-share hits US capital, following craze in China

Washington : Dockless bike-sharing, a trend which has taken China by storm, arrived in the US capital Wednesday with the launch of new services aimed at promoting two-wheeled travel without the hassle of a docking station.

China-based giant Mobike and California-based LimeBike each began deploying hundreds of bikes, which have GPS location tracking and are unlocked with a smartphone app, under an agreement with city transportation officials.

The bright-green LimeBikes started appearing in downtown Washington along with the orange-colored Mobikes, both offering 30-minute rides for $1. A third startup, California-based Spin, is set to begin operating in the capital later this month.

By eliminating the docking stations, the new startups allow riders to locate and unlock a bike with a smartphone, and then drop it virtually anywhere.

The new systems will undercut the docked bike-sharing network by offering rides at half the price of the competition and free users from worrying about whether docking stations are available.

LimeBike, which is now in 10 US cities and has raised $12 million since its founding in early 2017, aims to be a complement in the transportation system and will deploy 400 bicycles in Washington.