SoftBank : Japan’s Bike-sharing Leaders Collaborate to Increase Customer Convenience

While Japan is well known for having a wide array of public transportation options with its extensive train and bus network, other modes of mobility like bike sharing have emerged to fill in the "one last mile" gaps. OpenStreet Co., Ltd., a SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) group company, is a leader in bike sharing with its app-based "HELLO CYCLING " platform that uses electrically-assisted bicycles, or e-bikes. As of writing, OpenStreet had over 3.5 million registered users and approximately 8,500 HELLO CYCLING ports located across Japan for picking up and returning bicycles.

Keeping up with increasing customer demand is a major challenge for the bike-sharing industry in Japan, however. According to OpenStreet, the number of ports stood at about 1,200 at the end of March 2017, and this number is projected to reach approximately 21,000 by the end of March 2024. That represents a 17-fold increase in the span of seven years. Accordingly, expanding the number of ports and optimizing bike relocations and battery swaps are major challenges for bike-sharing platforms.

In this context, OpenStreet and another industry leader, DOCOMO BIKE SHARE, INC., announced they agreed to form a business partnership that will see them working together to jointly utilize their respective bicycle ports, thereby enhancing customer convenience. OpenStreet and DOCOMO BIKE SHARE will also collaborate on bike relocations and battery swaps to make their operations more efficient.

Tomoaki Kudo, OpenStreet CEO (left) and Masanori Takeoka, DOCOMO BIKE SHARE CEO (right)

OpenStreet's HELLO CYCLING ports tend to be mainly located in suburban and residential areas while DOCOMO BIKE SHARE ports are primarily located in central urban locations. By jointly utilizing their ports, both companies will be able to complement their resources, allowing customers to use bike-sharing services at an even wider range of locations.

Based on their agreement to form a business partnership, OpenStreet and DOCOMO BIKE SHARE will aim to begin jointly utilizing ports within fiscal 2025 (the year ending March 31, 2026). Both companies will also explore specific areas and locations going forward.

Give HELLO CYCLING a test ride

In this walkthrough article, learn how to get around with OpenStreet's HELLO CYCLING's e-bikes. A smartphone with the HELLO CYCLING app and a credit card are all that's needed to get started. Major credit cards issued outside Japan and non-Japanese phone numbers also work with the service*.

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  Note that debit cards cannot be used.

The app menus also support English and Chinese (simplified characters and traditional characters).

Please be sure to obey the rules of riding a bicycle in Japan. Information is available in this guide from the Metropolitan Police Department: "How to Ride a Bicycle the Right Way"

By downloading and registering on the free HELLO CYCLING app, you can make reservations to use electrically-assisted bicycles and search for stations anytime and anywhere.

(Posted on July 11, 2024)
by SoftBank News Editors