Changhua County Government has selected 20 rental stations in front of Changhua City Train Station, and a further 10 stations to the rear, including areas surrounding Changhua County Government, Changhua County Cultural Affairs Bureau, Zhongshan Elementary School, Yanping Park and Changhua County Police Department etc, totaling 30 stations. The system is slated for completion in July, and will provide more than 750 public bicycles.
According to County Magistrate Cho, in an effort to promote green transport policy and shape a low-carbon city, the County Government has collaborated with bicycle manufacturer Giant to launch the “Public Bike Rental System” as one of the transport equipment-types of the public transportation system. This is the first “Public Bike Rental System” to be unveiled in central Taiwan after Taipei City, New Taipei City and Kaohsiung City. In addition, Changhua County is also the first city to introduce “YouBike” in addition to Taipei City. In the future, aside from providing the citizens with a pollution-free short-range transport system in order to reduce car/motorcycle usage, the public bikes will also mitigate problems such as pollution, road use and energy consumption. If bike commuters can be cultivated over the long term, more street and road space can be freed up to transform the overall urban demeanor of Changhua, therefore the public bike rental system serves as a paradigm for the county’s sustainable, ecological and green township policy in the future.
In the future, after the system is completed, the high quality service of YouBike will be maintained to provide a high volume rental system where the public can apply for membership within three minutes and complete bike rental/return within one second. More importantly, the system will offer durable, easy-to-ride public bicycles that can withstand the elements. Furthermore, in combination with local specialty delicacies in Changhua such as meatballs and rice with braised pork, local residents and tourists alike can enjoy the fun and convenience of “short distance commuting by bicycle, instead of driving, to reduce carbon emission”.