Have you ever alighted a bus and thought, man, the weather is too good, how about I cycle back home to destress after a long day of work? You look around, but there are no sharing bikes available at all!
Well now, you can avoid this problem altogether by reserving a shared bicycle at or near bus stops using the SBS Transit (SBST) app, thanks to a collaboration with bicycle-sharing platform, Anywheel.
The ability to check the number of bikes at parking stations on the SBST app has been around since March 2023. But being able to reserve a bike in advance? That’s the game-changer.
Through the SBST app, you can check how many Anywheel bikes are at the parking stations near your bus stop and reserve one up to 30 minutes in advance. But you will still need a valid Anywheel account with enough credit to reserve a bike.
To find out more about Singapore’s story with bike sharing, watch our video here!
The announcement was made on 10 July, so you can already start planning your commutes.
This new reservation feature is SBST’s latest effort to improve first-and-last-mile connectivity for commuters, making it easier for you to get from the bus stop to your home or office.
Don’t worry, though; the actual hiring of the bike is done through the Anywheel app. Simply scan any bike at the parking station to start your rental. It costs $1 for every 30 minutes or part thereof. Pretty straightforward, right?
However, if you fail to take the bike out within the reservation period, use it for less than one minute, or end your trip within five minutes, a $1 reservation fee will still be charged.
Bikes aren’t the only sharable mode of transport available for you, though.
Back in February, SBST teamed up with Get-Go, a car-sharing company, to park 400 shared cars within a five to 10-minute walk of 50 MRT stations along the North East and Downtown MRT lines.
Both lines, as well as the Sengkang and Punggol LRT lines, are operated by SBST.
Jeffrey Sim, SBST’s chief executive, mentioned in an interview with the press in December 2023 that there are even plans to develop a “bike village” at Punggol MRT station.
This village would provide amenities for the local community and encourage more people to use public transport; amazing news for the health and eco-enthusiasts out there.
As of right now In Singapore, there are two main bicycle-sharing companies: Anywheel and HelloRide.
Recently, Anywheel was granted permission by the Land Transport Authority to expand its fleet by 5,000 bicycles, bringing the total to 35,000. This move extends its lead over HelloRide, which operates 10,000 bicycles.
There is no doubt that there will be an increase in convenience for bus passengers, and who knows, maybe we will be able to adopt the Get-Go approach and reserve bikes right outside MRT stations one day!
