In Asia, one of the nations with the most number of motorcycle and scooter users is Vietnam. The motorcycle is the major form of transport for most Vietnamese people. They consume less fuel, are faster and occupy less road space. But when there are thousands of them on the road at the same, they can also cause a traffic jam.
San Francisco, Buenos Aires and Copenhagen are just some of the places where scooter sharing has been employed. Barcelona takes it further, introducing a sleekly-designed, purple-colored electric scooter for sharing, which is a first for the city and the world.
Motit
The electric scooter sharing scheme and the vehicle is called Motit. The electric scooter is very hip and sleek in design, and looks more like an electric bicycle than a scooter. It is eye-catching with its bright purple color, which the government says is to ensure that the riders are easily seen. It comes equipped with a navigation system so that the user will not get lost while navigating the streets in the city of Barcelona.
The scheme
Barcelona introduced the electric scooter sharing scheme a few weeks ago to help people save on gas as well as transportation costs. The scheme is envisioned to work very well, since residents in Barcelona are also crazy about scooters. Users must wear a helmet and must hold a driver’s license. It is different from the scheme introduced by Scoot in San Francisco, which offers private service.
The Barcelona scooter sharing scheme combines the convenience of technology for communication and mobility and flexibility of usage. It offers several options. The user can either pay for each trip or choose to use the scooter for longer and pay by the hour. Users can likewise pay on a monthly basis. There are tourist rates as well. An accessible application allows the user to pay and use a scooter wherever they are. So far there are fifty of these purple-colored Motit scooters available.
How it works
The designers of this scheme planned the process well, as people nowadays are very mobile and connected, with more people using smartphones, tablets or PCs. The Motit app is downloadable from Google Play or the App Store. It runs on android and iOS phones. Several contracts are available and anyone who wants to use the service must choose the contract that suits him best.
You must be 21 years old and above, have a license to drive a 125cc motorcycle or a car. There is a registration form that needs to be filled up. After registering, you can reserve a Motit by trip, by time, by frequency or by tourist route. Logging in can be done through their website or through the downloaded app.
Five minutes before you start your trip the system sends you notice to start your trip. Motits are available in several service areas where you can pick up the electric scooter for the start of your trip. At your destination, you can drop off the scooter, turn it off and leave the provided helmet inside the scooter’s front compartment, which can be opened using your smartphone. You have to remember to end or sign off your reservation using your smartphone as well.
Residents of Barcelona can choose between priority and standard rates while occasional users have their own rates as well. The scheme looks like a great way to have zero gas emission. It is also very economical, with a single trip from point A to point B costing just 0.5 euros. It’s a great way to get around the city during summer.
Image attributed to Facebook
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