In a recent session at the Taichung City Council focusing on transportation services, Councilor Yang Dahong pointed out discrepancies in the operation of the public Youbike system in Taichung compared to Taipei. Yang highlighted that the average turnover rate for Youbike in Taichung is around 4.5 to 5 rotations, with the highest rate being 5.38, which falls significantly lower than Taipei’s average of 7 to 8 rotations per day. Despite this, instances of “no bikes available” have been reported in Taichung, even in off-peak hours in residential areas. Yang raised concerns about the whereabouts of these bikes and urged the Transportation Department to hold the bike-sharing operators accountable.
Yang disclosed that as of the end of March this year, Taichung had 9,858 Youbike bicycles, 1,333 stations, and 25,780 racks. The ideal ratio of bike racks to bikes should be 1:2, with the worst-case scenario being 1:2.5. Taipei managed to reduce its ratio to 1:1.9 after purchasing more bikes last year, while Taichung’s ratio stands at 1:2.6, indicating a shortage of bikes. Given Taichung’s vast territory, the current team of 149 personnel responsible for Youbike operations across the city operates on a three-shift schedule, which means each shift only consists of around 50 employees managing 1,333 stations and bike dispatch.
Questioning the budget allocation for the Transportation Department in 113 (2024), Yang raised concerns over the earmarked 50.8 million NT dollars for the Youbike operator contract, as well as an additional 50 million NT dollars for station and electric bike expansion. Despite this, from the end of last December to March this year, Taichung only saw an increase of 30 bikes, while the shortage of personnel for bike dispatch persisted, exacerbating the issue of unavailability of bikes for citizens.
Analyzing rental data from 112, Yang noted that the most frequently rented stations were located in densely populated areas, suggesting a need for enhanced station management during peak hours. However, the current workforce at Youbike appears insufficient to meet these demands.