Virtual "electronic fences" are ensuring that shared bicycles are picked up, returned to designated points, and parked properly in Hengqin or else the renter will hear: "Not in the return area, please return to the lined area."

Zhuhai Public Transportation Group has taken the lead in adopting the technology to prevent shared bicycles from being randomly discarded. Not only does the program cater to the demands of locals and tourists for short-trips, it also effectively eliminates the uncivilized dumping of shared bicycles, said Wen Weijun of the Hengqin Ecological Environment & Construction Bureau.

Shared bikes of Zhuhai Public Transportation Group parked in yellow frames of the "electronic fence" [Photo by Zeng Yao / Guanhai App]

The urban shared bike program entered trial operation Feb 9 and was put into use July 17 at Number 1 Rest Station of Hengqin Flower Corridor on North Qinhai Road. Eight hundred bicycles are currently available at 108 stations across Hengqin.

The stations are equipped with "smart" signboards and ground Bluetooth beacons that do not damage the road surface, require no power connection or optical fiber cables, and are easily installed and relocated.

Users can find out the distance to nearby stations and number of bikes there via a mini program. Bicycles can be unlocked after information registration and a QR code scan without a deposit guarantee.

There is also supervision to identify random parking and bicycle counts. If there are too many bikes at a station or they are not at designated parking areas, the platform will delegate nearby staff to handle the problems.

In addition to self-owned shared bikes, the station is open to bicycles of other operators for unified management, says project technology head Qian Weiwei.