This is not a sponsored post
Do you live really far from the MRT station? Is traveling to the MRT station a pain because you need to take the bus and busses aren't always on time? Does this mean you always allocate an extra 15 minutes getting to school because of walking distance?
Say goodbye to your worries because oBike is here.
oBike is the first non-station smart-bike sharing system in Singapore. Upon downloading the app and locating a bike, you are bestowed with the freedom to ride anywhere or anytime you want.
I only very recently found out about oBike through my friend Penny, who told me that she started cycling from her home to the MRT station almost every day after using oBike. According to her, oBike is really convenient for short, one way trips such as traveling to the MRT station.
Not only is the service free, but it is also healthy and environmentally friendly. Te Fiti wont die with the increase of cyclers in the city, and you get toned muscles. One stone kill two birds.
How does oBike work?
Step 1: Reserve a bike via the app
Reservation will expire after 10 minutes. If you unlock another bike while looking for the reserved bike, your current bike reservation will be cancelled.
Step 2: Locate the bike through the in-app GPS
Step 3: Unlock oBike and use it for free
oBike is free as long as you've used it within 30 minutes. You're required to pay a small fee after that.
Step 4: After the ride, park the oBike in a legal designated area (bike parking area) and re-lock it
As a responsible citizen, bikes should not be parked in a private place where others can't locate it. Do not park it in your HDB unit!
How do I sign up?
You can download oBike through Playstore or Appstore on Apple.
Pay the deposit
Riders are required to pay a deposit of $49.00 each time they ride. This is to ensure that you use the bike with caution. The deposit is refundable, so don't worry. In order to get a refund for the deposit (which takes 1-14 working days), go to "My Wallet", and click "refund deposit". If the deposit isn't returned within the stated dates, you can report the matter to service@o.bike.
For students, you are entitled to a deposit of only $19.00. After registering for oBike, click on the small "student" icon at the bottom right corner of the in-app GPS, and key in your details. It takes about 3 days to confirm your status.
The only downside to this is that you can only refund the deposit once for free. Refunds that are more than once will require a transaction fee that will be deducted from the deposit.
Bummer.
Disadvantages
For a newly released app, loopholes are inevitable and here are some of them that I've identified:
1. The in-app GPS has a lot of bugs
There have been several complaints from riders who claimed that their reserved bike was no where to be found though it was clearly shown on the GPS.
I would vouch for this complaint. Yesterday it took me almost 15 minutes searching for my reserved oBike which was not at the area the map said in would be. Instead of saving time, I wasted mine.
2. Not all areas have the oBike
I live at Tampines, and there are hardly any oBikes around here. However, places like Jurong West are full of the bikes. I supposed you can request to have more bikes around your area of residency if you find that the number of bikes are insufficient.
3. Inconsiderate riders
When my friend told me that you can park the bike anywhere you want after using it, I jokingly told her "Why not just park at your home?" Though it was a joke, there will be people who will use the service selfishly for their own use.
4. Deposit system
So yes, as stated earlier the deposit system is quite a bummer. If the service is for free, why not make it free all the way??? Having to pay a small charge after refunding for the first time really defeats the purpose of this "free" transport service.
Despite the several loopholes, I strongly believe that oBike has potential for growth especially in Singapore, where majority of the population are pedestrians. In another year or so, I do see this app being used more frequently by students and being as popular as Uber or Grab.
So what are you waiting for? Sign up for oBike now and be prepared for the ride of your life!
2 comments
Do not sign up with OBike; you will never get your deposit back. OBike does not provide a phone contact, just email. Despite countless emails sent to enquire about the refund the standard answer has been they apologize, their other department will check, etc. but nothing ever happens. From the comments left on their facebook page it seems many others face the same issue too.
ReplyDeleteGo make a police report. I warned OBike before I did. They hope I didn't. They wait for police actions. They scared and refund me after more than 3 months. I will see what they do to my family member's refund. I warned them already.
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