Companies providing public bikes in Beijing to insure customers against accidents

Almaty. September 18. Silkroadnews –  Companies providing public bikes in Beijing are required to insure customers against accidents, China Daily reported.
“Beijing is requiring providers of public shared bikes to purchase life accident insurance while banning children under 12 from using them and prohibiting commercial advertisements on the two-wheelers, according to a new guideline,” the report reads.
It is noted that the guidelines, jointly released by 11 government departments of Beijing, is aimed at regulating the rapidly developing bicycle-sharing industry.
In addition, according to the new rules, all bicycles must be equipped with GPS and meet safety standards, users must be registered with their IDs, and companies providing the bikes must have the responsibility to remind the bikes users of safety information and provide accident insurance. Also it is not recommended to use electric bikes.
As the Beijing Municipal Commission of Transport stated, the guidelines is based on the studies of Mobike, Ofo and other start-ups, as well as administrative practices in Shanghai, Shenzhen and Chengdu.
Data shows there are 15 bike-sharing companies operating in Beijing, which own 2.35 million bikes throughout the city. New additions have been banned in Beijing. Beijing is still working on developing more specific technical standards and parking requirements to be introduced later.