Public Bicycle 'Ddarungi' Surpasses 100 Million Cumulative Uses... Usage Volume and Citizen Popularity Increase

Steady Growth Since Initial Introduction, Significant Increase in Usage After COVID-19
Achieved 3.5 Million Members and 270 Million km Cumulative Travel Distance... Contributing to Health Improvement and Environmental Enhancement

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] Seoul's public bicycle service ‘Ddareungi,’ which has become a representative transportation service with active use by citizens, surpassed a cumulative usage of 100.2 million rides on April 25.

According to Seoul City on the 27th, the city initially predicted reaching 100 million cumulative rides in May, but due to a sharp increase in usage from 4.23 million rides to 5.19 million rides between January and March compared to the same period last year?a 22.7% surge?the target was quickly achieved by the end of April.

The public bicycle Ddareungi has continuously grown every year since its introduction, especially seeing a significant increase in usage after COVID-19, with a 24% rise in 2020 compared to the previous year, and an even larger 35% increase last year compared to the year before. Seoul’s public bicycle system started operating under the name ‘Ddareungi’ in October 2015, and as of the end of April, it has expanded its infrastructure to 2,626 rental stations and 40,500 bicycles, with plans to further expand to 43,500 bicycles by the end of this year.

While the cumulative number of public bicycle rides surpassed 100 million, the number of members steadily increased, exceeding 3.5 million?equivalent to one in three Seoul citizens. The total accumulated travel distance reached 275.31 million kilometers. Assuming the shortest distance from Earth to the Moon is approximately 380,000 km, this distance is equivalent to about 362 round trips. The total accumulated usage time is approximately 44.87 million hours, which means that if all Ddareungi users’ riding times were combined, it would equal about 5,123 years of riding Ddareungi.

Shin Hee-cheol, Director of the Global Transportation Cooperation Center at the Korea Transport Institute, said, “The love Seoul citizens have for Ddareungi reflects a mature civic consciousness that values health and the environment,” adding, “As Ddareungi has established itself as Korea’s representative public bicycle with various attractions and advantages, its use as a transportation welfare service in citizens’ daily lives will continue to increase.”

Public bicycle Ddareungi not only serves as a daily transportation means for citizens but also contributes to health promotion and air quality improvement, generating various expected benefits. Based on a standard weight of 65 kg, it has provided an exercise effect equivalent to approximately 7.08653 billion Kcal, and the cumulative carbon reduction reached about 1,968 tons, demonstrating significant eco-friendly effects.

Meanwhile, to commemorate surpassing 100 million cumulative rides, Seoul City plans to showcase Ddareungi in various forms. They will disclose the last travel route of the 100 millionth rented Ddareungi bicycle and cumulative statistical data, and utilize these for future exhibitions and events, preparing diverse plans so that citizens can enjoy Ddareungi anew through its story and history.

Baek Ho, Director of the Seoul City Urban Transportation Office, said, “Thanks to the steady love from citizens, Ddareungi has surpassed 100 million cumulative rides,” and added, “We will continue to do our best to further enhance public bicycle infrastructure in various ways, including strengthening private sector collaboration, advancing the redistribution system, and improving bicycle frames to increase safety, so that citizens can use Ddareungi conveniently and safely.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.