logo
Centre-mounted phone holder, enhanced pedal feel: HelloRide adds more bikes with upgraded features to Singapore fleet, Singapore News

Centre-mounted phone holder, enhanced pedal feel: HelloRide adds more bikes with upgraded features to Singapore fleet, Singapore News

AsiaOne01-07-2025
Chinese bike-sharing company HelloRide will expand its fleet of bicycles from 15,000 to 20,000 starting Tuesday (July 1) after it received approval from the Land Transport Authority (LTA).
According to HelloRide's website, the increased fleet size will allow it to serve more users during peak hours, reduce wait times, and improve bicycle availability in high-demand zones.
It will also begin rolling out its new OA70 bike model in the coming weeks.
The upgraded bike features a centre-mounted phone holder, improved ergonomics with easily adjustable ride height and an enhanced pedal feel, and they will be progressively deployed across key town centres and transport nodes.
"This milestone reflects our continued commitment to delivering reliable, sustainable, and accessible micromobility solutions across Singapore," said HelloRide.
Founded in 2022, HelloRide operates bike-sharing services in Hong Kong and Australia.
In Singapore, its bikes are deployed in areas such as East Coast Park, Marina Bay Sands, National Stadium, parks along the Kallang River, and districts including Little India, Bugis, and Boon Keng, reported The Straits Times.
Responding to queries from AsiaOne, an LTA spokesperson confirmed that approval has been granted and that it will be for one year from July 1 to June 30, 2026.
The authority added that as at July 1, the total awarded fleet size for bicycle sharing in Singapore is 55,000 bikes, of which 35,000 belong to Anywheel.
Anywheel, founded locally in 2017, currently serves two million users here with the company experiencing consistent growth, with a five-digit increase in new users month-on-month, reported The Straits Times.
Currently, HelloRide and Anywheel are the only two bike-sharing operators in Singapore, following SG Bike's exit in April 2024.
With the increasing number of shared bicycles, the authority has emphasised the importance of responsible fleet management.
It highlighted several factors it considers when approving fleet expansions, such as the operator's plans to manage indiscriminate parking, initiatives taken to educate users on proper parking behaviour, and the operator's track record in addressing such issues.
Other considerations include the overall bicycle population, demand for bike-sharing services and the availability of adequate parking infrastructure.
[[nid:693106]]
xingying.koh@asiaone.com
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Uber partners with China's Baidu to deploy self-driving taxis in global markets
Uber partners with China's Baidu to deploy self-driving taxis in global markets

Straits Times

time4 hours ago

  • Straits Times

Uber partners with China's Baidu to deploy self-driving taxis in global markets

Find out what's new on ST website and app. The first rollouts are expected in Asia and the Middle East later in 2025. Uber and China's Baidu will partner to deploy thousands of Baidu's Apollo Go autonomous vehicles on the Uber platform across several international markets outside the US and mainland China, the companies said on July 15 . The first rollouts are expected in Asia and the Middle East later in 2025 . The tie-up brings together Uber's massive ride-hailing network with Baidu's fleet of more than 1,000 fully driverless vehicles across the world. It is the latest in a series of efforts by Uber to compete in the burgeoning market as tech companies race to overcome regulatory and engineering hurdles to deploy self-driving taxis at a commercial scale. In June , Uber launched autonomous ride-hailing services in Atlanta, expanding its partnership with Alphabet's Waymo, while also signing deals with autonomous vehicle companies including Pony AI and May Mobility. Tesla rolled out its long-awaited robotaxis in Austin, Texas in June , in their first public test. Meanwhile, China's robotaxi firms have been increasingly eyeing global expansion; Apollo Go is now present in 15 cities, including Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and, as of May, had completed more than 11 million rides. In May, Pony AI became the third Chinese autonomous vehicle company after Baidu and WeRide to unveil an agreement to deploy its vehicles in the Middle East. Mr Robin Li, co-founder and chief executive of Baidu, said on July 15 that 'the partnership with Uber represents a major milestone in deploying our technology on a global scale'. Baidu has been running its Apollo Go robotaxi services commercially in several Chinese cities since 2022. REUTERS

'Against racial harmony': S'poreans riled by Chinese menus with no English translation
'Against racial harmony': S'poreans riled by Chinese menus with no English translation

New Paper

time5 hours ago

  • New Paper

'Against racial harmony': S'poreans riled by Chinese menus with no English translation

Stepping into an eatery, the last thing most diners would expect is a menu entirely in a language they don't understand. After all, English is Singapore's lingua franca and the working language of the civil service, bringing its diverse communities together. While bigger chains like Haidilao, Tanyu, and Tongue Tip Lanzhou Beef Noodle cater to all customers with bilingual menus, some Chinese food establishments have been spotted operating without English menus - a trend that some non-Chinese Singaporeans call "exclusionary". A photo of a Chinese pancake stall menu recently went viral for its lack of English. The stall is located in Clementi's Gantral Mall, which one Google Maps user nicknamed "mini-Chinatown" in a review. This is in spite of Singapore Food Agency (SFA) regulations stating that food businesses offering prepacked food for sale in Singapore must provide labels with basic information about the product, such as its source, contents, and net quantity, in English. The labelling requirements do not extend to non-prepacked food like dishes served in a restaurant. Only the store's name was translated into English. PHOTOS: UNFAIR-BIKE/REDDIT, THE DRUG ARCHITECT/FACEBOOK This seems to be an issue across some Chinese food establishments in Singapore. In June, a Reddit user shared a post detailing the struggles of understanding a menu entirely in Chinese, as an Indian Muslim who does not speak Mandarin. "Yes, they're a Chinese business, and Singapore is Chinese-majority. But having only the Chinese language means you are excluding non-Chinese people and even some Chinese Singaporeans who struggle with their mother tongue," the user wrote. Comments in response to the user noted that Singaporeans are not the customer base these businesses are targeting: "Your absence does not make a difference to their bottom line because the (China national) expat bubble is self-sustaining." Another user who identified as a Chinese Singaporean felt that service staff should be trained to speak basic English: "I'm going to do my part and speak (in English) to the staff in Chinese restaurants." Not a one-off The Grantral Mall stall is not an exception - when The New Paper visited Scarlett Supermarket on a weekday afternoon, some signage was entirely in Chinese. The newly-opened outlet in Sembawang, one of 38 outlets owned by the Chinese supermarket chain, was predominantly staffed and patronised by Chinese nationals. It boasted a food court with four stalls, one of which was a mala stall with no English on its signage. The menu was written entirely in Chinese. PHOTO: ST LIM SAN TENG/GOOGLE MAPS An item on the menu of a dumpling stall was labelled in English, apparently with the help of online translation services, as Sichuan chilli oil wonton was awkwardly mistranslated to "copyist with red oil". Other items were properly translated. PHOTO: XIAN XIAN WONG/GOOGLE MAPS Alienating non-Chinese customers 24-year-old university student Nornabihah Mohamed Noor told The New Paper that the lack of proper English translation alienates non-Mandarin-speaking customers: "Honestly, I dislike it. It feels unfair and goes against the idea of racial harmony that Singapore stands for. "As a Malay who looks Chinese, I often get told I should speak Mandarin, even though I didn't grow up speaking it. It feels like there's an assumption or pressure to fit in a certain box." She added that, intentionally or not, these businesses are sending a message to customers that other races are not as welcome: "Not having English labels would make people feel excluded or like they don't belong in their own country." 'We are a multilingual society' A 47-year-old woman from China's Hainan province, who only wanted to be known as Mrs Tan, told TNP that she first visited Singapore 20 years ago in search of a job. She later met her Singaporean husband through a friend and settled here. Mrs Tan, who admitted that her English is still "not good", has since obtained Singapore citizenship and has two teenage children. "When I first came here, I didn't know English at all. Nowadays, I know basic words that I can use at work," Mrs Tan, who has worked as a dessert stall hawker for over 15 years, said in Mandarin. While she acknowledged the preponderance of Chinese immigrants, Mrs Tan stressed that it should not excuse the absence of English translations on menus. "If you're living here, you should follow how things are done here," she said. "We are a multilingual society, so of course, you have to label your menu in English. That's the most basic level of respect you can give to customers because not everybody can understand Chinese." Taking action Some Chinese eateries have amended their menus to better reflect their offerings. Xiang Xiang Hunan Cuisine, with 15 outlets across Singapore, recently updated its menu to correct some English translations. However, not all Chinese words on the menu were translated. The item is priced differently for members and non-members, but not indicated in English. PHOTOS, ARS 3276/GOOGLE MAPS, XIANG XIANG HUNAN CUISINE In September 2021, Scarlett Supermarket was investigated by authorities for selling products without English labels. In April 2023, the chain came under fire again for selling instant Chinese bread soup that listed methamphetamine as an ingredient. It was later clarified that the ingredients had been wrongly translated by the Chinese manufacturer. At press time, Scarlett Supermarket and Xiang Xiang Hunan Cuisine had not responded to TNP's queries. Miss Nornabihah told TNP that the lack of proper English labelling on menus is "not right" in a multiracial country. "It goes against the idea of inclusivity and racial harmony we claim to value and preach about."

China tightens export curbs on some battery technologies
China tightens export curbs on some battery technologies

Straits Times

time5 hours ago

  • Straits Times

China tightens export curbs on some battery technologies

Find out what's new on ST website and app. A lithium-ion battery pack is displayed during a media tour at the Chinese automaker JAC Motors plant in Mexico. BEIJING – China tightened export restrictions on certain battery materials technologies on July 15, as Beijing pulls ahead in the emergent sector despite its trade war with the United States. The two economic superpowers have traded barbs over export curbs, with Washington notably raising the threshold for selling high-end semiconductors to China. US President Donald Trump's administration has also accused Beijing of hindering exports of rare earths in retaliation against sweeping tariffs it imposed on Chinese goods. Beijing's Commerce Ministry announced on July 15 several adjustments to a list of technologies subject to export curbs. It marked as 'restricted' a technology for preparing battery cathode materials, meaning it cannot be exported without special permission. The ministry also added five more 'control points' to an already-restricted non-ferrous metallurgy technology involved in lithium mining and refining. 'This adjustment… is aimed at safeguarding national economic security and development interests, and promoting international economic and technological cooperation,' the ministry said. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore MBS' new development part of S'pore's broader, more ambitious transformation: PM Wong Singapore Current economic headwinds do not dampen outlook for new MBS building: Las Vegas Sands president Business MAS records net profit of $19.7 billion, fuelled by investment gains Singapore $3b money laundering case: MinLaw acts against 4 law firms and 1 lawyer over seized properties Singapore Man charged with attempted murder of woman at Kallang Wave Mall Singapore Ex-cleaner jailed over safety lapses linked to guard's death near 1-Altitude rooftop bar Singapore SJI International resumes overseas trips amid ongoing probe into student's death in Maldives in 2024 Singapore 'Nobody deserves to be alone': Why Mummy and Acha have fostered over 20 children in the past 22 years China leads the world in the production of lithium-ion batteries used to power electric vehicles, another sector in which it is a major player. Its alleged soft-pedalling on exports of rare earths – crucial materials for making electronics and other goods – came as the US ramped up restrictions on the export of cutting-edge artificial intelligence chips to China. Beijing received a modest boost on that front on July 15 when US tech giant Nvidia said it expected to be granted a licence to sell one of its less-powerful AI chips to China. AFP

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store