Launched in June 2019, Tartu Smart Bike Share is Estonia's first public bike-sharing system. These 750 bikes are spread over 94 stations located in the city. Today, a team of more than 15 people from Tartu City Transport regulate and maintain the service all year round.
750
bikes
8,000
users
23,000
rebalancing operations in 2021
5M
kilometers travelled in 2 years
2019, the beginning of the partnership between Tartu City Transport and Qucit!
Two years after its launch, more than 8,000 users are using the 750 bikes in 94 stations throughout the city of Tartu every day, in summer and winter. In total, more than 5 million kilometers have been travelled in 2 years!
In 2021, almost 23,000 operations have been performed by the Tartu teams on Qucit Bike!
Solution
An intuitive software based on Artificial Intelligence
Since January 2020, Tartu has used the Qucit Bike software stack to improve its operational efficiency. Qucit Bike consists of:
An intuitive mobile application for rebalancers that optimizes routes and tasks to be performed in real time;
A dashboard for the Operations Manager that allows them to track key productivity indicators, key system performance metrics and simplify the management of field agents.
Roman Meeksa testimony
Manager at Tartu Linnatransport
© Tartu City Government
▶ What was the challenge you faced before working with Qucit?
"The rebalancing of the bikes was based on observation and did not meet our needs. Many stations were empty and many were overcrowded.
Bikes that needed to be repaired were often brought to the workshop one by one, which was very time-consuming. We needed to systematize the rebalancing and improve our service."
▶ What impact has the Qucit Bike Redistribution technology had on your day-to-day operations, particularly in terms of rebalancing?
“The rebalancing itself was much more effective and the controllers who did it began to receive clearer tasks. When an operator sees that his work is productive, his performance also increases.
Also, due to the shortage of spare parts, the number of our bikes decreased by about 15%, but their usage remained about the same thanks to the rebalancing system."
▶ How do you use Qucit Bike in summer and winter? Are there any differences?
"In our system there are huge differences between summer and winter, but the Qucit Bike system for us is just the same in the right way.
In winter we only have a third of the bikes in service and some stations are closed. Qucit Bike has adapted very well to our system."
▶ What do you think of Qucit Bike's ability to adapt to the specific constraints of the city of Tartu (tourist season, cold winter, etc.)?
"We were very happy that Qucit listened to our suggestions and made all possible adaptations to our needs. The transitions between winter and summer are very smooth.
The biggest changes in the use of our bike share are due to changes in the weather and Qucit Bike is up to the task."
© Estonian Business and Innovation Agency
▶ What has been the feedback from the dispatchers since the use of Qucit Bike?
"Our dispatchers are really happy with the Qucit solution. They are happy that work is more agile, that it takes less time to find solutions to problems and that the quantities of bikes to be moved are more accurate.
In our system, Qucit is also used to transmit tasks to the dispatchers and technicians, which makes the day-to-day work easier as we don't need another communication platform."
