Mobility analytics company Anadue and London-based electric bike-sharing operator Freebike have announced a cooperation agreement to improve the convenience and efficiency of the micromobility company’s service.
Anadue will apply its predictive analytics to help ensure that Freebike’s e-bike fleet is deployed to meet demand where and when it is needed.
Freebike will then use this data to create optimised operations that keep more of its bikes on the road and fully charged, thereby increasing bike utilisation and lowering operational costs.
What’s more, under the partnership, Freebike can share more detailed information with local government about the service being provided to local residents and businesses.
Matt Morbin, general manager, Freebike UK, said: “Freebike aims to provide the best service possible to its customers.
“This means ensuring that there is always a bike available when you need one, while also being a responsible operator by directing users to defined parking areas, and taking action if they are left in inconvenient places or too many bikes build up in one place.
“Analytics will support our business objectives to offer maximum convenience to our customers whilst supporting local authorities with valuable insight on how the public use their roads and space.”
Using machine learning, Anadue collects journey data from cars, micromobility vehicles and other sources to predict service demand based on trends, congestion, weather and other factors. It also aims to identify the most profitable riders, and those likely to churn.
According to Mike Manchip, CEO of Anadue, the company’s “deep” analytics of car and bike journeys reveal the impact micromobility has on a city, enabling authorities to plan for micromobility with allocated parking, cycle paths and junction design. Regulatory compliance can also be monitored by both the operator and the city.
“Ultimately, operators that are able to prove they are making things better, will be welcomed by local government. And operators using analytics to determine where to place their vehicles will be more profitable,” said Mike Manchip, CEO of Anadue
Founded by brother and sister Charles and Katharine Butler, Freebike has been operating bike sharing systems across Europe since 2009.
The company was selected by the City of London in May 2019 following a Call to Market process, launching in June 2019 with its dockless parking hub approach, before expanding its operations into central London.
Freebike’s solution allows users to rent one of its electric bikes via an app or contactless card and allows control to define where it may or may not be ridden or parked.
The bike’s electric motor also doubles up as an advanced locking system, allowing for smart, ultra-fast rental, enforceable geofencing and protection against theft and vandalism.
