Docomo Bike Share resumes services following widespread system failure

Docomo Bike Share has begun resuming its cycle-sharing services following a widespread system failure that began on August 1. In Okayama City, the ‘Mochamari’ service resumed on August 10, though some limitations remain, such as the inability to use ‘1-day passes.’ Users can still utilize ‘single-trip’ and ‘monthly’ plans.

The service disruption, caused by communication troubles during a system transition, has affected various municipalities across Japan, including Tokyo, Yokohama, and Osaka. Docomo Bike Share has announced that users affected by the malfunction will receive refunds. For monthly members, refunds will be calculated on a pro-rata basis for the period they were unable to use the service. No manual application is required from users, and specific details regarding the refund process will be posted on the Docomo Bike Share website.

The outage follows recent controversies regarding the company’s planned rebranding to ‘NOL’ and a new pricing structure, which had been postponed to September. The technical issues have led some users to switch to competing services like Hello Cycling or LUUP.