A pilot program "MEICHARI" for introducing Community Cycle was held in Nagoya for two months from 1st October to 30th November 2010. NCD participated in the program as a member of MEICHARI business operation group.
The 4th MEICHARI project explored the possibility of full-scale business by starting new trials including fee-based registration and expansion of power lock station.
The program started with 300 bicycles for hire in 30 stations in the area from Nagoya Station to Sakae District. The Community Cycle can be hired using a dedicated chip card that can be used by making pre-registration, FeliCa or Osaifu-Keitai (Wallet Mobile Phone that incorporates mobile payment system). The total number of times the bicycle was hired out in two months was 26,208. The average use per person showed a dramatic rise from 3.2 times to 13.8 times. It can be said that an increase in the number of repeaters indicates that the system has been recognized as a convenient system which took root in the community.
We feel that we could contribute to the success of this social program by providing comfortable and convenient Community Cycle through consistent management system by NCD Support Centre, based on our experiences we gained in the Community Cycle we implemented in the area of Otemachi, Marunouchi and Yurakucho in Tokyo in 2009 and a successful track record of EcoStation21. Pilot programs for 2011 onward in new cities are also planned. NCD will back up a local government that considers the use of Community Cycle through its own community cycle "Eco Port".

For information on MEICHARI, visit http://meichari.jp/index.html.