The city of Amsterdam has launched a trial of a new badge for cyclists who subscribe to its municipal parking service. From now on, to enter and exit these zones, there will no longer be any need to show a subscriber card to "check in" to one's spot. A badge affixed to the bike will be automatically scanned at each entry and exit of these parking zones, including in some train stations. This data will be used to facilitate bicycle parking throughout the city in the future, managing the capacity of each parking lot.
In Amsterdam, cyclists who already have a bicycle parking pass can get a free badge installed on the frame of their bicycle. In fact, their bike will be automatically recognized and registered each time they pass through the check-in area or exit the parking lot. Thanks to a partnership with the railway company NS, this will also be possible in the parking areas located in railway stations.
The idea is to be able to collect the most accurate data possible regarding bicycle parking in the simplest way possible. Eventually, all the city's parking lots are set to be equipped with this technology. Cyclists will then be invited to have this small badge systematically installed on their machine.
In addition to simplifying data collection, this system has the advantage of allowing for better traffic flow, as the wait should be much shorter than when you have to wait for the people in front of you to swipe their (contactless) subscription card to register their bike in the lot. With this small badge placed on the bike frame, everything is done automatically, without having to stop.
The data collected, including arrival and departure times, will be used over time to improve services and adapt the capacity of the various parking lots. The municipality also wants to make use of these parking lots a fluid, natural reflex, and thus avoid cyclists parking just anywhere, particularly on bridges.
In Amsterdam, these parking areas, in train stations or elsewhere in the city, depending on the city council, are free for the first 24 hours. Only after that period do they start charging users, at a rate of 1.25 euros per new 24-hour period.
Check out this video to see how these smart stickers work: youtu.be/F3cyI8qrvm8
