The local government is behind the eco-friendly initiative for the capital city of Central Java province

Semarang, the capital city of the Central Java region, just hosted the launch of GOWES, a bike sharing platform and app supported by the government.

Owned by PT Surya Teknologi Perkasa (STP), the subsidiary of digital company PT M Cash Integrasi Tbk (IDX: MCAS), the company created a GOWES fleet, which is an e-bike and e-scooter fleet that provides transportation alternatives aimed at the locals and tourists that come to the city.

Also Read: 15 more awesome startups that will be apart of TOP100 APAC 2019

A total of 30 bikes unit, 20 e-scooters unit, and 10 e-bikes unit from GOWES were available to try in a government-facilitated CFD event. Involved in the event was Jajaran Musyawarah Pimpinan Daerah (Muspida), the region’s discussion leader for Semarang and the local telecommunication provider XL Axiata.

XL Axiata provides the SIM card and internet connection to support the Tracking Device feature in the GOWES app.

“We want to provide a transportation alternative that’s air and noise pollution free for everyone to use, especially the residents of Semarang,” said Iwan Suryaputra, the President Director of PT Surya Teknologi Perkasa (STP).

Suryaputra also added that the launch seeks to promote a healthier lifestyle among the locals.

GOWES will first be made accessible in the tourist spots all over the city such as the the legendary Lawang Sewu, the gift shops center, Goa Kreyo, Buddhist worship temple Kelenteng Gedung Batu Sam Poo Kong, and many more. The goal is to eventually have hundreds of the fleets in the city.

The bike sharing platform is the development of STP’s main product of Tracking Device & Digital Indonesia Map, utilising Internet of Things (IOT) technology applied to each bike to let users leaving the bike anywhere in the operational area of GOWES. The GOWES team will then collect the bike after use.

Also Read: How does my startup make it into Echelon’s TOP100 this year?

So far, GOWES has operated in Bali, covering Kuta, Legian, Sanur, Nusa Dua, and Garuda Wisnu Kencana (GWK) in Bali. GOWES also can be found in Jakarta, specifically in Monumen Nasional (Monas) area, Gelora Bung Karno (GBK), residential areas like Bintaro Jaya and Nava Park BSD City, as well as at Telkom University, Bandung.

By downloading the app in Google Play Store and App Store and credit topping up into the app in digital kiosks, users can use GOWES’s services that also provide internet data and other digital products.
–

Image Credit: GOWES

The post IOT-based bike-sharing service GOWES launched in Semarang, Indonesia appeared first on e27.