Using Bike-sharing Service for Delivery

#. Using Bike-sharing Service for Delivery

 

Since 2015, the Seoul government has been operating a bike-sharing service called "Ttareungyi"

It makes tens of thousands of bicycles available for Seoul citizens to ride and return easily.

Through it, the government hopes to reduce people's reliance on polluting cars and encourage them to be more physically active.

But in late 2019, there were reports that these bicycles were being used for other purposes.

Neighborhood delivery workers were seen getting on the bikes for their job.

The government quickly announced that such commercial use of the public service was strictly prohibited.

Many people support the government's stance.

They say that allowing delivery workers to use the bicycles would make the service inconvenient for the public.

Fewer bicycles may be available when Seoul citizens actually wish to use it.

Also, the bicycles may become less clean by carrying food, or wear down faster through overuse.

Most of all, these people argue that Ttareungyi is a public service that is made possible through taxpayers' money.

Given this fact, businesses should not be able to use it for their own profit.

Such behavior by delivery workers would be akin to misusing public funds or property, they say.

However, other people say that it is unfair to single out delivery workers.

They point out that the bikes are being used commercially in other ways, as well.

For instance, many white-collar workers use Ttareungyi to commute to and form their office.

So, if company employees are allowed to ride the bikes, delivery workers should also be given the same access.

Furthermore, the critics say that the delivery workers use the public bikes out of necessity.

Their main means of transportation may have been damaged.

Or in some cases, they may be unable to afford their own bicycle or motor vehicle.

So, the critics argue that there is no harm in offering a helping hand to these workers.

 

• stance stæns 입장[태도] (=position)  wear down 마모되다, ~을 마모시키다

• overuse |oʊvər│juːz 남용하다  most of all 그 중에서도, 무엇보다도  taxpayer ˈtækspeɪə 납세자

• Given this fact 이 사실을 감안할 때  be akin to 유사하다 

• misuse ˌmɪsˈjuːz 남용, 오용, 악용 (=abuse) / 남용[오용/악용]하다 (=abuse, ill-treat)

• single out 선발하다, 선정하다, 뽑아내다. (=pick, choose.) 

• point out 가리키다, 지적하다, 주목하다. (=direct, indicate; draw attention to.)

• out of necessity 마지못하여, 없이   necessity nəˈsesəti 필요(성) ,필수품 necessary |nesəseri  필요한 (=essential)