Incheon Transit Corporation's Shared Umbrellas at Stations Used 3,186 Times; 97.7% Return Rate

[Financial News, Incheon = Han Gap-su, Reporter] The shared umbrella service operated at Incheon Subway stations recorded a high return rate, demonstrating its potential as a service that improves residents' daily convenience.
Incheon Transit Corporation announced on the 30th that it held a final report meeting on the shared umbrella platform pilot project on the 17th, where it discussed the results of the pilot operation and plans for future expansion.
The shared umbrella platform is a service that installs an Internet of Things (IoT)-based rental and return system in underused spaces at subway stations, allowing residents to borrow umbrellas and return them at nearby stations. The initiative is intended to make it easier for people to cope with sudden rain while promoting resource circulation through umbrella sharing.
After signing a business agreement with WEbrella last November, Incheon Transit Corporation conducted the pilot project at 20 locations across 14 stations on Incheon Subway Lines 1, 2, and 7.
Of the 3,186 total uses, 3,114 umbrellas were returned, resulting in a 97.7% return rate. Usage was particularly high at stations such as Gajeong Station and Geomdan Sageori Station, where demand from residents and commuters is strong.
Users can rent an umbrella after verifying their identity through a mobile app. An RFID (radio-frequency identification) system tracks each umbrella's usage history and whether it has been returned, and rented umbrellas can be returned at any other station where the service is available. The service is free if the umbrella is returned within 48 hours.
Based on demand and operational results identified during the pilot project, Incheon Transit Corporation plans to consider expanding the service to all stations.
Choi Jeong-gyu, president of Incheon Transit Corporation, said, "We will carefully review ways to expand the service and operate it sustainably based on the results of the pilot operation and feedback from residents."
[email protected] Han Gap-su Reporter