How to Create a No-Code Application to Manage Shared Bikes in Real Time

Shared bicycles and e-scooters are transforming urban mobility, offering more sustainable and flexible transport alternatives for residents and visitors.

However, the growing use of these services also presents challenges for municipalities. Improperly parked e-scooters, blocked pavements and public spaces, or a lack of information about bicycle availability are just some examples of situations that require monitoring.

To manage these services efficiently, municipalities need up-to-date information about vehicle and station locations, availability and usage.

With City as a Platform, through solutions such as Mapify, municipalities can integrate data from shared mobility operators and transform it into interactive maps and real-time monitoring applications, without the need for complex programming.

In this article, we explore how this approach can support urban micromobility management, using examples based on publicly available data from Toulouse and Frankfurt.

The Role of Data in Urban Micromobility Management

Micromobility includes lightweight transport solutions, such as bicycles and e-scooters, that make short journeys more convenient and sustainable.

To monitor these services, many cities use data provided by operators through the General Bikeshare Feed Specification (GBFS).

GBFS is an open data standard that enables the sharing of information about shared mobility systems, including:

• Locations and availability of bicycles, e-scooters, and stations.

• Number of available vehicles and parking spaces.

• Vehicle characteristics, such as battery range and vehicle type.

• Pricing information and conditions of use.

• Areas with specific riding and parking restrictions.

By using a common data format, municipalities can integrate information from different operators and gain a more comprehensive view of shared mobility services across their territory.

This capability simplifies operational monitoring and can support the development of policies for more organised use of public spaces.

Data from the 2022 State of the Industry Report indicates that as of 2022, 62% of cities in North America required shared micromobility operators to release an open, public GBFS feed. This requirement allows cities to monitor and control the quantity and improper parking of electric scooters and bicycles effectively.

1. Monitor Bike-Sharing Stations in Real Time

Bike-sharing stations play an important role in organising shared mobility services, allowing users to collect and return bicycles at designated locations.

However, effective management requires knowing not only where stations are located, but also how many bicycles and parking spaces are available at any given moment.

GBFS provides this information through two datasets: one containing station details and locations, and another providing operational status, including the number of available bicycles and parking spaces.

The original article presents the example of VélÔToulouse, a bike-sharing service in Toulouse, France, whose public data was used to create an interactive station map.

Using Mapify, a solution integrated into City as a Platform, the data is periodically collected, organised, and displayed on a map.

In the demonstration, general station information is updated every two minutes, while bicycle and parking space availability data is retrieved every 30 seconds.

The result is a geographical visualisation that allows users to explore individual stations and check bicycle availability.

For municipalities and operators, this information can help identify stations with limited availability, monitor network performance, and support operational decisions.

2. Track Dockless Bicycles and E-Scooters

Not all shared mobility services rely on physical stations.

Some operators allow users to collect and park bicycles or e-scooters at different locations across the city, subject to specific rules.

While this model offers greater flexibility, it can also create challenges related to improper parking and the occupation of public spaces.

To monitor these services, GBFS enables operators to share information about the locations of vehicles available for use.

The original article presents a second example using data from Lime in Frankfurt, Germany, to display shared vehicles on an interactive map.

In this demonstration, Mapify was configured to retrieve information every minute and automatically update vehicle locations and associated data.

The application also displays vehicles in different colours according to their estimated remaining battery range.

This visualisation makes it easier to understand how vehicles are distributed across the city and can support decisions related to service availability and public space management.

3. Automate Alerts and Improve Public Space Management

Beyond data visualisation, City as a Platform can use the information collected to support monitoring and operational processes.

Through Mapify's automation capabilities, municipalities can configure rules and alerts based on specific conditions.

For example, a municipality can define areas where e-scooter parking is permitted or restricted and, when suitable data is available, configure alerts to identify potential violations.

Similarly, notifications can be set up to highlight low bicycle availability or station occupancy levels.

This approach moves beyond simply displaying information, enabling more proactive management and helping municipal services identify situations requiring attention.

City as a Platform: An Integrated View of Urban Mobility

Micromobility management is just one of the areas where real-time data integration can contribute to smarter cities.

City as a Platform is a territorial intelligence platform developed by Focus BC that enables municipalities to bring together information from multiple sources, visualise geographical data, and create applications tailored to their needs.

In urban mobility management, these capabilities can support the monitoring of shared bicycles, public transport, parking, and other mobility services.

A real-world example is GIRA, Lisbon's public bike-sharing system, managed by EMEL.

Through City as a Platform, a solution was developed to monitor bicycles and stations in real time, track network performance, and support operational and planning decisions.

Explore the GIRA case study and how City as a Platform supports bike-sharing management in Lisbon.

This example demonstrates how data integration, real-time monitoring, and geographical analysis can contribute to more efficient shared mobility management.

More than simply tracking bicycles on a map, the goal is to turn data into actionable insights that improve services, optimise resources, and support more sustainable urban mobility.