With 35 years of history and based in Stirling, Scotland, FEL Scotland is a charity committed to promoting sustainable transport and environmental responsibility. One of their most impactful initiatives is their free e-bike library, which offers individuals and businesses a practical alternative to car travel. By making e-bikes accessible, the programme has encouraged more people to choose low-carbon transport.
“Recognising the need for accessible, low-carbon transport options, we launched our free e-bike library to encourage cycling as a viable alternative to car travel. By removing cost barriers and making e-bikes easy to borrow, we’ve helped more people see cycling as a practical, everyday transport choice.”
The initiative continues to grow, with local businesses also incorporating e-cargo bikes into their operations to reduce reliance on cars for short-distance deliveries. As demand for e-bike loans increased, so did the complexity of managing them. With more users and a growing fleet, FEL Scotland needed a system to help them scale their bookings and ensure a seamless experience for both individuals and businesses.
Objectives
To keep up with this growth, FEL Scotland set out to find a more efficient way to manage their expanding loan programme. Their priorities included:
- Automating bookings and preventing double reservations
- Providing real-time bike availability tracking
- Streamlining bike check-ins and check-outs
- Maintaining a clear history of loans
Scaling an Expanding Programme
Initially, FEL Scotland used spreadsheets and sign-in sheets to manage their growing fleet of e-bikes. However, as demand increased, it became harder to keep track of bike availability, loan durations, and user details. Their manual process presented some challenges in supporting the flexibility needed for their expanding programme.
“Before implementing the software, managing e-bike loans was manual and time-consuming. Tracking bike availability, loan durations, and user details relied on spreadsheets and paper-based systems, leading to inefficiencies. We needed a better way to handle the growing demand without adding more administrative work.”
Looking for a solution that could automate bookings, track availability in real time, and improve the overall experience, the team discovered Hubtiger’s rental software through an industry trade journal. After trialling the system, they quickly saw its potential.
Smooth Implementation
Adopting a new system can feel like a big shift, but for FEL Scotland, the process was seamless and well-supported. With training sessions and customer support on hand from Hubtiger, the team quickly adapted, unlocking the full potential of the platform from day one. With real-time data updates and a centralised system, Hubtiger’s rental software has made managing e-bike rentals even more efficient.
A Seamless Booking Experience
Since implementing Hubtiger, FEL Scotland has significantly reduced admin time and improved efficiency, allowing them to focus on growing the programme rather than managing paperwork. The automated booking system has made it easier for their users to reserve bikes, while real-time availability tracking ensures better fleet management for the team.
“The software has significantly reduced admin time, improved the efficiency of loan management, and ensured bikes are returned on schedule. The real-time availability dashboard and automated booking confirmations are essential in preventing double bookings and improving service reliability.”
Empowering More People to Ride
With a faster, easier booking system, more users than ever are taking advantage of FEL Scotland’s free e-bike programme. Hubtiger’s rental software has made it simple for customers to browse available e-bikes in real time and compare models before booking.
“Users now enjoy a smoother booking process, better access to bike availability, and faster check-ins and check-outs. Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.”
Results
The efficiency improvements since implementing Hubtiger have been clear and measurable:
- 30% reduction in admin time spent managing loans
- Significant decrease in booking conflicts
- More bikes in circulation due to better tracking
What’s Next for FEL Scotland?
Sustainable transport is gaining momentum, and FEL Scotland is committed to widening access to e-bikes while deepening their impact within communities. Managing a growing fleet comes with challenges, but having a scalable system in place makes all the difference.
