University of Cincinnati starts new bike share program just in time for Bike Month

Just in time for Bike Month this May, the University of Cincinnati has rolled out the region's first bike share program.  The Bearcat Bike Share program debuted on Earth Day, and is available to all UC students, faculty and staff.

"The idea of a bike share program had been bounced around by students for the past couple of years," explained Shawn Tubb, UC Sustainability Coordinator.  "In December 2009 we completed the bike plan and the bike share program was a big part of it, and it just seemed like a logical first start and something we could easily implement."

The program has started out with 30 bicycles at four different locations on both East and West campuses in Uptown.  In large part, the program was made possible thanks to support from Huffy Bicycles, UC Undergraduate Student Government Association who contributed $7,000, the UC Foundation, Reser Bicycle Outfitters, UC College-Conservatory of Music Tribunal, UC Facilities Management and UC Planning+Design+Construction.

The majority of the bicycles are found at the Campus Recreation Center (CRC) and can be checked out much like books at a library.  The bicycles can then be used on- or off-campus, but must be returned by the end of the CRC's business hours.  Bicycles are also stationed at University Hall and the Central Utility Plant on East Campus, and University Paviliion on West Campus.

The pilot program is scheduled to last approximately six months. Officials hope to expand the scope of the Bearcat Bike Share Program to include more bicycles and additional resources.

"We're hoping to encourage some more faculty and administrators to use bikes to go back-and-forth between East and West campus," said Tubb.  "It's a good way to decrease automobile use and get people more comfortable with cycling in the city."

Tubb also described how the Bearcat Bike Share program does interface with the City's Bike Plan, and could eventually work together with future plans for a city-wide bike share program comparable to those found in Washington, D.C. and Paris.  In the mean time though, Tubb is hoping to expand upon the initial $18,500 program by implementing a shop where bicyclists can come for repair work and other needs to help create a stronger bicycling culture.

"The bike plan UC did helps to incrementally change the culture in Cincinnati about the city not being a good city for bicycling," Tubb explained.  "When we put the survey out to students we got 2,100 responses with most saying they weren't comfortable when it came to riding safety in the city, so we want to give them the tools on how to do it safely.  The more bicycles there are on the road, the safer it will get."

Across the United States there have been about 80 colleges and universities to institute similar programs.  In addition to the new program, UC will also be hosting workshops as part of the university's free Sustainability Workshop Series.  The first such workshop will focus on urban riding and safety tonight at 5pm at the Catskeller on UC's West Campus (map), with the second focusing on repair and maintenance on Tuesday, May 11 - also at the Catskeller at 5pm.

Writer: Randy A. Simes
Photography by Scott Beseler and Dottie Stover
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