Bike program sets students up to cruise

Sarah Goetz Guest Writer

A new trend in eco-friendly transportation and convenience has rolled into Vassar. Flashes of pink and chrome seem to be whizzing by in every direction now that the the Shared Bike Program is up and running.

For $10, students can receive a key that unlocks any of the fleet of 30 pink and gray bikes. Registration is unlimited and open to all members of the Vassar community, and so far over 200 students have signed up to participate. The bikes are not restricted to on-campus sites, as long as they are not abandoned off campus.

The program arrives on the heels of a popular trend of supporting two-wheel transportation in big cities. Public bike programs are becoming a staple among European capitals, with Paris launching its 10,000-bike program in July.

The program here, which received a financial kick-start from cycling enthusiast Paul Lehman ’86, is also last year’s sophomore class gift from the Class of 2009. The phenomenon of the sophomore gift is a relatively new tradition, initiated by the Class of 2007 just three years ago.

Initial talk of the program began last semester. Once the idea was hatched, its success relied on fundraising. The goal was to achieve a 55 percent participation rate among members of the Class of 2009, or a total of $5,500.

“Our goal was to engage more than half of the class in the program, and we did that,” said Class of 2009 President Maryrose Myrtetus. “I hope everyone is really happy with the outcome of their gift when they see it in front of them.”

The fundraising efforts, along with Lehman’s donation, allowed the bike project to be promptly carried out and ready for the new school year. The proliferation of the bikes throughout the campus serve as early proof of the program’s success.

Enthusiasm for the bikes is “better than we could have hoped for,” said Myrtetus. The student body seems to be “jumping on board beyond all expectations,” she said.

Registration for the program was briefly suspended on the first day of classes because of the already high demand for enrollment.

Several years ago a similar initiative brought an assortment of used bikes without locks to the campus, but that quickly fell apart and was abandoned. In order to ensure the success of this new installment, committee members analyzed the problems of the old system and researched similar programs that have been adopted by other schools and universities.

In addition to providing convenience and fun for members of the Vassar community, Myrtetus noted that the bikes also function as a “greener option for transportation.”

“It gives students the opportunity to ride the bikes on and off campus to places where they otherwise might have to drive,” she said. Students now have access to a completely environmentally-friendly method of travel.

The only problem, according to Myrtetus, is that not all members of the program are properly locking up their bikes to bike racks when they leave them.

“The whole idea of a communal bike program is we can trust each other to share the bikes and lock them up properly,” she said. “If everyone follows these rules it is easier for everyone to use the bikes when they need them.”

The honor system employed in the program is an essential component, ensuring the continued success and longevity of the program.

Students who are interested in registering for the program may do so in the Bike Shop in the basement of Strong House. The $10 fee will be used to maintain and repair the bikes, and possibly to expand the program. Myrtetus indicated that as more students sign up, more bikes can be purchased. Membership, inventory and maintenance on the bikes will be handled by a student employee, Virginia Engel ’08.