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ASMSU's bike share project has yet to leave the rack

October 20, 2014

Last January, ASMSU approved the spending of $60,000 worth of student tax dollars on a bike share program after much debate within the organization.

Although the plan was approved almost 10 months ago, no students have been able to use one of the bikes their tax dollars were approved for, as eight bikes currently sit locked up outside of Bailey Hall unavailable to anyone.

The initial plans for bike share included 40 bikes located at 10 locations around campus.

The pilot program for the bike share program is going to take place at Bailey Hall, in partnership with their Residential Initiative for the Study of the Environment (RISE) living-learning community. ASMSU will monitor student response to the test program and see if expanding campus wide would be a smart decision.

“Obviously we are not going to expand if people aren’t seeing the need to use the bikes,” ASMSU President James Conwell said. “That’s why we need to start small.”

The initial test period is set to begin at some point this semester, before the winter, when student demand for bikes is lower. Conwell lists the cold weather and snow as one of the primary concerns that students will not use bikes.

Through MSU Bikes, ASMSU acquired eight orange bikes, branded with ASMSU stickers that occupy two bike racks outside of Bailey Hall in Brody Neighborhood. They are currently being secured with U-locks, although the organization is considering an electronic alternative.

The startup program cost ASMSU less than $5,000 of the allotted $60,000.

“It would be irresponsible for us to put in a large amount of money at this point,” ASMSU’s Vice President for Finance and Operations Greg Jackson said. “Especially before we know the cost of potential damage to the bikes.”

After signing a user agreement and renting a bike from the checkout log at the Bailey Hall front desk any student can access the bikes. ASMSU will closely monitor the number of bikes rented, and poll the student response to the program.

When asked about the program, a Bailey Hall front desk staff member said she had “never heard of the program before.”

No startup date is currently listed for the program, but Jackson believes the bike share program is “closer to launch than ever before.”

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