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The bike program is one of the many student-oriented programs that provide resources to make college life easier. The Environmental Sustainability Committee held a workshop on Nov. 26 in the Hinson Campus Center, where two committee members presented slides discussing the benefits of the program.
Minseo Kim, 20, economics major and ESC member, coordinates the bike program while Michi Ozaki, 20, computer science major and chair of environmental sustainability, oversees it. The main goal of the workshop was to inform more students of its existence so they can utilize it next quarter.
DASG said that providing bikes and e-bikes to students promotes an environmentally friendly form of transportation to and from campus at an affordable price. Students must be 18 years or older, be enrolled in a minimum of six units, have no outstanding fees and hold DASG cards to qualify for the program.
Students, after filling out a safety waiver, will also be given access to a helmet, a lock, an e-bike battery, a charger and a locker space for the bicycle corral. The corral is a secure area dedicated to bicycles located in front of the Registration and Student Services building that requires a one-time payment of $10 to receive an access card for.
Students will be expected to return all equipment at the end of the quarter, with the deadline being the final week. Students also have the option to use loaned bikes for an entire academic school year at the maximum.
According to workshop guidelines, students who apply for the program will be split into two categories. Group one are students who fill out the application between week 11 of the current quarter up until the middle of winter break. Students in group two would be filling the application at the start of the following quarter.
Group one students will receive their bikes within the first or second week of the winter quarter, while group two students will have access to their bikes after the third or fourth week. Students who attended the workshop have access to the application on the day of the meeting and are given priority for equipment.
Fiona Chang, 18, material science and engineering major and an ESC intern, said that giving priority to those who attended the meeting was fair since attendees went out of their way to be present at the workshop.
“It’s a good idea they (attendees) spent some time being here, listening to how the program works … for them to get bikes earlier and a more convenient student life is fair,” Chang said.
Anh Tuan Tran, 18, computer science major, said, “The workshop today was very informative. It’s really useful because I am in need of a bike right now.”
Anh said he doesn’t have a driver’s license and the bike will help him get to and from school.
Michael Shi, 18, psychology major, explained his reason for attending the bike workshop that day.
“My bike got stolen, that is the reason I need another bike for the commute to school,” Shi said.
Student-issued bikes will have on-campus repair stations located in front of the Registration and Student Services building and the Kirsch Center and sign-ups will be available next quarter.
