Sustainability Committee hopes to expand Bike Program

Adrian Discipulo, Staff Writer

De Anza College’s Environmental Sustainability Committee provides funding for the Bike Program and plans to advocate allotting $4,000 to buy 10 additional bikes and equipment during summer quarter 2014.

Luis Flores, 22, urban planning major and member of the Students Rights and Services Committee, said he doesn’t have a specific date, but said it would be during summer quarter.

The Bike Program lends out bikes each quarter for students to use on and off campus. The bikes are rented out to students at no cost.

The program promotes an affordable and environmentally friendly alternative to transportation to students, according to the Bike Program’s page at deanza.edu.

Saadat Chowdhury, 24, a business major, is the Bike Program coordinator who restarted the program after it was inactive last quarter.

Bikes are loaned out on a quarterly basis, similar to renting a textbook.

In addition to the bike, rentals include a bike lock, helmet, locker and parking in the in the bike corral, a fenced off bike rack in front of the Student and Community Services building.

Chowdhury said he commutes 12 to 13 miles on his own bike everyday and prefers it to taking the bus.

“I can’t afford anything more than a bicycle, but I think it contributes towards the environment in a very positive way,” Chowdhury said. “It also helps keep me fit with my very busy schedule.”

Any mechanical problems that need to be fixed are also taken care of for free by the Bike Program, Chowdhury said.

The bikes not only provide a method of commuting to school, but also make getting around campus easier and faster.

“I have a pretty tight schedule while I’m at school. I thought it would be really helpful to get to one place from another if I ride a bike,” said Hakwoo Kim, 22, undecided major.

Kim, who said he uses his bike every day to get to classes spread out around campus from the G quad to the L quad, said it’s a great opportunity for students.

“[It’s] great that De Anza provides that kind of resource to students,” he said.

The Bike Program received 50 applications at the beginning of the quarter, and currently loans out 21 bikes.

While the Bike Program faced some problems last year, Chowdhury said he hopes to see it expand and continue to be used by students in the following quarters.