BY LINDA HOU

In print | Published October 8, 2009

Since their start in Amsterdam during the 1970s, bike-sharing programs have spread to cities and colleges worldwide. In last week’s Student Council meeting, Student Council President Rachel Bell ’09 proposed a bike-sharing project for the college.

A bike-sharing project would have public bikes for use by students. Options include having bikes at designated areas around campus for pick-up anytime or renting bikes out for certain periods.

Bell gave three main reasons for such a program.

First, it would aid students who need to run errands outside the college but within riding distances.  Second, the program allows students who are living in dorms farther from campus but do not want to buy a bike just for a year to be able to ride a bike to the center of campus. Both of these would decrease shuttle use and make the campus more environmentally friendly. Finally, the program would provide a fun recreational activity for students.

Bell said that she first began thinking about the idea over the summer. Her brother helped start a similar program in Carleton College, and Bell enjoys biking recreationally. When she returned to school this year, Bell was approached by Adam Bortner ’12, who had a similar bike-sharing program in mind for the college.

Though the idea is still in its early stages, Bell hopes to finish the planning process by Thanksgiving. She would like to first start a pilot program with a few bikes and then extend it campus-wide.

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