UBike, the University’s bike sharing program, will soon establish new substations at the North Grounds Recreation System and at the i.Lab at the Darden School of Business. Currently operating on Central Grounds, the program is expected to expand to North Grounds April 18.
UBike, a bike sharing program whose concept was originally developed for the University by Commerce students, is under the direction of University Parking and Transportation and was launched in January of last year.
Rebecca White, director of University Department of Parking and Transportation, said the installation of new substations at North Grounds was the first planned expansion of the program. The expansion is meant to serve the students of both Darden and the University Law School, as well as residents of the Copeley Apartments.
“We’re always watching and looking for feedback on expanding the program,” White said. “We wanted to expand on grounds, that’s why we went to North Grounds first”.
White said the installation of new racks on North Grounds will not include new bikes but only racks with capacities of seven bikes at the Recreation Center and five at the i.Lab.
The initial process of implementing the program began in 2009, from which point the Department of Parking and Transportation and the University Office of the Architect managed its creation. The funding for the program in large part comes from the Virginia Department of Transportation Enhancement Program Grant, a state program which funds alternative transportation projects, White said.
“The initial funds came from the Transportation Enhancement Program Grant from [the] state of Virginia,” White said. “The program is specifically meant to fund transportation initiatives that are not roads. We got that to study program four years ago.”
UBike’s first received a feasibility grant of $50,000. The phase two grant came in 2014 and was for $350,000, White said.
The program is in solid standing, White said, and has seen encouraging trends in membership from the first three months of this year compared to last year. However, she said UBike is neither profitable nor does it generate revenue, and it requires some subsidization from the University and the Virginia Department of Transportation to cover its operating costs.
Third-year College student Lizzie Main, co-chair of the Student Council Sustainability Committee, said UBike provides viable transportation for students and can be a solution to issues of driving and parking on Grounds.
“By using a bike share program, students don't have to worry about misplacing their bikes or performing regular bike maintenance, “ Main said in an email statement. “Also, since driving and parking on Grounds are nearly impossible, UBike provides a fast and sustainable way to get somewhere in a hurry.”
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