Successfully Initiating a Bike Share Program in Smaller Communities: The College or University as a Focal Point

Mason S. Gilbert¹, Abigail Smith¹, Alison L. Walsh² and M. Felicia Cavallini^3,

¹Business, Limestone University, Gaffney, South Carolina, USA

²Health Sciences, Limestone University, Gaffney, South Carolina, USA

³Exercise Science, Limestone University, Gaffney, South Carolina, USA

Cite this paper:
Mason S. Gilbert, Abigail Smith, Alison L. Walsh and M. Felicia Cavallini. Successfully Initiating a Bike Share Program in Smaller Communities: The College or University as a Focal Point. American Journal of Educational Research. 2021; 9(5):255-262. doi: 10.12691/education-9-5-2

Abstract

Successful bike share systems are more common in larger than smaller cities. People use bikes to run errands, shop, go out to eat, or tour the city. But what about smaller communities that make up so much of the United States? For the sake of access to transportation and the economic boost to smaller municipalities, it is important to implement a bike share program that provides its citizens with options for public transportation. Incorporating a bike share system should be considered in smaller cities or municipalities that contain colleges or universities, given the large available student population that would be interested in using bikes for their own transportation needs. The approach is to first build the foundation for bike share success among college students while methodologically planning to increase bike availability to sites with probable high participation usage, including locations centrally located to city commerce in the community. The purpose of this article is to present the foundation to implement a successful bike share program for those smaller cities and communities with a college or university. The benefits of a bike share partnership with a college campus, overall physical activity (PA) and health benefits, potential and current demographic groups to use the bike share scheme, economic benefits, environmental factors, dock versus dockless bike share programs, and the finances and logistics of a bike share scheme will be examined. Yearlong strategies and important considerations for a successful bike share program will be explored.

Keywords:
bike share program college campus health benefits economic impact finances and logistics

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