{"id":5665,"date":"2016-09-16T18:14:46","date_gmt":"2016-09-16T18:14:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/losfresnosnews.net\/?p=5665"},"modified":"2016-09-16T18:14:50","modified_gmt":"2016-09-16T18:14:50","slug":"pedals-to-the-metal-utrgv-students-help-put-bike-sharing-program-in-high-gear","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/losfresnosnews.net\/?p=5665","title":{"rendered":"Pedals to the Metal: UTRGV Students Help Put Bike Sharing Program in High Gear"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"BikeShare<\/a>

BikeShare Rio Grande Valley, a program proposed by four UTRGV students in a class taught by Dr. Elizabeth Heise on shared and alternative transportation models, is managed by Zagster and makes available to students, faculty, staff and the public 85 cruiser bikes found at stations on the Brownsville, Edinburg and Harlingen campuses. Stations also are available at various locations in Brownsville and Harlingen that have partnered with the university to offer this service. The station shown here is on the UTRGV Edinburg Campus. Photo: David Pike\/UTRGV<\/p><\/div>\n

by Gail Fagan<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

RIO GRANDE VALLEY, TEXAS \u2013 \u00a0<\/strong>What started as a class assignment for four environmental science students at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley<\/a> has turned into a new bike sharing program on UTRGV campuses and in two Valley communities.<\/p>\n

The service \u2013 BikeShare Rio Grande Valley<\/a> \u2013 makes available to students, faculty, staff and the public 85 cruiser bikes found at stations on the Brownsville, Edinburg and Harlingen campuses, as well as at various locations in Brownsville and Harlingen that have partnered with the university to offer this service.<\/p>\n

The bike share service will be managed by Zagster, Inc.<\/a>, a national company that manages bike share services at numerous other locations, including The University of Texas-Dallas, Yale and Ohio State. The contract with Zagster, which supplies the stations and bikes as well as maintenance and technical assistance, is for two years.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe kernel of this idea began in a class taught by Dr. Elizabeth Heise regarding shared and alternative transportation models. The students put together a research paper which was then presented to Auxiliary Services. We saw its potential right away and were pleased at how it anticipated our goal of creating a multimodal transportation network at our university,\u201d said Rodney Gomez, UTRGV director of Parking and Transportation Services<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The students \u2013 Myrna Leal, Herlinda Pena, Alex Garcia and Miranda Krafka \u2013 submitted the shared transportation proposal as part of the Conservation of Natural Resources course they took in spring 2015, which was taught by Heise, an associate professor of Environmental Sciences at UTRGV.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of the things I tell my students is, part of what we are doing is not just a homework assignment; there are real, tangible outcomes,\u201d Heise said. \u201cI teach them how they can play a role in impacting the university and their community.\u201d<\/p>\n

Leal, a senior from Brownsville, said her group proposed the shared biking program to help students be more active and to reduce emissions.<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe more students will hop on a bike instead of using their car to go just a mile away,\u201d Leal said.<\/p>\n

The team researched the companies and the costs, and created and conducted surveys via social media, all of which went into their proposal. They also presented their findings to university administrators with a recommendation to select Zagster as the shared bike service UTRGV should use.<\/p>\n

Leal said it was exciting to know that something the students worked on is going to be felt throughout both campuses and across the Valley.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is what a real college experience is supposed to be like,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

The bright white bikes, which feature a basket and safety features like lights, reflectors and a bell, can be found via the free Zagster Mobile App \u2013 available for iPhone and Android \u2013 or online atwww.zagster.com\/rgvbikeshare<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Each bike at the designated Zagster bike stations can be accessed from a smart lock via the mobile phone app, which provides a code to unlock the bike. When the bike is returned to the bike station, the rental ends.<\/p>\n

EXISTING BIKE STATIONS<\/strong><\/p>\n