By Joseph D’Andrea
Many colleges and universities have bike sharing systems to encourage sustainable, convenient transportation, as well as physical activity: now it’s Adelphi turn.
Adelphi’s campus is very friendly to those on foot; every building is a walkable, 10-minute distance. But when you’re in a rush or simply want to go to a spot in Garden City or a neighboring town — especially in the upcoming chilly months — do you really want to pay for an Uber every time you want to get a bite to eat?
There are currently several ways to get to and from Adelphi, with the university providing the Panther Express Shuttle to students from many local areas. Other options are also available near campus, such as the Nassau Inter-County Express shuttles, Long Island Rail Road station on Nassau Boulevard, in addition to other options for those commuting to and from the metro area, where they can access New York City subways and buses. However, a bicycle sharing program promotes healthier habits, reduces the need for automobiles on campus — or aids those who don't have access to a car — in turn reducing an overall carbon footprint.
Stony Brook University had their Wolf Ride Bike Share system put in place in 2011, which consists of 14 solar-powered bike stations and 98 total bicycles. Students, faculty, staff and visitors can use the system's bicycles by unlocking them from their stations, riding and then docking them at another station on campus. The university has a transit service in place, too, but for those who may want to take a quick solo ride, this is a more beneficial choice.
When Panthers were asked if a shared bike system on campus helped them get around better, 68% of the 34 polled agreed. However, when asked if they’d pay a small fee to use it, only 31% of the same number who participated said “yes.” For an idea that may not have been previously considered by some, such a response isn’t completely surprising, but if
implemented, more students may warm up to the system. Again, it isn’t a brand new concept; plenty of other campuses utilize a shared-bike system, so why should Adelphi be left out?
Stony Brook’s original bike share program started with 25 bicycles that were purchased by the university and each bike had a unique lock and key assigned to it. “Selected students were issued a specific bicycle for the semester and were required to pay a $15 semester fee and a $15 bike, key and helmet deposit,” reads Stony Brook’s website. “Once payments were made, selected students would watch a short introductory/safety video, sign a waiver form and pick up their bike, key and helmet from the Environmental Stewardship Office.”
Subscription rates (which applies to all kinds of users) for bikes at Stony Brook are as follows: $4 daily, $14 weekly, $28 monthly and $84 annually. Additional charges apply to all trips longer than 60 minutes. To use the Dunkin’ Donuts on Seventh Street here in Garden City (a roughly 6-minute drive from campus), in comparison, the cheapest Uber/Lyft option from Adelphi to the coffee shop would cost $11.33/$10.65, in addition to the time you have to wait for your driver to arrive.
The nonprofit Outride has a Riding for Focus program, which operates in more than 225 middle schools across the country, reported the upsides to bike-riding.
“Bicycling offers a bright spot at a time when youth mental and physical health continues to worsen: At baseline, youth who report riding more regularly also report higher levels of mental well-being," a 2022 PeopleForBikes article reads. "Students reported higher levels of well-being after participating in Riding for Focus than before participating... [and] were more likely to report spending fewer hours in front of screens after participating in Riding for Focus compared to before participating.”
Of course, not every climate is preferable to ride around on a bike, but during the spring and first few weeks of fall, a bike sharing system would be greatly beneficial to Panthers looking to get around at a cheaper rate that comes along with health benefits as well.