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BULLDOG BIKES
Campus Sustainability Grant Application – Cover Sheet
PROPOSAL INFORMATION
Project Title: Bulldog Bikes
PRINCIPAL STUDENT INVESTIGATOR (PROPOSER) INFORMATION
Name: Sahana Srivatsan
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 404-993-2425
Degree Program / Graduation Date: B.A. International Affairs ‘16
FACULTY / STAFF SPONSOR INFORMATION
Name: Jason Perry
Email: [email protected] Phone: 706-542-4768
Title / Department: Engineering
ADDITIONAL PROPOSAL INFORMATION
The proposal includes the following fields (check all that apply):
____
____
____
__X_
Education
Research
Service / Social Entrepreneurship
Campus Operations
Summary of Budget:
Personnel Funding ………………………………..…….
$ 0
Equipment…………………………………………………
$ 5,000
Supplies / General Expenses..…….………..…………..
$0
TOTAL……………………………………………………..
$ 5,000
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Office of Sustainability Grant
Proposal
Bulldog Bikes: UGA’s Bike Share
Program
Sahana Srivatsan
November 5th, 2013
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Table of Contents
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
VII.
VIII.
IX.
X.
XI.
XII.
XIII.
Proposal Overview…………………………4
Compliance Requirements form………..…...8
Budget Sheet…………………………..…….9
Implementation Plan……………………..….12
Communications Plan…………………….....15
Faculty/ Staff Sponsor Letter of Support…....16
List of anticipated Grant Project Metrics…....17
Example of Bicycle that falls into budget range..…18
FUJI University Pricing List……………………....19
Bike Lock Pricing……………………………..…...21
Email Correspondence with Housing……………...22
Email Correspondence with BikeAthens………......23
Email Correspondence with UNC- Tarheel Bikes…24
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Project Description
Bike share programs are becoming more prevalent across U.S. cities and universities to
allow commuters and students to check out bikes for short distance trips. Many universities
including University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and New York University have developed
successful bike share programs through which students use bikes daily as their main source of
transportation around campus. Regardless of whether the motivation to use bikes is financial,
environmental, or necessity, students have become well accustomed to this idea and there is a
public demand for bike sharing programs.
At UGA, the pilot bike share program was implemented in 2012 and 10 bikes were dispersed
to different departments on campus. Since then, however, the program has not gathered much of
a following and has not been expanded. Other universities have managed to develop bike share
programs that have proven to be very successful and popular among students. An element that
makes these bike share programs so successful is their convenient accessibility for students and
their strong presence on campus. In order for a bike share program to reach students of all
disciplines, bikes must be located at various central places on campus that have a good number
of students passing through. Particularly at UGA, optimal bike station locations to ensure
maximum usage by the student body include the Tate center, Central Library, Dining Commons,
and residential halls.
In addition to location, it is also important to ensure that bike stations are protected from
theft and vandalism. These issues can be controlled by requiring that students return bikes before
the department from which they checked out bikes closes. Having signed this agreement when
the student initially registers to be part of the bike share program, their student account can be
charged with late fees if the bikes are not returned in time. Additionally, if students fail to return
the bikes for longer than three days, they will be charged with the cost of the bike+20%.
Although Athens is a smaller town than some of the urban locations where bike share
programs have proven to be successful, studies show that small-scale bike share programs also
have the potential to succeed. After purchasing and additional 10-15 more bikes and installing
them in popular locations, the UGA Bulldog Bikes program can progress and make larger strides
towards creating an avid bike community and culture on campus.
Progress towards achievement of Strategic Division VII in the UGA 2020 Strategic Plan
By expanding and incorporating the already existing Bulldog bikes program into more
populated and visible areas, the program would contribute to UGA’s 2020 Strategic Plan,
Strategic direction V11 in the following ways:
1) Strategic Priority: Demonstrate a commitment to reducing fossil fuel use, thereby
reducing the University’s carbon emissions
Encouraging students to ride bikes to class and around campus and providing them with
an alternative option to riding buses and driving cars will further campus efforts to reduce
carbon emissions.
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2) Strategic Priority: Encourage the further development and use of mass transportation to
and on campus.
Benchmark: The number of faculty, staff, and students who commute to campus who use
alternate modes of transportation such as mass transit, bicycles, or walking in 20102011.
Goal: Increase by 20 percent the number of faculty, staff, and students who commute to
campus using alternate modes of transportation such as mass transit, bicycles, or
walking by 2020.
This priority directly associates with the need for an expanded bike share program on the
UGA campus. Not only will an increase in bikes on campus encourage alternative methods of
transportation, but increasing accessibility to bikes will also encourage other students and staff
with bikes to ride in a more bike friendly atmosphere and community. For example, after the Citi
Bikes bike share program was introduced in New York City, biking has become a part of the
culture in the city.
3) Benchmark: The number of Alternative Transportation Permits in 2010-2011(2,100).
Goal: Increase the number of Alternative Transportation Permits to 2,500 by 2020
With biking being a strong alternative transportation option, the ATP program could be
further advertised through Bulldog Bikes, creating greater public awareness of UGA Parking
Service’s commitment to sustainability.
Contribution of the Project Enhancing existing sustainability practices, initiatives, and awareness at UGA Through expansion of our bicycle fleet, bikers will have a greater presence on campus
and Bulldog Bikes will become more accessible and convenient for student and staff use. More
bikes on campus would also contribute to the ease of mobility of students, cutting down on
walking time and cutting down on waiting times for buses. It is also a practice that promotes a
healthy and active lifestyle. Subsequently after developing the program, the demand for Bulldog
Bikes will increase, thereby showing the University that a Bike Share program can effectively
work and is something that students will utilize if available.
Additionally, our bike share program would increase the number of bikers in the
community and generate a demand for improved bike infrastructure such as lanes, bicycle repair
stations and more parking spots. These improvements would benefit the already existing bicycle
community as well as the newer riders.
By establishing a developed and connected bike share program, the University of Georgia
can become a competitive university for receiving an annual award given by the League of
American Bicyclists to bike-friendly colleges. This type of national recognition would not only
contribute to overall sustainability goals for UGA but would also give it a competitive edge
when attracting students who are interested in universities that have furthered their sustainability
programs in innovative ways.
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Long-term goals for the Bulldog Bikes program include expanding the bike share
program to areas that are on the periphery of campus, so the program can be accessible to many
students who choose to live off campus after their first or second year. Additionally, a future
goal is to automate the program, so that checking in and checking out a bike will be more
convenient and faster. To achieve this goal, we can follow a system proposed by Kareem
Mahmoud and prototyped by the College of Engineering, where bike racks have a solar powered
locking system, and students are given RFID chips when they register so they can easily lock and
pick up a bike at their own convenience.
List of Partner Organizations
1. UGA Office of Sustainability
Bulldog Bikes was a student-initiated project in 2011, which was funded by the Office of
Sustainability Grant program. The Office of Sustainability now runs and manages Bulldog
Bikes through a Bike UGA internship offered every semester. Staff also have contacts in the
local biking industry and connections to bike events on campus and in Athens.
2. Bike Athens
Bike Athens is a great tool and network for almost anything bike-related. Through Bike
Athens, we will be receiving free helmets and bike lights for students, providing a workshop
for students to learn about bike safety, and a bike maintenance clinic that helps teach people
how to tune up their own bike. Tyler Dewey, the director of Bike Athens, has given the
program a lot of support and encouragement, and with this partnership, bike awareness
could increase and contribute to a more bike-friendly University.
3. The Hub Bicycles
The Hub Bicycles, located off South Milledge Avenue in Little Five Points, is a bike shop that
has been supportive of Bulldog Bikes and has agreed to maintain the bikes that we have in
the program. The Hub is also a great resource if we ever want to have a bike-tune up event, a
clinic for students to learn how to repair their own bike.
4. UGA Engineering Department
In 2012, Kareem Mahmoud won a grant through the Office of Sustainability that allowed him
to create a solar powered bike locking system that was prototyped and made by the students
in engineering last year. With this partnership, hopefully in the future we will be able to see
these solar powered bike racks on campus.
5. UGA Housing
This year, UGA housing has appointed an intern, Jane Diener, to be a sustainability intern
for the department. Through UGA housing, Bulldog Bikes can be promoted and advertised
through programs, educational events, and newsletters that are given to residents such as
“Living Green.”
6. Odom School of Ecology
The Odom School of Ecology was among the first departments to house Bulldog bikes and
check them out to people registered in the department. Although a majority of bikes will no
longer go back to the Ecology building, the department continues to be a supporter of
Bulldog bikes and promoting bike-related practices on campus.
7. Roosevelt Policy Group
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UGA’s student-run think tank on campus, Roosevelt, has many students working each
semester on different policies that are either on a local or international scale. This premier
institute has had students in the past write policies that have started local initiatives from
improving public health to improving nutritional practices in children in the local area. This
year, one student, Torre Lavelle is working on bike safety and education in Athens, and with
her collaboration, the program can gain insight on problem areas of bike safety in the Athens
area and proposals to fix these issues.
8. Terry Business Management Project group
This semester, a student group from a project management class is working with the Office of
Sustainability to put together a step-by-step proposal of cost-efficient ways to improve the
system we have for the current program. This proposal will account for a scenario with
limited available resources and one that could be used in the long-run that operates on a
grander scheme.
9. Student Government Association (SGA)
On the platform “Embark” last year, the platform that ended up winning promised to focus
more efforts on improving sustainable practices at the university, and have created a branch
under student services for a “Bike Lending” chair.
10. UGA Outdoor Recreation
The Outdoor Recreation department at UGA, is an organization that could be willing to
house the bikes in the future, and lend them out to students who visit Ramsey and potentially
want to rent bikes out for extended periods of time. Under Outdoor Recreation, the
department is also proposing a grant to get bike repair stations around campus, which, if in
correspondence with Bulldog bikes, could provide students easy access to keep their bikes
maintained and provide easy reparations to small issues such as a flat tire.
11. UNC Tarheel Bike Share
Akhil Jariwala, co-founder and creator of Tarheel Bikes has been a valuable resource and
contact at Chapel Hill where Tarheel Bikes piloted two years ago. He has provided good
suggestions and ideas of what the bike share program needs in order to be successful and
fully functioning.
12. NYU Bike Share
The NYU Bike Share Program is a very successful university bike share and the current
sustainability bike intern, Erik Batissa, has agreed to give support and offer any advice for
how to maintain and launch a successful program.
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Campus Sustainability Grant Application – Compliance Form
Please answer all of the following questions, and explain in full where required.
Will this project require compliance review in any of the following areas?
Please place an “X” on the appropriate line to indicate “Yes” or “No” for all three compliance areas.
1. Animal Use
____ Yes
_X_
No
If “Yes,” please reference the section and page number in the proposal describing animal use:
For more information contact:
Animal Care and Use, http://www.ovpr.uga.edu/acu/index.html
706-542-5933
2. Biohazardous Materials
____ Yes
__X_ No
If “Yes,” please reference the section and page number in the proposal describing biohazardous material use:
For more information contact:
Office of Biosafety, http://www.ovpr.uga.edu/biosafety/index.html
706-542-9876
3. Human Subjects
____ Yes
__X__ No
If “Yes,” please reference the section and page number in the proposal describing human subject use:
For more information contact:
Human Subjects, http://www.ovpr.uga.edu/hso/index.html
706-542-5318
Name: Sahana Srivatsan
Title: Bulldog Bikes
Date: 10/24/13
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__X__ By placing an “X” on this line, I certify I will fulfill all requirements pertaining to compliance if this grant is
approved.
Campus Sustainability Grant Application – Budget Sheet Complete all sections.
I.
Personnel *,**
Number
Amount/Person
Total Amount
$ (see below in
general supplies)
Contractors
0
(See below in Equipment)
UGA Staff
0
$
UGA Student
0
$
Other
$
Total Amount :
II.
Equipment**
Type of Equipment
$ 4800
$ 1000 **
2. Bike Racks and Installation
~$160
$ 0 (Provided by
Bike Athens)
~$40
3. Bike Locks
4. Bike Helmets
5. Bulldog Bike Signage
Total Cost:
2.
$ 5,000
Supplies/General Expenses**
Type of Supplies
1.
Cost
Length of Use
1. Bikes (12 bikes @ $400 a piece)
III.
$0
Cost
Comment
$
$
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$
3.
$
4.
$
5.
$
6.
$
7.
Total Cost:
$0
*Acceptable personnel funding include: 1) hiring outside consultants or contractors to perform required project tasks, 2) UGA
Facilities Management Division staff labor charges for project implementation, 3) UGA student workers managed by participating
UGA department to perform required project tasks.
*Cost of installation waived per the Office of
Sustainability
~$170 (range of bike lock prices from $12-$14 for 12 bikes)
based on the package given by local Bike Store that we pick to
purchase bikes from out of the proposals
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Implementation Plan
Specific goals:
Addressing and improving upon already existing Bulldog Bikes:
When the bike share program was initially launched, the bikes were chosen and provided by
Worksman cycles, a local company that manufactures its bike parts through sustainable practices
(i.e. solar powered machinery to manufacture parts). After picking out a bicycle, the parts were
shipped to a local bike store in Athens, which the Office of Sustainability choose by asking local
bike stores to submit proposals that included the cost of assembly, bike helmets, and cost of bike
maintenance.
However, there were many particular issues with these bikes, and proceeding forward, it
doesn’t seem like the best idea to buy Worksman cycles again. For example, the bikes were a bit
on the heavier side, which limited riders from being able to easily lift and replace the bikes onto
the bike racks in the bike rooms in Building 1516. The bikes were also a bit confusing with the
gears where one would have to stop cycling in order to switch gears, which is not the userfriendliest option. Back-pedaling breaks were also an idiosyncrasy that is a bit outdated and
many people are not used to.
Although we will not be using Worksman cycles again as our bicycle, the already existing
Bulldog bikes will not be obsolete in any regard. The bicycles would be moved to different
departments in order to assure that problems such as lifting the bikes onto bike racks would be
avoided, but the bicycles would still be an integral component of the Bulldog Bike fleet.
Buying more user-friendly bicycles based on a selection criteria:
Criteria:
Bicycles with adjustable seats (to accommodate for the broad range of users)
A minimum of three speeds (for ease in encountering changes in elevation)
Bicycles that are not limited to specific terrains (Exclusive road bikes or mountain
bikes will not be selected)
• Comparatively lighter bikes (in order to take into account having to possibly lift
bikes up stairs and lift bikes into racks in bike rooms)
In order to select bikes, a similar type of proposal that was given to bike stores in the past
would be used, and once a local store was selected, we would take a recommendation from that
store on what bikes would be best serve not only the criteria, but would also fall into a budget
•
•
•
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range that would be proposed ($300-$450 per bike). After receiving multiple recommendations
of bikes that fall into this category, a focus group could be used in order to make the final
decision on what bike would be the best next Bulldog Bike.
A focus group that would be the selection committee for the final bicycle would be
comprised on many different volunteers from UGA including students, faculty, and staff. The
group would be composed of people of various sizes (in order to find the most comfortable
bicycle for all sizes), various experiences, and various uses of the bicycle (i.e. getting to class,
recreation, transport from home to campus, exercise, etc.). This group would test out several
bicycles that the local store recommended and then vote on a specific one based on their
preference. After evaluating which bicycle received the most number of votes by a varying group
of people, then a bicycle would be chosen. By using a focus group and input from the local bike
store, the bicycle selected would be not only user-friendly but also a bike recommended from
professionals who know the most about bicycles.
Promoting bike education on campus:
It is important that the users know exactly how a Bulldog Bike works so that they are
confortable when they use the program. In order to assure a certain level of comfort and
confidence that someone with little to no experience riding bicycles would need, it would be
important to have informational sessions and teach people the normal issues people might face
while using the Bulldog Bikes or just when they are cycling on roads and places where bikes
may not be the norm.
Merit and Feasibility
Expanding the program is definitely something that is feasible with the additional
resources, and is something that can happen as quickly as spring of 2014. The necessary contacts
have already been established through either the first launch of Bulldog bikes and even more
now as the Office of Sustainability is working to move the bikes to different and easier to access
areas on campus.
Measureable Operational Outcomes:
The intent and goal of getting more bikes through the program, is pretty simple: to
increase the number of people biking on campus. This goal is something that could be measured
by simply finding out how many people check out the bikes in a period of time and then figuring
out how to increase this number. Reports and studies also support the fact that participants who
get started riding bikes that are a part of bike share programs, are likely to buy their own bicycle
after using the program. Through additional resources and funding for more bicycles, this could
be a direct influence of the amount of people riding bicycles whether they are Bulldog Bikes or
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bicycles that the student decided to bring from home after realizing the convenience and ease of
cycling on campus.
Timeframe for Implementation:
End of December- beginning of January: Send out proposals to potential locations for
bike hubs
• January 2014: Find and select individuals for focus group
• January 2014: Select local bike store that will be the supplier of the bicycles and will
allows us to have a focus group to test run bikes
• Beginning of February 2014: Finalize and order bike that was selected
• End of February 2014: Finalize locations and get approval for installing bike racks into
proposed areas
• March 2014-April 2014: Give a debriefing of the checking out Bulldog Bikes process to
departments who are new to the program
• March 2014-April 2014: Have bike racks installed and have Bulldog Bikes up and
running for student, faculty, and staff use.
Locations for Housing the Bicycles:
In order for the program to be most successful, the bikes must be located in areas where
students are most likely able to access them. The map of the campus below shows some
proposed locations that would be potentially great places to facilitate an increase in the
amount of people who use Bulldog Bikes.
(Due to the quality of the map, the arrows pointing to the potential locations are: Tate,
the Main Library, Snelling, Freshman High Rises, and the Myers Community)
•
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Communication Plan
A significant issue with the success of the Bulldog Bikes program is little to no presence
as an established program on campus. Students who may be interested in the program have
difficulty accessing it and finding out more about it once they come to know about it.
Information being more accessible could come happen in multiple ways.
1. Making Brochures about the bike share program and having these brochures at places
such as the Visitors Center and Tate Information Desk for prospective students who may
see the program as an attractive asset that is unique to the University of Georgia
2. Having an educational event during Earth Week that would be centered around bicycle
awareness and education and incorporate Bulldog Bikes in this program.
3. Bike Athens has agreed to put on bike-educational and safety programs and this could
definitely help promote awareness. They have offered to have a clinic that could last for
up to two days if participants are interested or as little as two hours. This program could
help newer and more inexperienced riders gain confidence to cycle in Athens.
4. Making flyers for the program and placing them in common student areas such as Tate,
the Miller Learning Center, the Library, and the Dining Commons
5. Making a short video of students who are using the Bulldog Bikes and having a video
about the entire process (Checkout to check-in)
6. Corresponding with local newsletters and newspapers to advertise for Bulldog Bikes such
as the Red and Black, the Sustainability Newsletter, and having positive press about the
program through the Chapel Bell.
7. Making a social media page for the program, such as a Facebook page that can provide
everything a student needs to know in order to get signed up for the program and a place
where students can talk about their experiences on the bikes and potential problem areas
for biking in Athens
8. Creating a club (fall of 2014) that would be Bike UGA, a student group that could be
advocates of the program and biking in Athens in general.
Through an increase in the number of bikes we have, the bikes will have a greater presence
on campus and therefore will be advertisements for themselves. Many organizations and
departments have already been contacted on campus including Housing, the Student Government
Association, Odum School of Ecology, etc. These departments and organizations have expressed
interest and enthusiasm for Bulldog Bikes and would be more than happy to serve as advocates
for the program. Seeing that there is already interest in the program through these established
connections on campus, the expansion of the bicycle fleet will only increase support and foster
even more excitement and interest.
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!
!
!
!
November!4,!2013!
!
University!of!Georgia!Office!of!Sustainability!!
108!E.!Broad!Street!!
Athens,!GA!30602!!
!
!
To!Whom!It!May!Concern:!!
!
I!am!writing!on!behalf!of!the!UGA!Bikeshare!Program,!Bulldog!Bikes,!to!express!my!
support!for!the!expansion!of!this!program.!The!goal!of!this!program!is!to!increase!
student!accessibility!to!bikes,!which!in!turn!will!promote!a!cleaner,!less!expensive!
method!of!transportation!around!campus!as!well!as!a!healthier!lifestyle!among!UGA!
students.!Expanding!Bulldog!Bikes!would!also!contribute!to!the!achievement!of!
UGA’s!2020!Strategic!Plan!by!increasing!ridership!and!decreasing!the!use!of!private!
motor!vehicles!on!campus.!It!will!serve!as!a!strong,!positive!center!of!growth!as!UGA!
strives!to!become!more!environmentally!friendly!and!healthRconscious.!
!
Bulldog!Bikes!would!greatly!benefit!the!UGA!and!Athens!community,!however!it!
requires!additional!resources,!in!the!form!of!more!bicycles!and!related!
infrastructure,!in!order!to!develop!a!strong!presence!on!campus.!!I!believe!that!with!
these!additional!resources,!Bulldog!Bikes!will!become!a!successful,!integral!part!of!
our!community.!I!fully!support!this!initiative!and!its!goals.!
!
Please!do!not!hesitate!to!contact!me!for!any!further!information.!
!
Sincerely,!
!
!
!
Jason!Perry!
Member,!Georgia!Bikes!Board!of!Directors!
Manager,!BikeAthens!Bike!Recycling!Program!
Former!member,!BikeAthens!Board!of!Directors!
Research!Engineer,!UGA!College!of!Engineering!Outreach!Service!
!
!
!
!
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Report of Grant Project Expenses and Metrics
•
•
•
•
•
•
As described earlier in the Project Description, more Bulldog Bikes and biking in
general can lead to an increase in students choosing alternative methods of transportation
and this can be measured by working with Parking Services to find out if the number of
students who sign up for Alternative Transportation Passes increase.
As stated in the Implementation Plan, the increase in the number of Bulldog Bikes (12
new bikes) impacting bicycling on campus will be measured by seeing how many
participants there are on a weekly basis, and identifying how many participants are
returners and new participants.
An optional survey given to participants at the end of the month detailing questions such
as “Have Bulldog Bikes increased your confidence to ride bicycles on campus?” and
“Are you more likely to ride your own bike after using Bulldog Bikes?” could be a good
way to gage the increase in how participants are responding to the program.
As mentioned in the communications plan, social media pages such as Bulldog Bikes on
Facebook, can post updates for bike-related events happening on campus/in the Athens
area
All expenses will be saved to ensure that the costs stay within the budget, and before
approving major expenses (such as the actual bicycle), a great deal of consideration will
go into the choice (focus group in Implementation plan)
All external contacts will be kept up to date with the program and will be kept for future
reference.
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Appendix A Fuji Bicycle Absolute 2.1:
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