A new bicycle rental initiative will make it easier for students to get to, around and from campus while improving the environment, reducing congestion and helping out a local business.
The bikes were provided to the University thanks to a joint deal between Peddler Bike Shop at 575 S. Highland St. and Trek bicycles, based in Waterloo, Wis. Peddler supplied 55 Trek Verve 1 bikes and bike locks to the University at an initial cost to the store of $25,000, a fee that included not just the bikes themselves but also helmets, tools and the equipment necessary to repair the bikes.
For a $35 rental fee, students will be able to rent one of the bikes for up to two weeks. The "Tiger Bikes" ride share program will seek to ease traffic congestion on and around campus. The University of Memphis will join a growing number of campuses that provide bike rentals to their students, including Rutgers University in New Jersey, the University of Michigan and Sanford University in California.
The project is part of the "Tiger Blue Goes Green" project and was paid for with the "Green Fee," a $10 fee paid by all full-time students that goes to fund environmentally conscious programs on campus.
The University came to Peddler Bike Shop with the idea of providing bike rentals for students. Peddler already has some experience renting out bikes to customers, offering bikes for half days, full days or over weekends.
Doug Campbell, economics instructor and avid cyclist, is part of the team that planned and organized the initiative.
"Hopefully this will encourage students to bike rather than drive," Campbell said. "It will decrease congestion and pollution and make students healthier. I hope that our campus and the surrounding community will become more bike-friendly and that we'll see more biking on and around campus and around town."
Hal Mabray, co-owner of Peddler Bike Shop, said that the program is well worth the $25,000 cost.
"It's been a labor of love to accomplish this," said Mabray. "I feel that we're helping the University become more green. We could lose some business off of this, but if the University needs more parts they'll come talk to us."
Another Peddler employee, William Gratz, said that the program will be "good for everyone."
"I'm glad to see the University provide transportation that's cheaper than a car," Gratz said. "The more people that are riding the bikes, the more people that may want to step up and come here."
Gratz said he believes this will provide a shot in the arm for Peddler's business.
"It could get people out and around Memphis," Gratz said. "We're trying to get more people on more bikes around Memphis. It'll be great to have people come to the shop to seek advice."
Bike rentals aren't a new concept in Memphis. A number of local businesses, including Peddler Bike Shop and Midtown Bike at 517 S. Main St. rent bikes to their customers. Rentals are also available at the Shelby Farms Greenline.
Memphis was long seen as one of the most dangerous cities to ride in. However, recent city initiatives have made the city safer for cyclists. The key to this was the construction of the Shelby Farms Greenline, a 6.5-mile bike trail connecting midtown and Shelby Farms Park. Bicycling magazine named Memphis the "most improved bike city" in 2012, after naming it one of the worst cycling cities in 2008 and 2010.
