You are running late to class. As you approach the ‘L’ platform, you pat down your pockets to make sure you remembered everything. A shock of panic takes over as you realize: you forgot your U-Pass. Out of the corner of your eye you notice the shine of light blue metal; it’s a line of bicycles docked into a futuristic silver kiosk. You swipe your debit card and for $7, you now have a ride for the rest of the day.
The Divvy bike sharing system launches June 28 in Chicago, giving DePaul students another option when it comes to getting to class.
Elliot Greenberger, marketing manager for Divvy, encourages students to take advantage of this transportation alternative.
“We think students will find Divvy to be a great transportation option for many reasons,” Greenberger said. “We plan to work closely with colleges and universities to become a central part of campus life-whether that’s being included in orientation materials or fully integrating into student benefit programs.”
When everything is up and operational, Divvy will have 4,000 bikes with 400 stations across the city, according to their website. Divvy stations are already becoming a fixture in Chicago as docks continue to pop up throughout the city almost overnight.
Two stations will be located directly on the Lincoln Park campus. One station at Sheffield and Fullerton will have 15 bike docks, and a station at Fullerton and Racine will have 19 bike docks. The closest station to the Loop campus will be at State and Van Buren with 27 docks.
Though there has yet to be any type of student benefit program, DePaul students can still pay $75 for an annual membership, or purchase a day pass for $7. Bikes can be taken out for only 30 minutes at a time, but can be returned to any station. And during the period of a membership or pass, one can take as many trips as he or she wants.
Some students like Alex Swarthout, an interactive media major at DePaul, see the benefit of the system, but worry about their safety when biking on Chicago’s streets.
“Not only would it change how we get to class for the better in some ways, but there’s also risk,” Swarthout said. “It doesn’t come without consequence.”
Mayor Rahm Emmanuel and the city of Chicago hope to minimize that risk, according to the Chicago Streets for Cycling Plan 2020.
The plan calls for making Chicago one of the most bike-friendly cities in the United States by the year 2020 and coincides with the goals of the Divvy bike sharing system. It includes creating more protected bike lanes, redesigning intersections with the safety of riders in mind and improving hundreds of miles of residential streets.
Divvy also has a page dedicated to safety and riding tips on their website, and will soon release a smartphone app with station and route information to ensure rider safety.
