The Student Government Association will unveil a new bike rental system called Bike Share on campus this weekend.
SGA President Mike Keller said he hopes that students will utilize this system instead of using cars.
“I’m really excited for the bike service because Indianapolis is so accessible through the trail along the canal, and now everyone can use that with these bikes,” Keller said.
The 100 bikes were brought to campus with the purpose of offering students a new form of transportation.
“We (SGA) actually piloted this after a program in Detroit at Oakland University,” said Scott Nemeth, SGA vice president of administration. “We saw what they were doing and modeled it into a program here at Butler.”
The bikes can be checked out at the Health & Recreation Complex and can be taken wherever the student wants to go.
The bikes can be checked out for free using student ID cards and must be returned to the HRC within the 24-hour rental period.
“It comes with a lock and the option to rent a helmet for free as well,” Nemeth said.
A semester rental is also available for $50, giving students the ability to store bikes wherever they live.
Students will be able to use the bikes until winter begins on Nov. 16, the day before Thanksgiving break.
Students are looking forward to using the bikes for several reasons, including physical fitness.
“Having a bike on campus would allow my physical well-being to improve,” freshman pre-pharmacy major Caroline Koester said.
Students have already made plans for how they will use the bikes.
“We are planning to take our unit to Broad Ripple and have lunch there by using the bikes as transportation,” junior pharmacy major Tommy Fehn said.
The Bike Share rental system is located between the HRC and Hinkle Fieldhouse and will be available for use this weekend.