UNC Bikeshare gets Carolina moving on campus
- August 25, 2023
- Posted by: Jacob Rigg
- Category: Blog
RTA members and partners,
Earlier this year, we noted the return of bikeshare to the Capital City, with Raleigh’s launch of Cardinal Bikeshare.
With classes now returning to schools across the Triangle — including UNC Chapel Hill, the nation’s first public university — students, faculty, staff, and visitors to Carolina will have access to a new, all-electric bikeshare option. The Tar Heel Bikes program provides 100 electric assist bicycles for use essentially anywhere on the UNC campus.
An interesting aspect of the product is that there are two different maximum speed limits: 20 mph for most travel, but only 8 mph in two heavily congested, “slow” zones: on the primary academic quad on north campus (i.e., the Polk Place “Quad”), and also on the approach walkway from the largest dining hall (Chase) and nearby south campus residence halls to Stadium Drive east of Kenan Stadium. In the two campus slow zones, bicycle share speeds are electronically and automatically governed to 8 mph via geofencing.
Current pricing includes an unlock fee of $1 per ride or $7 per month, plus $0.29/minute of use. You can visit the Spin Safe website for additional information and videos about bicycle safety; a perfect score on a Spin safety quiz provides a $5 ride credit.
Visit the Tar Heel Bikes program website for more information.
Let’s get moving.
Joe Milazzo II, PE
RTA executive director
RTA is the voice of the regional business community on transportation
