Chandler Burks, a criminal justice major from Lake Charles who plans to become an attorney, lives on the 小蝌蚪APP campus in Huger Hall.
Burks doesn小蝌蚪APP檛 own a car or a bicycle. He isn小蝌蚪APP檛 out of luck, though, when it comes to getting around campus or town. His main mode of transport? Bicycles he rents as part of UL Lafayette小蝌蚪APP檚 new Geaux Ve蛠lo bike share program.
A total of 52 bikes are available at three stations on campus: 32 at Cajun Field, 10 outside the Student Union on Boucher Street, and 10 inside the Girard Park Circle parking garage.
Burks rides the bikes to class and to shop at nearby stores. 小蝌蚪APP淵ou can take them anywhere. It小蝌蚪APP檚 been helpful and it小蝌蚪APP檚 pretty cheap. On a normal day, it costs me about $2,小蝌蚪APP Burks said.
Rental costs are free for the first hour, $1 for the second hour, and $1 for the third. Hours four through eight are free. The cost per hour for every hour after the eighth is $1. Bikes are due back to their original station at midnight.
Anyone can rent the bikes, but first must register online at geauxvelobikeshare.com. More than 200 people have registered since the program began last week. Riders receive a user name and pin number after providing financial information with a credit or debit card, or Cajun Card.
They can enter their pin number小蝌蚪APP攐r swipe their student ID or driver小蝌蚪APP檚 license小蝌蚪APP攖o receive a key at kiosks near each station. The key unlocks a bicycle and must remain inside a lock that sits atop the fender of the front tire while the bicycle is being ridden. 小蝌蚪APP淥therwise, the bike won小蝌蚪APP檛 work,小蝌蚪APP Burks explained.
The bicycles are provided by Rugged Cycles, a company in Bryan, Texas. It has provided bikes for Texas A&M 小蝌蚪APP for several years. They were originally designed for use at refineries in Texas, so they are extremely durable, said Gretchen Vanicor, director of UL Lafayette小蝌蚪APP檚 Office of Sustainability.
Each bike consists of an aluminum frame that sits atop tires made of solid rubber that won小蝌蚪APP檛 go flat. The chains are fully enclosed, a safety feature to keep clothing or shoelaces from getting caught.
小蝌蚪APP淭hey小蝌蚪APP檙e sturdy, yet look stylish and are easy to ride. And they are outfitted with a rack on the back for carrying items,小蝌蚪APP Vanicor explained.
Learn more about the Geaux Ve蛠lo bike share program at
Photo: Bicycles are available for rent at three locations on campus as part of UL Lafayette小蝌蚪APP檚 new Geaux Ve蛠lo bike share program.