Students can get $400 for riding bikes
July 16, 2015
By Joshua Huff
Beginning July 15, qualified UK students, faculty and staff will be able to register for a $400 bicycle voucher through UK’s Parking and Transportation Services in exchange for signing a car-free commitment.
Participants must agree to forego the purchase of a motor vehicle parking permit for two years.
The bicycle voucher program, available for up to 100 faculty and students, is an effort to reduce the amount of single-occupancy vehicles on campus to an alternative form of transportation. The program is available only to students who live off campus with a graduation date no further than two years out and faculty that work on campus.
The voucher is redeemable at the three participating local bicycle shops: Pedal Power, Pedal the Planet and Scheller’s Fitness & Cycling.
Participants can use the voucher to buy a bicycle or any related gear. Participants will also receive 10 scratch-off parking passes — one-day permits that can be used when participants must bring a car to campus, according to UKNow.
“The goal of the program is to encourage folks to think about alternative transportation and ways of getting to campus and around campus other than in the car by themselves,” said Chrissie Tune, a UK parking representative.
Priority for the program is given to participants who have a current parking permit with the goal of removing cars from campus.
“It’s going along with the transportation master plan,” Tune said. “One of the things that came out of that study is the desire to shift away from dependence on single-occupancy vehicles.”
The transportation master plan revolves around improving access and mobility to, from and around campus.
With that shift should come a number of benefits, including environmental benefits and more parking spots.
The initial application window will close on Sunday, Aug. 30. People who want to participate but have already purchased a 2015-16 parking permit can return it for a pro-rated refund, according to UKNow.
People can apply for the voucher here.
