UAF Sustainability Office buys Fairbikes memberships

May 12, 2014

Cornerstone

The UAF Office of Sustainability has purchased more than 450 memberships to Alaska’s first communitywide bike share, Fairbikes LLC.

Students, faculty and staff can sign up, on a first-come, first-served basis, to use the bike share system at no cost. Email fairbikes@gmail.com and put "Nanook membership" in the subject line, or go to www.indiegogo.com and search for "Fairbikes."

Fairbikes has teamed with A2B Bikeshare and community stakeholders to plan, install and operate Fairbanks’ new bike-share system. Together, they will provide the bicycles, stations and technology platform.

Fairbikes launches this summer with a 30-station, 100-bike system with stations approximately every half-mile from the UAF campus down the College Road corridor and throughout downtown Fairbanks.

The Fairbikes system is unique. Typical systems in other cities have e-park machines where customers pay at kiosks and bikes are dispensed from docking pods. In contrast, Fairbikes offers bikes with simple consoles where customers swipe a credit card or enter login information on a touchscreen. The bike unlocks itself from a rack. The console is powered by a solar panel on the bike and is connected to a bike lock that can tell when and where it is locked up.

Bicycles are available for use 24 hours per day from well-placed automatic stations. Maps programmed into the bike offer guided tours, information and the locations of stations.

The system provides a new model for short-distance transport that is a realistic alternative to the bus, taxi or private car, and has countless benefits to the individual, the community and environment. By participating in Fairbikes, the Office of Sustainability and RISE Board hope to encourage students, staff and faculty to take part in this innovative program that empowers our community to be active, and fosters greater prosperity and access.

MORE INFORMATION: Visit Fairbikes at www.fairbikes.com. Contact the UAF Office of Sustainability at 907-474-5070 or Michele Hèbert, director, at mahebert@alaska.edu.