Rice University is welcoming a familiar service back to campus: Houston BCycle. In addition, by signing up with their rice.edu email addresses, Rice Owls are able to purchase discounted $14 monthly subscriptions.
Monthly members enjoy unlimited rides of up to 60 minutes in duration each. Participants may purchase individual month-long memberships or set the account to automatically renew. The monthly membership applies to BCycles rented from any station in the citywide BCycle network, payable by credit card at any card-enabled BCycle station or via a handy smartphone app.
To access the discounted Rice student/employee monthly memberships, sign up online at houstonbcycle.com or download the BCycle smartphone app, select monthly membership, select the promo code box and enter RICE24 and complete the rest of the sign-up process using a rice.edu email address to create a user account.
This price marks a discount from Houston BCycle’s normal fees and is an attractive alternative to guest rides. Single rides usually cost $1.25 to unlock a bike, plus 10 cents per minute for a pedal bike or 20 cents per minute for e-bikes. With the membership plan, extra per-minute fees are incurred only for rides that go over an hour in duration.
Repeat bike users will experience the savings add up each month while also having easy access to transportation.
“Rice University is excited to bring back this resource to our campus community,” said Kristianna Bowles, sustainability program coordinator in the Office of Sustainability. “The return of our BCycle stations furthers our goals of providing convenient, sustainable transportation options that allow individuals to navigate and enjoy campus and the city we call home.
“We received feedback through our multiple student channels that these stations were invaluable to the student experience, whether heading to class or enjoying an outing with friends, and were determined to find a solution. Student feedback is central to improving, expanding and piloting programs and resources.”
The bike locations include:
• Bioscience Research Collaborative, on Main St.
• Cambridge Office Building, across from the Texas Medical Center
• Gibbs Rec Center, across from the soccer fields
• Greenbriar Lot, directly across the street from the Greenbriar Building
• North Colleges, behind McMurtry Magister’s House
• Rice Village Apartments
• South Servery, on Alumni Dr. next to the stairs leading to the South Servery Sun Deck
• West Lot, between the Moody Center and Anderson-Clark Center
The program is made possible through a partnership between Rice’s Campus Services and Sustainability division and Houston Bike Share, the proprietor of Houston BCycle. “Houston BCycle is proud to be a part of Rice University’s transportation system,” said Maya Ford, Houston BCycle interim executive director. “The BCycle university network will enhance the commitment to providing safe and convenient transportation services and commuting information to the Rice community.”
For more information or to sign up for a subscription, visit transportation.rice.edu/resources/bike-share.