Petition: Keep the UCSC Bike Shuttle

Background:

The bike shuttle at UCSC has provided students with a green form of transportation for many years. It has previously assisted in winning awards for the university, such as the 2014 “Silver bike/friendly city” from the League of American Bicyclists and the 2006 sustainable transportation award, with the university being added to a national listing of “best workplaces for commuters.” Pre-COVID, the bike shuttle ran every 15 mins for approximately 8 hours, starting at 7 am. Post-COVID, there has been a reduction in the number of shuttles to every half hour from 7:30 am to 9:30 am. This has recently resulted in an increase in the number of riders, particularly between 8:30 and 9:30.

However, despite all of this information on the award-winning bike shuttle, there have been numerous rumors that the bike shuttle will not be returning for the 2022-2023 school year. Considering the drastic, 1000 ft uphill commute via bike, the bike shuttle has been very helpful in transporting students to campus every day, especially since the ride down is very manageable. This decision is unbecoming of a university who prides itself on green initiatives and inclusivity, the basis of which is a deciding factor for many students on where they choose to further their education.

In addition to the energy savings of the bike shuttle, it’s important to note that UCSC has an unaffordable parking cost. For graduate students and faculty, a year-long parking pass is around $900. For undergraduates, many of them are not permitted to even park on campus unless they pay an ungodly amount of money. Lately, UCSC has admitted so many students that it can’t even house all of them. If these students cannot be housed on campus, they must live somewhere off campus, meaning they have to find a way to commute. This brings up the bus issue.

The busses are notoriously unreliable here at UCSC. They are often late, full of students, and most importantly, they only have a few bike racks, which are often full. If students cannot bring their bike to campus, they must leave campus at the expense of the bus schedule. However, the buses are often full for many hours at the end of the day. They often get so full that they can’t even stop at certain bus stops. This leaves students with jobs or other evening commitments in a tough situation. If students are able to bring their bike onto campus, they can leave campus whenever they feel, and the ride down is quite fast and enjoyable—much more than a crowded bus with many stops.

If you feel it is not justified that UCSC get rid of the bike shuttle, please take the time to sign this petition. These reasons provided are only a few reasons why the bike shuttle is so imperative in assisting students, faculty, and staff in getting to campus. If you have any more reasons, please share in the comments below. Let’s save the bike shuttle, slugs!

Sign the petition here: https://www.change.org/p/keep-the-ucsc-bike-shuttle