︎ Biking on Campus
Free-to-use bikes at convenient locations
Promoting students to bike around campus, rather than driving or riding buses, to improve their own health as well as reduce the effects of transportation on the environment.
By Lauren Wojciechowski︎, Mostafa Salama ︎, Monique Lee ︎,
Hypothesis
Most University of Michigan students typically either drive to campus, ride the public buses, or some combination of the two. Vehicles emit significant amounts of CO2 which is not only harmful to the environment, but also to people’s health. Biking as an alternative method of mobility not only increases a persons’ physical activity, but also does not emit any CO2.
By carefully considering the persona of a UM student who typically drives to a commuter parking lot then buses to campus in a rush to get to class, and using the point of decision design framework, we hypothesize that by making the choice between busing and biking easier, students’ health will be improved.
Why
Biking from a commuter lot to campus rather than taking a public bus will reduce effects on the environment and improve the users’ health.
How
Free-to-use bikes stationed at convenient locations around the University of Michigan campus.
What
Students can access a bike at one of the stations, bike to their destination, and drop the bike off at another station. The University of Michigan will have a policy to provide these bikes, and maintenance of the bikes, free of charge to students. Having bikes readily available at these stations will also allow students to immediately begin traveling to their destinations, rather than having to wait for a bus.
So What
Students will more readily bike rather than bus or drive, which will improve their health.
Most University of Michigan students typically either drive to campus, ride the public buses, or some combination of the two. Vehicles emit significant amounts of CO2 which is not only harmful to the environment, but also to people’s health. Biking as an alternative method of mobility not only increases a persons’ physical activity, but also does not emit any CO2.
By carefully considering the persona of a UM student who typically drives to a commuter parking lot then buses to campus in a rush to get to class, and using the point of decision design framework, we hypothesize that by making the choice between busing and biking easier, students’ health will be improved.
Why
Biking from a commuter lot to campus rather than taking a public bus will reduce effects on the environment and improve the users’ health.
How
Free-to-use bikes stationed at convenient locations around the University of Michigan campus.
What
Students can access a bike at one of the stations, bike to their destination, and drop the bike off at another station. The University of Michigan will have a policy to provide these bikes, and maintenance of the bikes, free of charge to students. Having bikes readily available at these stations will also allow students to immediately begin traveling to their destinations, rather than having to wait for a bus.
So What
Students will more readily bike rather than bus or drive, which will improve their health.
Graphic showing intervention along design continuum
The Link Between Design and Outcomes
Most University of Michigan students typically either drive to campus, ride the public buses, or some combination of the two. Vehicles emit significant amounts of CO2 which is not only harmful to the environment, but also to people’s health. Biking as an alternative method of mobility not only increases a persons’ physical activity, but also does not emit any CO2. By carefully considering the persona of a UM student who typically drives to a commuter parking lot then buses to campus in a rush to get to class, and using the point of decision design framework, we hypothesize that by making the choice between busing and biking easier, students’ health will be improved.
This intervention makes the choice to bike easier through both product and policy. Bikes will be stationed at commuter parking lots and main hubs around campus, such as at CCTC on central campus and Pierpont Commons on north campus, as well as at locations for healthy food options, such as the Ann Arbor Farmer’s Market in Kerrytown.
This intervention makes the healthy choice the easy choice by supporting use of bikes among University of Michigan students. Choosing to bike will become easier as the bikes will be (1) free to use through University of Michigan policy, (2) immediately available for use unlike buses, and (3) conveniently located around campus.
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Works Cited