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Bike-sharing program coming to campus

Spin bike

University of Arkansas Little Rock will get a bike-sharing program Feb. 15, giving students, faculty, staff and visitors a convenient, affordable, and healthy way to get around campus.

On Thursday, Feb. 15, 200 bright orange Spin bikes will be delivered to campus. The touring bikes will be parked near high-traffic areas on campus – such as Ottenheimer Library, dormitories, Donaghey Student Center and parking lots, said Jim Carr, professor of construction management and chair of the UA Little Rock Sustainability Committee.

The “smart” bikes are equipped with GPS and can be unlocked by scanning a QR code with the Spin App. Riders pay 50 cents per 30 minutes, or can pay $14/month  and can pay with Apple Pay and Android Pay, or by inputting their credit card info into the company’s app.

The bikes are “dockless,” meaning there’s not a bike rack or kiosk for pick-up and returns. When riders have reached their campus destination, they simply park them.

Spin bikes can be found across all bike racks on campus. Here’s how it works:

  1. Download the app by searching “Spin Bikes” on the app store and sign up with your UA Little Rock email address.
  2. Pull up the app to locate a bike nearby
  3. Scan the QR code on the bike to unlock it
  4. Start your ride
  5. When you reach your destination, drop off and lock the bike by a designated area.

Spin plans to hire students to work as campus operating managers, to retrieve and return bikes to their intended areas. Interested students can email gino@spin.pm for more information about jobs.

Riders also must provide their own helmets.