PROJETO U-BIKE PORTUGAL – rental bicycles for the academic community

Sometimes it’s not convenient for the academic community who live at medium distances from the university to travel by public transport (no line available on surroundings, price of the ticket too expensive) or by foot (because of the distance). The usage of private car in the community is also a problem. In the University of Aveiro, 46% of the community uses private car.

U-BIKE is a platform that permits the academic community to rent a bicycle for a semester or a full academic year (depending of the University) and the only thing they have to do is to apply. This good practice aims to: 1) promote the use of electrical and conventional bicycles in academic communities; 2) Contribute for the reduction of primary energy consumption; 3) Contribute for the reduction of greenhouse gases; 4) modification of the modal split in urban transport, namely the transfer of the motorized individual mode of transport to the cycling mode. U-BIKE doesn’t compete with bike sharing schemes because it involves a large duration rental with the main goal to promote soft mobility habits. It is estimated that the bicycles will travel 2.412.141 km along 26 municipalities corresponding to a saving of 166 tonnes of oil equivalent and a consequent reduction of 505 tonnes of CO2 equivalent.

The main stakeholders of this good practice are the local and public entities like the universities and city council. The main beneficiary is the academic community and the city.