Rebel Pedals: A greener form of transportation

If the Associated Student Body had its way, the University of Mississippi would have a lower carbon footprint.

It made one such effort last year in founding Rebel Pedals. The bike renting organization is back and growing, said junior Cory Washington, ASB director of transportation.

“We are trying to change the culture of the campus,” Washington, communications sciences and disorders major, said. “We are trying to change the campus to where everyone walks or has bikes.”

The bicycles, a fleet of 30, can be rented from the Ole Miss Outdoors office in the Turner Center. It costs $20 a year, or $15 a semester, to rent a bicycle.

Bicycles are rented on a first-come, first-serve basis and go out to the renter for a week, Monday through Friday, said Shannon Richardson, assistant director of Campus Recreation.

“We hope that by providing easy access to bikes people can see how easy it is to get around and then get a bike for themselves,” Richardson said. “Our goal is to reduce traffic and promote healthy lifestyles.”

Vicky Tomkiv, U.S. studies freshman of Omsk, Russia, said the program is great.

“It is much simpler and quicker than walking, and it only costs $20 a year,” Tomkiv said. “There are special bike spots, I think, in front of every building, so it is convenient.” Richardson said. However, she said the bicycle racks are often full.

“We have seen a huge increase in bike riders this year,” Richardson said. “The University is working on putting more racks out.”

Senior psychology major Josh Hamer said he considered getting a bicycle back when he lived closer to campus.

“I think it is a good idea for people who live close to campus,” Hamer said. “If all of the freshmen had bikes, it would really help with parking.”

Hamer said the campus would be a better place with fewer cars.

“It’d be more green if there were more bikes than cars,” Hamer said.

Some freshmen do ride their bicycles to class instead of their cars, including accounting student Ward Coningsby.

“I think it is better than a car,” Coningsby said. “It makes it easier to get around — there are not any parking spots — and it is healthier.”

Rebel Pedals is funded through a $25,000 grant from Walmart, for which the ASB and the Department of Sustainability applied.

The program is still operating off of the grant money, but it will soon run out. Richardson said a silent auction is being planned to support Rebel Pedals until a new grant can be obtained. The bicycle-renting program also charges the $15 to $20 fee to join, which it did not last year.

Washington said Rebel Pedals is hoping to give away a couple of bikes in the near future.

“Every year, at least 50 to 100 bikes are abandoned on campus or thrown away,” Washington said. “We will fix up the ones we can and give those away to students with no other form of transportation.”

For more information on Rebel Pedals, visit bike.olemiss.edu.