It’s time to ride. Fort Worth Bike Sharing is rolling out two new bike stations on campus, giving Horned Frogs convenient access
to electric and traditional bicycles.
Joining the existing bike station at the intersection of Cantey and Rogers, the two new stations are in Worth Hills and on Lowden Street near the Mary Couts Burnett Library — for a total of three locations serving the TCU community.
“We wanted to be in places where students could use our system to move around campus easily, safely and quickly,” said Jennifer Grissom, director of Fort Worth Bike Sharing.
“I hope students can see the personal and communitywide benefit of micro-mobility and become lifelong supporters of public transportation in all its forms. It’s so much more efficient — in terms of time, land and energy usage,” she added. “And I hope students have fun when they ride. There is nothing better than feeling like a kid again when you start pedaling.”
In the midst of the COVID-9 pandemic, ridership has been on the upswing.
“We’ve been lucky and also overwhelmed, Grissom said. “People loved the bikes last summer. We were so glad we could offer a socially distant transportation option and a safe, fun activity that was healthy for each individual and the community.”
Backed by a grant from the Federal Transit Administration, Fort Worth Bike Sharing launched the sharing program in 2013. In addition to the TCU campus, it has stations across downtown, the Cultural District, the Trinity Trails, the Stockyards, Near Southside and Near Eastside.
The organization electronically monitors and distributes bikes according to demand. Unlike a bike rental, the bike sharing model is intended for short trips, requiring that bikes be docked at a station — or re-checked out — after one or two hours, depending on the membership level.
Day passes are $8 for 24 hours of one-hour rides. Monthly and annual memberships are also available. TCU students get free yearlong memberships — with two-hour ride times — using their TCU email address and promo code TCU21 on the Fort Worth Bike Sharing website or the BCycle app.
“John Howard said, ‘The bicycle is a curious vehicle. Its passenger is its engine,’” Grissom said. “I challenge TCU students to be the engine that is going to change this world.”