Bike sharing program at Texas A&M looks to expand off campus

KBTX

By Dan Beedie

Published: February 27, 2018

COLLEGE STATION, Tex. (KBTX) - Bike sharing company ofo dropped 500 bright yellow bikes on the Texas A&M University campus Tuesday. The company is already looking at expanding off campus.

Texas A&M's Transportation Services partnered with ofo and plan to roll out up to 4,000 bikes by the fall. ofo is a station-free bike sharing company with more than 10 million bikes in over 250 cities around the world.

ofo has already made efforts to expand in the area. College Station city officials say the bike sharing company has reached out to them.

"We haven't had a chance to schedule a meeting with them, but we are excited to talk with them and see what the possibilities are," said Venessa Garza, who works in College Station's Parks and Recreation Department. Garza focuses on the city's bike paths. "We are continuing to look at opportunities to make our system better."

Officials with the city of Bryan told KBTX that they haven't been contacted by the bike sharing company yet.

Students can use an app on their phones to unlock the bikes. They can leave the bike at the nearest bike rack. The bikes have built in locks that can only be unlocked via smartphone. ofo representatives at the launch event Tuesday said the prices range from $.50 per hour, $9.95 a month, or $34.95 a semester.

"I've got one class where I need to go from one corner of campus to the exact opposite corner of campus in fifteen minutes," said Texas A&M Sophomore Fredrick Shelby. "Hop on the ofo and hop over there. It is really convenient, very convenient."

"If you are going to go a mile, why get an Uber or a Lyft?" said ofo representative Austin Marshburn. "Walk or talk a bike."

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