Please find attached PDF containing performance metrics for ZipCar usage on campus for November 2023.

CTAC meeting was held on December 1, 2023, focusing mainly on the Campus Bike Plan update. Please see attached the slides from meeting. To view the recording, please go to: https://uofi.box.com/s/dsqttw2eq6qyjffemdlzumq9rda0obmv

Read the article online at: https://dailyillini.com/news-stories/campus-life/2023/11/14/ui-partnersh.... This article was published on November 14. 2023.

UI updates partnership with Veo Cosmo trial By Mary Piacente, Staff Writer • November 14, 2023     Anh-Khoi Pham Veo bikes sit in front of Wohlers Hall on Nov. 10.    

After the positive feedback surrounding Veo’s campus pilot program introduced in May, the University will continue its partnership with the transportation service and promote e-bike safety on campus.

The University began its partnership with Veo Micromobility, a bike-share company promoting the availability of clean transportation, in 2019. The partnership allowed students to pay to use bikes and scooters through the Veo app.

Over the summer, stemming from community demand, Veo launched a campus pilot project to introduce motorized class 2 e-bikes. Also known as Cosmo models, these bikes were meant to expand upon the University’s existing rideshare program.

According to an article posted by the bike company Aventon, class 2 e-bikes differ from the previously offered bikes and scooters by providing “assistance when pedaling” and having “a maximum speed of 20 mph with a throttle.”

Sarthak Prasad, sustainable transportation assistant at Facilities & Services, said that the partnership has improved transportation accessibility both on and off campus.

“Veo is providing a service to campus for our students, whether it’s for general use, recreational use or fun,” Prasad said. “For the community outside the University, they have added a value for lower-income families.”

However, Aidan Joyce, sophomore in LAS, said that the pricing of Veo rentals prevents him from using the service more.

“I think that if (Veo) actually lowered the prices, then more people would use the new bikes,” Joyce said.

Since the introduction of the Cosmo e-bikes, Prasad said that minimal safety and vandalism issues have been noticed by the University administration. Despite this, certain questions about e-bike safety for pedestrians on campus have arisen. 

“There have been a few minor safety concerns, and we’re working with Veo on those things,” Prasad said. “It’s not just Veo — it’s with the increase in the number of e-bikes and e-scooters that we see on campus.”

Prasad emphasized that the University is currently working on educational campaigns that promote bicycle, e-bike and e-scooter safety, including how to safely ride your bicycle while being aware of your surroundings. 

Another issue that has arisen from the introduction of the Cosmo bikes has been the protection of public spaces for non-Veo cyclists. 

Geofencing, the GPS technology Veo uses to ensure bikes do not enter specific “no-ride zones,” has also failed to prevent certain inconveniences for typical bikers on campus.

“There are a couple of issues that we have seen with the geofencing restrictions,” Prasad said. “If Cosmo e-bikes are taking up all or a lot of the spaces, then there’s not enough room for people with personal bicycles to park in that area.”

However, despite these minor issues resulting from the introduction of class 2 e-bikes, Prasad said that the response surrounding the campus pilot program was overall favorable.

“There was a community feedback request back at the end of summer, and the response was very positive from the community towards this program,” Prasad said. 

marypp2@dailyillini.com

Members of the ISC, and Sarthak Prasad attended a tour of MTD Facilities. This tour included a QnA session, and a walking tour of the facilities. Participants were shown the MTD hydrogen processing as well as a tour of one of the two hydrogen buses MTD currently operates. This tour facilitated many conversations that the student and staff attendees initiated. Please see the attached images of the hydrogen energy processing facility.

Here are the things I have been working on:

• Material Research Lab bicycle rack design - in progress 
• First social media post flyer (needs approval) - in progress
• Other social media topics
  • 11/14 - bike fun facts
  • 11/21 - Fall Break
  • 11/28 - proper way to ride
  • 12/5 - (finals) proper way to store bicycle over break
  • *other events, topics, or positive bike riding examples* (I just remember you saying that you wanted a post a week)
• Field work
  • bicycle rack placements
  • eco counter
• Eco Counter
  • collected data
  • updated data in metrix
• Created survey for dangerous areas / cautions for congestion bike paths / sidewalks on campus
  • Still waiting to get more responses. SPO meeting tomorrow so will get some there
  • Link to survey: https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/15ada60a1f2240adb8361f49736aabb3
    

    F&S Congested Pathways Survey survey123.arcgis.com

    

     

• iCAP
  •  
• Readings
  • comp plans and informational bike readings
    • Examples: 5 E's, Campus Bike Plan (old and new), Bike at Illinois, etc.
• ADA complaint
  • on the backside of learning about and understanding the complaint and seeing future takes.
• worked for the staff information meeting at State Farm
• attended the "Green Infrastructure and Erosion Control" (10/24)

Sarthak & Ethan Meeting 11/3

Campus landscape master plan 

• where there is a map, see if there is anything related to trails or sidewalks, see where they are mentioned, try to include that in our plan 
• Include: Implement campus landscape master plan
• Page 25
• Main quad district (we can use the image on page 66)
• On Monday, begin process of pulling out data from landscape plan 
• Work in person on Wednesday at 1pm

Evaluation section

• Add implement campus landscape master plan 

Implementation

• put projects on the list from landscape plan 
• Can use the images from the plan

Wednesday we will organize the document 

Equity and accessibility section

• only talk about how we want Ada accessible

Existing Conditions

• can minimize words, do not need as much details 

Crash Data

• update graph 

Landscape plan excel:

• Look at bike factors in its goals/recommendations 
• Any bike related projects, take note of them, and where they are located