You are here

Projects Updates for theme: Transportation

  3. Weekly Digest

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center

    All,

    To my mind, a bit of a slow week. Sold some bikes and prepped more for B-a-B/sale bikes.

    This week I’ll be bringing staff in extra hours to help build more bikes for the inevitable Beginning Of Semester rush. We’re still hovering around 20 for sale now but are building a good inventory of fully-prepped B-a-Bs for when we sell out of our refurbed bikes. We are paring down our inventory of old/bad wheels that are taking up valuable space and creating safety hazards, which will make way for our more valuable and useful parts/bikes.

    The numbers:

    Visitors: 16
    Sales: $499
    Bikes (refurb): 1 for $200
    Memberships: 6 for $180

    Tires/tubes: 12 for $78

    Jacob Benjamin
    Coordinator -- Campus Bike Center
     

  7. Signs, Electricity, and Locks Complete for Shipping Containers

    Associated Project(s): 
    Shipping Containers for Bicycle Storage
    Collection and Donation of Abandoned Bicycles

    This morning, Sarthak, Emily, and Max visited the seven shipping containers to check their progress, attach a padlock to each shipping container door, and put an identifying sticker on each shipping container. Each shipping container now also has electricity and lights installed as well as a sign on the outside, numbering 1-7. Attached are photos of the lights and signs.

    Attached Files: 

  11. Bicycle Ambassador & Bike Buddy Program Research Updates

    Associated Project(s): 
    Bicycle Ambassador Program
    Learn How to Ride a Bicycle and Bike Rodeo

    On June 27th, Emily sent out emails to 14 different organizations that have a bike ambassador, a bike buddy, or a similar program to learn more about bike ambassador and bike buddy programs. The email includes a description of the two goals relating to creating bike ambassador and bike buddy programs stated in the 2024 Campus Bicycle Plan. The email also included a 40 question questionnaire, which is linked as a pdf.

    These organizations include the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, the public works department in the county where Pennsylvania State University is located, Rutgers University New-Brunswick, University of Wisconsin-Madison, University of California Irvine, University of Iowa, University of California Los Angeles, University of Edinburgh, University of Maryland, University of Oregon, the City of Madison, Wisconsin, Indiana University, and a local biking group in Portland, Oregon (BikeLoud PDX). While 25 universities were researched, not all universities have a bike ambassador program, a bike buddy program, or a similar program and so local organizations that have such programs in these areas were also contacted. Responses are requested from the 14 organizations by July 25th.

    On June 30th, Sarthak forwarded the questionnaire to the Campus Bike Programmer Network.

    Attached Files: 

  12. Weekly Digest

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center

    Pretty uneventful week on the whole. Highlight was an 11-year-old coming in with his mom to fix up his beat-up bike. At 11 he had great tool instincts and was excited about getting his hands dirty. Good times!

    Our “For Sale” bike numbers are steadily in the low double digits, but next month we’ll focus on building more, in hopes of staying ahead of the crush of returning students.

    This evening is the Bike Project member’s meeting, which I will attend.

    The numbers:

    Visitors:
    Sales: $970.75
    Bikes (refurb): 3 for $590
    Memberships: 7 for $210
    Tires/tubes: 3 for $20

    Thanks!

    Jacob Benjamin
    Coordinator -- Campus Bike Center
     

  13. Research In Progress for Bike Ambassador, Bike Buddy, and Commuter Programs

    Associated Project(s): 
    Bicycle Ambassador Program
    Learn How to Ride a Bicycle and Bike Rodeo
    Commuter Program: Bus, Bike, and Hike

    Emily is working on researching Bicycle Ambassador, Bike Buddy, and Commuter Programs at Big 10 and other universities to eventually implement these programs at UIUC. While the Bicycle Ambassador program was last active around 2014, restarting this program is a priority under the Encouragement area of intervention in the 2024 Campus Bicycle Plan. Similarly, the Bike Buddy program, which would encourage more bicycle trips on campus, especially for newer and less experienced cyclists, is also a priority under the Encouragement area of intervention. Emily is also continuing research on the Commuter program, which is a part of the Evaluation & Planning area of intervention in the 2024 Campus Bicycle Plan.

  14. Weekly Digest

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center

    All,
    The heat is upon us! The high temps have kept us less busy than we might have otherwise been. Still had some folks in and had a Build-a-Bike completed—which is always especially rewarding. Our new door has been working swimmingly, as folks have been able to enter/exit without wrestling with the door and their bike at the same time.

    The numbers:

    Visitors: 15
    Sales: $525.50
    Bikes (refurb): 1 for $200
    Bikes (B-a-B): 1 for $50
    Tires/tubes: 14 for $93

    Thanks!

    Jacob Benjamin
    Coordinator -- Campus Bike Center

  17. Dates set for C-U Bike Month 2025

    Associated Project(s): 
    C-U Bike to Work Day
    Light the Night

    In a meeting on 6/13/2025 dates for the C-U Bike to Work Day and Light the Night events were finalized. Attached is a flyer showing the event dates. Registration will open later this summer at cubikemonth.org.

    • Wednesday, September 10th, 7-10 am:  Bike to Work Day
    • Tuesday, September 16th, 4-7 pm:  Light the Night
    • Thursday, September 11th, 7-10 am:  Bike to Work Day rain date
    • Wednesday, September 17th, 4-7 pm:  Light the Night rain date

     

    Attached Files: 

  18. Introductory meeting with Housing

    Associated Project(s): 
    Fleet Replacement Plans
    F&S Sustainable Fleet Plan
    Decrease Emissions from UI Fleet

    Following are the notes from our meeting with Housing about their potential Fleet Management Plan. The meeting took place on 6/13/2025 at 9 a.m.

    Attended by - Sarthak Prasad, Shawn Patterson, Matt Brown, Aaron Lewis, Jessica Hauserman

    • We did introduction
    • Jessica is the Office Manager
    • We are looking for a single point of contact
    • Not reinvent the wheel - not dictate
    • What are we trying to do?
    • 12 year replacement plan
    • What is the useful life of the vehicle
    • Fuel consumptions, idle time,
    • Conversations about what would be the correct path
    • Right-sizing the application
    • We need to purchase a vehicle - what type of vehicle can be purchased
    • Matt Brown -
      • They make some purchases of heavier duty trucks based on what the tasks are, the weight of those things
      • Some small transit vehicles
        • Ford transit
      • They are looking for a huge number of things
      • Availability, right sizing, - have some issues with that
      • They are retiring 20 year old vehicles or more
      • They are finally out of pre-2000s vehicles this FY
      • They are now updating
    • How we might interact with these goals= planned rotation vs force rotations
      • Deterioration of these vehicles
      • Shawn -
        • The prices have skyrocketed
        • Digging deep - if we have a process in place.
        • If this is the goal, we can do what we can
        • What is the most feasible thing. The university is not going give us so much money to buy whatever we want
        • Housing is the first department we are reaching out
        • Same or similar fleet as F&S
        • We can share our expertise
        • Build a group and plan as to what can be done to improve iCAP goals
    • Looking to identify a contact person
      • Start off with Matt Brown and then direct conversations to other departments
      • Various fleets (4)
        • Facilities and Maintenance
        • Building services
        • Student Affairs Technology for Housing
        • Dining - Dell
      • Jessica has helped with costs and ownership of vehicles
        • To maintain or to fuel
        • There is data
      • If the iCAP wants to put a number before we rotate
        • Put a high number, like 15 years.
        • Some vehicles are used less
        • Vehicle by vehicle basis
    • Aaron -
      • Has it ever been discussion - drive thru car was on campus to remove debris and gunk - to improve the life?
        • Shawn -
          • Frame - Rust or something
          • Parts are no longer available for that vehicles
          • Undercarriage -
            • $100k to get the equipment
        • Deterioration of the body
      • Rust and under carriage - vehicles deteriorate
    • Next Step
      • List and come up with an operation plan
      • For one of the fleet operation or all 4 fleet? Evolving plan
      • Create a Teams Channel
      • Give them a skeleton plan to give to Housing
        • They will fill in what they can do - Based on the F&S Green Fleet Plan
        • The objectives we came up with were through NAFA and based on F&S fleets
      • Maybe a follow up in the end of July 2025
    • Matt asked about Idle time sensor
      • GPS sensors that we operate with
      • Not every vehicle is the same
      • External GPS system
    • Idle Times are related to Fuel Consumption
    • Matt and his team will get a shot on the plan and get back to us
    • Housing fleet is at a certain level - swap one for one
      • Very occasional and sporadic that they add a vehicle
      • They can commit to not adding to the fleet

  19. Abandoned Bicycles: Tagging and Identifying

    Associated Project(s): 
    Collection and Donation of Abandoned Bicycles

     
    Unwanted Bicycles Will Be Identified and Removed This Summer

     

     

     

    Don't Leave Them Out to Pasture (Or We'll Take Them) All unwanted bicycles parked on campus will be collected. Remove the orange sticker to avoid impound. Visit go.fs.illinois.edu/BicycleRoundup

     

     

    F&S and the Parking Department identify and collect unwanted bicycles left on campus at the beginning of the summer. 

    All bikes remaining on university property will be tagged this week with an orange sticker that reads, "Remove this tag by 6/30, or your bicycle will be removed." Any bicycle still displaying the sticker after that date will be impounded. 

    If you presently have a bike in a campus rack, shelter, or parking location, please remember to remove this sticker to ensure your bike is designated as active. Individuals who don't take this action and want to reclaim their bicycles later this year will be charged a $40 fee. All recovered bicycles must also be registered before being returned.  

    Donate Your Bike!

    Last year, almost 250 bicycles were retrieved during the annual roundup and stored as part of the Bike at Illinois reclaiming and donation process. Help reduce the roundup and preserve campus resources by donating your bike! 

    If you no longer need your bicycle, consider donating it to the Campus Bike Center (51 E. Gregory Drive, Champaign) or the Bike Project of Urbana-Champaign (202 S. Broadway Avenue, room 24). No appointment is required. Donations are tax-deductible, and bikes will be refurbished or recycled, with as many parts reused as possible. 

     

    Read the email online: https://emails.illinois.edu/newsletter/68/1492591568.html

  20. Tagging for Abandoned Bicycles Complete

    Associated Project(s): 
    Collection and Donation of Abandoned Bicycles

    This past week, Sarthak and interns Emily and Max have been working on tagging bicycles on campus for the abandoned bicycles project. Today, the tagging portion of the abandoned bicycles project was completed. Across all blocks of campus, 665 bicycles were tagged. After June 30th, bicycles that do not have their orange tags removed will be collected.

Pages