Ripon College goes cycle crazy
The Ripon solution: Bribe freshmen with a free bike. Make them pledge to leave their car at home then enforce the promise by preventing them from registering a vehicle at the school.It worked.Three years ago, Joyce and other leaders went out on a limb and raised about $70,000 to purchase bikes, lights, locks and helmets for incoming freshmen. They were looking for 40 percent participation in the first year but got more. By the 2009-2010 school year, almost 70 percent of freshmen were taking bikes and leaving their cars at home.
Ripon should invest in some “bike-boxes” like Madison did recently. What a sneaky way to get students to leave their cars home. Not a bad plan.
