KnightCycle will make cruising around campus a breeze

Rutgers University, along with the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA) and the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT), is implementing their own public regional bike share program.

Entitled “Knight Cycle,” this program will be kicking off a 350-unit bike share program open to the public and serving the University community, as well as New Brunswick, Piscataway, Highland Park and the Edison and New Brunswick Train Stations, according to their website.

The program will be funded through a $1.1 million grant from NJDOT through the Regional Transportation Alternative Program (RTAP). Currently, the University is holding a series of open houses for members of the community and students to voice their opinions about the project, as well as taking public opinion polls online, according to their website.

Knight Cycle bikes are meant to be used for short rides, recommended less than an hour and riders may check out the bike from one location and return it to any other participating location within a fixed timeframe.

Knight Cycle will also be employing a “smart” bike share mobile app. Riders can either reserve a bike online, through the app, on the bicycle interface or at a public kiosk. From there, all riders have to do is enter a pin onto the bicycle keypad, enjoy their ride and lastly, return the bike to one of the hubs.

Students are most excited about the opportunity to more easily get around College Avenue, Kenan Fidan, a School of Arts and Sciences first-year, said.

“I think this is a really great idea because it would make getting around College Ave and New Brunswick a lot easier for students and all members of the community, ” Fidan said.

The program is scheduled for development and to officially begin between the Fall 2017 and Spring 2018 semesters.