Due to reports of vandalism, bikes used in the newly enacted Tarleton State University’s bike-share program have been removed and are undergoing maintenance. The bike-share program is a collaborative effort of the Division of Student Life and is overseen by the Recreational Sports Department and includes 35 eight-gear cruiser bikes with adjustable seats, front and rear lights, a U-lock and a handlebar basket. The bikes are located at six locations on the Stephenville campus: Hunewell Annex, Centennial Hall, the Horticulture Center, Lillian Street Commuter Parking Lot P41 and Lot P20N near the water storage tank and intramural fields.

The program was introduced this fall as a way to provide a safe and sustainable alternative transportation for the Tarleton student community. The bike-share program is possible through a partnership with the company Zagster, a bike-sharing service used on college and university campuses across the country.

“While we are not happy about the vandalism and lack of respect that has been shown thus far for the bike program, it has not been suspended,” said Associate Director of Recreational Sports, Daron Trussell. “We have currently removed the bikes to perform maintenance and take inventory.”

The bike-share program had become popular among students, but due to excessive wear and claims of vandalism and a report of a student throwing a bike in a dumpster, the bikes are being replaced with newer bikes as they are being repaired.

Trussell is also hoping to better keep up with maintenance by implementing a person to monitor the bikes and its usage.

“We will be adding some new bikes to the fleet to take the place of bikes that have excessive wear as well as repairing all other bikes,” said Trussell. “We are also in the process of hiring a student, paid by Zagster, to perform daily checks of all bikes on campus to better keep up with the maintenance. We are also hoping that this will alleviate some of the vandalism to bikes.”

For more information about the bike-share program and how it works, check out JTACNews.com.