MSU-organized initiative offers daily 90 minute access to Hamilton Social Bikes at a reduced rate
Earlier this March, the McMaster Student Union held a referendum to include a discounted Hamilton bike share pass as a part of student fees starting in September 2024. This initiative will offer students a sustainable and affordable way to get to and around campus, with an option to opt out for those who do not wish to bike.
Following the successful bike share referendum passed by the MSU last academic year, an incidental fee of $24.50 including tax has been added to the tuition of full-time McMaster undergraduate students. This fee grants them membership to the Hamilton Bike Share program.
Students who do not opt out of the program will receive an annual bike pass, providing access to a network of publicly shared bicycles across 130 locations in Hamilton, including the seven stations located on McMaster's campus.
The pass will be accessible through the Bike Share SoBi mobile app, where students can create an account and register using their MacID information. After registering, students can use the app to unlock bikes, pay for rides, and enjoy 90 minutes of riding each day. Users will also receive a $10 credit for additional features that may incur a fee, such as locking a bicycle outside a designated station off campus.
Students who exceed the 90-minute daily limit will be charged $0.15 per minute on their account, which is the normal rate for Sobi users. The regular annual pass is priced at $192, meaning full-time undergraduate students benefit from a discount of 88.7 per cent.
The bike share initiative was driven by a group of seven students who advocated for the program on campus. In 2023, the group circulated a petition to investigate if students would support the pass and collected about 870 valid signatures. Following this, they worked to establish a memorandum of understanding between Hamilton Bike Share and the MSU.
In an interview with the Silhouette, Xin Law-Gallagher, one of the co-organizers of the program, spoke about how they raised awareness about the proposed program leading up to the referendum in March 2024. "We went around to everyone chilling in libraries, in the student centre, and in study spaces, handing out stickers and a little information card with a QR code saying, "Have you heard about this referendum?" ... the answer was always no," said Law-Gallagher.
We went around to everyone chilling in libraries, in the student centre, and in study spaces, handing out stickers and a little information card with a QR code saying, "Have you heard about this referendum?"... the answer was always no.
Xin Law-Gallagher, co-organizer, Student Bike Pass
The co-organizers mentioned that they thought the most effective methods to boost voter turnout was visiting popular classes. They contacted professors across various faculties and gave presentations at the start of each class, encouraging students to vote.
Paris Liu, another co-organizer of the bike pass, shared her motivations with The Silhouette, emphasizing her concerns about the climate crisis. "I think everyone in the group joined for different reasons … for me, it was mostly the climate crisis with seeing how urgent that was and how the transport sector in Canada contributes [to it]", said Liu.
Liu mentioned that she hopes this program will contribute to encouraging a culture of biking across Canada and increases active transportation. "I hope that [the] success [of the pass] initiates a culture of biking across Canada because in Canada, it's just not really prevalent...whereas [in] Europe, this is very normal ... to have a bike share discount pass for students in most European universities", said Liu.
On March 6 and 7, 2024, students were able to vote for or against the bike share referendum held by the MSU. A total of 4,264 of 25,714 eligible undergraduate students, approximately 17 per cent, voted. Of those who voted, 94.5 percent were in favour of creating a 12-month bike share pass at McMaster.
The referendum needed to meet a simple majority, and required a minimum voter turnout of 10 per cent for the ballots to be counted as valid. A previous referendum in 2016 failed by a narrow margin of three percent.
Michael Wooder, who is responsible for the operations and management of the MSU, spoke to the Silhouette prior to the share program's launch." "I see tremendous value in this program as it is offering yet another enhancement to student transportation options in a sustainable way. Coupled with the fact that it is based on an opt-out model … a student potentially looked at this as a win-win option if they don't care to cycle," said Wooder.
I see tremendous value in this program as it is offering yet another enhancement to student transportation options in a sustainable way. Coupled with the fact that it is based on an opt-out model…a student potentially looked at this as a win-win option if they don't care to cycle.
Michael Wooder, general manager, MSU
The new student fee will provide over $600,000 annually to Hamilton Bike Share. This will make McMaster students the largest single source of revenue for Hamilton Bike Share.
Wooder mentioned that after the referendum, Hamilton Bike Share and the MSU had been in collaboration to implement the program for all full-time students, including establishing privacy policies and data-sharing procedures with the university.
"…there is a memorandum of understanding between the MSU, [Hamilton] Bike Share, and McMaster University … that says that SoBi will maintain a minimum of 100 bicycles in service on campus at all times during classes… that doesn't limit them to only 100, but that's the operational floor," said Wooder. He added that Hamilton Bike Share will monitor student usage trends to plan to meet the growing demand for social bikes.
Wooder expressed his hope that the program will become a long-term mode of convenient and sustainable transportation.
Marketing for the bike-sharing program will begin in the coming weeks, with the opt-out option available from September 1 to September 30.
In last week's referendum, students approved an increase in MSU student fees for the implementation of the Hamilton Bike Share pass
The McMaster Students Union 2024 referdendum was open to voters from Mar. 5 to Mar. 7. This year, students voted on the implementation of the Hamilton Bike Share and the Food Accessibility Initiative.
On Mar. 8, 2024, the results of the vote were released and it was announced that the increase in fees for the Hamilton Bike Share pass was approved. However, the Food Accessibility Initiative votes were not able to be counted as the 10 per cent quorum was not met.
The Bike Share referendum had a 16 per cent voter turnout, with 94.5 per cent voting in favour of the pass. This means that for the 2024/2025 school year, students will have access to 90 minutes of bike share time per day and $22 plus tax will be added to MSU student fees.
Students will also have the option to opt out of the pass.
McMaster Students for Bike Share, the Instagram page for the pass campaign, shared their thoughts for the successful vote.
“Thank you for voting, sharing our posts and spreading the word! This achievement is the result of a collective effort and the culmination of the work we’ve put into getting this pass since the beginning of last year,” said the Students for Bike Share team in the statement on their Instagram after the results were announced.
For more information, please refer to the MSU Elections website.
There are two referendums for the introduction new student fees this week, including if the fee for Hamilton Bike Share should be added to the MSU fee for the 2024/2025 academic year
On Mar. 6 and 7, the McMaster Students Union will hold two referendums, one on the introduction the president's "soup and bread" initiative and on the introduction of an annual bike pass following the Student Representative Assembly general elections. This bike pass will be provided by Hamilton Bike Share and cost MSU members $22 plus tax. The pass will provide students with 8 months access to bike share for 90 minutes daily. Furthermore, the pass will be offered with an option for students to opt out.
This initiative has been advocated for by a student group at McMaster University. Students Rhea Saini, an Ontario Legislature Intern, and Paris Liu, fourth-year civil engineering student, had come together in their living room one night after a discussion about the current transportation systems that exist for students. They had recognized the funding issues that had been going on with the bike share. Both had agreed that a bike pass included in student fees may be something beneficial for students.
"[Hamilton Bike Share] were losing funding from the city so a student bike pass was one of the things we had thought about. A city law was the way that idea resurfaced. So Paris and I basically came together with like the two different [focuses] and started this campaign idea in our living room, which was so funny," said Saini.
David Landry and Xin Law-Gallagher, both third-year art sciences students, are other students who have been working to have the bike pass implemented. They shared that this bike pass is something that can really benefit students. They believe it can allow students an easy method to explore Hamilton.
“[Hamilton Bike Share] really adds to student life and kind of being a student Master is when you have access to a bike, especially a bike that you can leave anywhere, and to pick up anywhere, it really opens up kind of the community around McMaster,” said Law-Gallagher.
[Hamilton Bike Share] really adds to student life and kind of being a student Master is when you have access to a bike, especially a bike that you can leave anywhere, and to pick up anywhere, it really opens up kind of the community around McMaster.
Xin Law-Gallagher, McMaster bike pass advocate
Law-Gallagher shared that in this referendum, there is the option for students to opt out, which should appeal to a larger student body.
The McMaster student bike share pass advocate Kenneth Chen, a fourth-year health sciences student, expressed that the option to opt out of the member ensures accessibility. This is because they recognize that a bike pass may not be ideal for everyone and that the students should have the choice to not contribute their fees.
“I believe that sustainability should be affordable because it often is not. Right now is the time to act on this opportunity. Not only [is Hamilton Bike Share] like affordable but [also] accessible. That's one thing with the opt-out optional, it really does make it truly accessible,” said Chen.
Taskin Eera, another student in fourth year environment and society who has been working to have the bike pass implemented, expressed that if this is passed then more bikes will be provided on campus to accommodate students. They are also hoping to employ students to manage these bike stations.
“Bike share will be increasing service and also there will be there will likely be student employees to ensure that the service is kept up. And this will help promote active and sustainable transport in a cultural institutional level that isn't quite as prevailing in our sort of car-centric model that we have today,” said Eera.
Law-Gallagher and Ofure Itua, another student in fourth-year biomedical discovery & commercialization who has been working to have the bike pass implemented, argued that there is nothing for students to lose if voting in favour of including the bike share pass to the student fees.
“I'd tell them that there is literally no downside to voting yes. If you vote yes, your peers get access to a great bike pass, and you can still opt out and not pay anything. And if you vote, no, nothing happens,” said Law-Gllagher.
I'd tell them that there is literally no downside to voting yes. If you vote yes, your peers get access to a great bike pass, and you can still opt out and not pay anything. And if you vote, no, nothing happens.
Xin Law-Gallagher, McMaster bike pass advocate
To vote in favour or against this referendum, students can log in with their MacID on SimplyVoting. Voting for this referendum will be held on Mar. 6 and 7, 2024.
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By: Benita Van Miltenburg
As both a Hamiltonian and a bicycle user, I was deeply troubled by the recent death of Jay Keddy. Keddy was a well-prepared and thoroughly practiced cyclist, equipped with bicycle lights and a helmet, obeying the rules of the road. Despite his diligent behavior, he was struck by a car and left lifeless on his commute home from work this past December. No one emerged from the horror of Keddy’s death unscathed — his friends, family and acquaintances, not the kindergarten students whom he taught, and not the members of the wider Hamilton community.
Around the same time Keddy was killed, two pedestrians were struck in our city, one killed and the other seriously injured. These realities indicate that we must demand safer transportation infrastructure. Not only have the lives of these individuals and their families been forever affected, but the lives of those responsible have also been irreparably damaged.
These were preventable accidents that mustn’t be forgotten a mere two months later. They were needless accidents with immense consequences. This type of tragedy must not happen again.
I see myself settling in a community I can safely enjoy by way of foot or bicycle, not just by car or bus. As it stands, Hamilton is evidently not the place for me.
Currently, the rules of the road mandate that a bicycle and a three thousand pound vehicle occupy shared road space. When accidents happen, the ones who suffer most are almost always the more vulnerable road users. This is not a system that is safe for people on bikes, and it is likewise not a system that works well for automobiles. Many residents of this city regularly make use of multiple means of transport, and nearly all road users understand the difficulties inherent to this outdated system. We, as citizens of this city, as shared users of the road, must demand more.
We should ask ourselves: what kind of city do we desire? What sort of community are we presently fostering, building for our children, for ourselves and for our seniors? Where do we see this city in five, fifteen and fifty years? I see myself settling in a community I can safely enjoy by way of foot or bicycle, not just by car or bus. As it stands, Hamilton is evidently not the place for me.
In Hamilton, pedestrians have a 42 percent higher risk for injury than the provincial average. Hop on a bike and that figure doubles to 81 percent. This is wholly unacceptable.
Hamilton is blessed with abundant potential. Situated between Lake Ontario and the beautiful Niagara Escarpment, Hamilton is home to several fantastic post-secondary institutions, vibrant art, music and culinary communities, outstanding social programs, and just enough character to keep things interesting. However, the city is currently doing itself a terrible injustice by consistently catering to one road user over others, sometimes at the expense of residents’ lives. As such, we are bypassing the opportunity to create a socially inclusive community in which residents can truly enjoy spending their time.
Transportation modes such as walking and bicycle riding allow the individual to move at a leisurely pace, stop and start with ease and engage with their environment in a way that is simply not possible from the isolated box of the automobile. I say this not to demonize car ownership, but to encourage planning that supports multiple forms of transportation.
This is a call to all residents of our community to work with city planners and legislators to make desperately needed improvements to our active transport infrastructure. Improvements that will in turn put all road users at greater ease, and ensure not one more life is needlessly cut short on account of poor planning or lack of action.
With the city-wide Transportation Master Plan in review and a notice of motion put forth to adopt Vision Zero, Hamiltonians have some crucial decisions to make. Are we to accept this subpar status quo? Are we to remain Ontario’s second most dangerous city to walk in? Can we risk any more unnecessary tragedies?
Or will all road users — pedestrians, cyclists, car drivers and transit goers alike — come together and support positive change? We need change that caters to all forms of transportation equally, change that fully protects all residents from risk of injury and as such, protects all residents from the risk of injuring others. Let’s come together and insist on safer active transportation options in 2016. We all have the right, to enjoy our city out of harms way.
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