A new Syracuse bike-share program will begin to operate on the Syracuse University campus in the coming weeks.

The program, called Syracuse Sync, is a collaboration between the city and Gotcha, nation-wide mobility service company that allows customers to rent electronic bikes and scooters from one location and return them to another site. By using the Gotcha app, users can pay for their rental transportation by the minute or through a monthly or annual plan.

The Syracuse program only includes electronic bikes. In the coming weeks, Gotcha plans to install bike hubs — sites where bikes can be rented and returned — in four locations on the SU campus, said Gotcha’s CEO Sean Flood. The hubs will be located at the intersection of University Avenue and Marshall Street, outside of Bird Library, on Stadium Place in front of Lawrinson Hall and outside the Goldstein Student Center.

“It’s almost effortless to bike between the campus and downtown, and I think we’re going to see more connectivity between the university and the city with the system,” Flood said.

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SU was involved in the development of the Syracuse Sync program and worked with Gotcha and the city to create a system that would help connect the campus and downtown Syracuse, the CEO said. He added the close partnership between the university and the city, as well as their joint interest in introducing alternate modes of transportation to Syracuse, was a driving force behind the project.

Gotcha worked closely with the city for over a year to determine the locations of 35 bike hubs, said Paul Colabufo, the community manager of Gotcha. Of the 35, four include the planned sites on the university’s campus. The other 31 hubs are currently in operation throughout the city and include locations outside of Syracuse Stage and the E.M. Mills Rose Garden, Flood said.

Representatives from Mayor Ben Walsh’s office considered the city’s bike lanes, bus stops and popular destinations when selecting appropriate locations for the bike hubs, Colabufo said. He said Gotcha ensured hubs weren’t located too far apart and were placed in locations with the necessary population density to be useful.

Syracuse was interested in bringing a bike-share system to the city for several years after witnessing the success of systems in other cities, said Eric Ennis, Syracuse’s director of business development. The city received proposals from several different bike-share companies to create a program, but ultimately chose Gotcha because of its commitment to helping low-income individuals, he said.

“Something that was really important to the city was equity and creating a program that was going to be affordable and open for everyone to use,” Ennis said.

Students will be able to rent from four bike hubs on the Syracuse University campus. Corey Henry | Photo Editor

Gotcha is in the process of developing a feature that will allow individuals receiving public assistance to receive reduced rates for their rentals and pricing plans, a feature that will be implemented in Syracuse once it is completed, Ennis said.

The electronic bikes are designed to work year-round in a wide range of weather conditions, Colabufo said. The bikes’ electronic motors enable riders to travel at a faster pace with less physical exertion and to easily pedal uphill, he said. The sturdy tires and lack of chains enable the bikes to withstand snowy and rainy conditions better than ordinary bikes.

With Syracuse’s recent projects to add bike lanes throughout the city, the Syracuse Sync bike program is the natural next step in creating a “bike culture” in Syracuse, Colabufo said. The bike-share system will make it easier for Syracuse residents to navigate the city while also saving them money and reducing the carbon emissions from their cars, hopefully encouraging more residents to consider biking as a viable form of transportation, he said.

“There are many benefits for many different types of people,” Colabufo said. “Very shortly, Syracuse is going to be a place where there are a lot more options to get around than just a car. Bikes will make commuting in all ways shapes and forms easier and more convenient.”

Published on August 25, 2019 at 9:13 pm

Contact Gillian: gifollet@syr.edu