UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa., Aug. 24, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Penn State Transportation Services and Zagster, Inc. have announced the launch of a new bike-share program that will provide Penn State students, faculty, staff, and visitors with a convenient, affordable, and healthy way to get around campus.
The program will launch with 85 bikes across 17 stations for members to use for on-demand, local trips. Student memberships will be available for $25 per year for the first year of the program. Faculty/staff memberships will be $35 per year, while community members and regular campus visitors may purchase an annual membership for $50. Single-use rides for non-members will also be available for $3 per hour. Riders must be 18 or older to use Zagster bike share.
Zagster is the largest and fastest-growing bike-share provider in the United States. Zagster operates more than 190 bike share programs in 35 states across North America and specializes in making bike sharing available in areas traditional bike share providers can't reach.
“We’re thrilled to partner with Zagster, the industry leader in campus bike share programs, to bring another great alternative transportation option to the University Park campus,” says Cecily Zhu, alternative transportation programs coordinator for Transportation Services.
Zagster bike share features the Zagster 8, an award-winning bike known for its practical design, comfortable ride, and easy handling. The bike includes a spacious basket that’s perfect for carrying groceries, takeout, or personal belongings. And because rider safety is a priority, every bike includes automatic lights, a bell, and full reflectors.
Unlike big-city bike shares, in which riders must drop off bikes at designated stations for every stop, the built-in lock on every Zagster bike gives users the freedom to ride as long as they want, wherever they want. This hybrid model, which blends dockless locking for mid-trip stops with fixed station locations for beginning and ending rides, allows users to plan their trips around their destinations — and not around station locations.
Zagster bike share is expected to launch on campus before the end of August.