ANDERSON — Cities have launched bike-sharing programs across the country in recent years, and now Anderson is joining the list – with a twist.
This month, the Community Hospital Anderson Foundation and Buckskin Bikes are launching Community Bikes, a program that will allow residents at The Christian Center, Dover Harbor and Exodus House to “rent” bicycles for free.
Unlike most bike sharing programs, which typically have multiple renting stations and require some sort of fee, the program isn’t initially for public use.
But Buckskin Bikes owner Ben Orcutt hopes to eventually expand Community Bikes throughout Anderson and Madison County.
“This is a program we hope will grow, whether it becomes a more public program or we work with more organizations,” he said.
Orcutt said the program aims to help low-income families who don’t have easy means to get to appointments, work, the dentist, the doctor’s office and other locations.
“Transportation has been an issue for a lot of these folks,” he said. “We’re hoping this program will address that need.”
The Jamis Commuter 3 bicycles include a basket, rack, lights, bell and fenders, and rentals will include a helmet and lock.
Each location is setting up a repair station and learning how to maintain them with Buckskin Bikes’ help.
Christian Center Executive Director Neal Kirby said Orcutt and Community’s Eli Whitesel approached the residential facility in the fall with the initiative.
“One of the things we run into at the shelter is obviously homeless people don’t have transportation,” he said. “Transportation is always a huge, huge challenge for them.”
Kirby said besides fulfilling an immediate need for residents, the program will help them be more control of their lives and build their independence.
Dove Harbor Program Director Cherilyn Horning said about half of the transitional home’s residents don’t have transportation of their own, and the CATS bus line’s limited schedule makes it difficult for them to get to work and appointments.
“Most women, even if economic instability isn’t their main reason for being here, it’s a huge issue for them to have transportation to maintain employment,” she said. “It’s not just the part-time, minimum-wage jobs, but to be able to take classes and build their careers and education. (Community Bikes) is a huge asset.”
Vice President and Chief Community Foundation Officer Tom Bannon said the program was developed to assist an underserved portion of the population.
Most bike-sharing programs, like downtown Indianapolis’ Indiana Pacers Bike Share, are intended to be used for short periods of time and require a credit card – something many who are most in need of transportation don’t have.
Community and Buckskin Bikes originally looked into collaborating with Anderson Public Library for a program that would require renters to use their library cards, but many of the same people who would utilize the program don’t have permanent addresses. Organizers hope to work out logistics to reach more people in Madison County.
“This is kind of the first year to get the program implemented and make sure we have a direct impact,” Bannon said. “We certainly hope it will expand in the future to other organizations like these or to the library.”