Our dept. (Mich. State Univ. Sustainability/ MSU Bikes) is exploring the possibility of starting up a bike-based courier service on our campus to augment our campus mail services as well as other delivery services that currently operate on our campus, oftentimes using large motor vehicles for small packages that could be easily delivered via bike. The photos below are of our pilot service which was launched earlier in 2014 for pick-ups and deliveries of Surplus/ Recycling materials.
This survey is to gather data on other universities that currently have bike-based courier services.
I’ll be sharing the results with the Campus Bike Programmer Network after the survey closes (approx. mid January, 2015).
Cayden stopping by MSU Bikes to drop-off and pickup materials. That’s a Bikes at Work brand trailer, their medium length model.
Traversing some of MSU’s roads w/ bike lanes.
Crossing one of our 3 ped/bike bridges. Something motor vehicles can’t do.
Crossing one of our 3 ped/bike bridges. Something motor vehicles can’t do.
Passing by one of our growing numbers of sharrows on campus street that don’t yet have bike lanes.
Returning back to home base – MSU Surplus and Recycling.
Returning back to home base – MSU Surplus and Recycling.
Returning back to home base – MSU Surplus and Recycling.
Returning back to home base – MSU Surplus and Recycling.
Unloading at the home base – MSU Surplus and Recycling.
Local bike-based delivery service bike detail. A newer Bikes at Work trailer, long model w/ double-axel/wheels for added weight capacity (up to 600 lbs).
Local bike-based delivery service bike detail. A newer Bikes at Work trailer, long model w/ double-axel/wheels for added weight capacity (up to 600 lbs).
Local bike-based delivery service bike detail.
MSU Surplus & Recycling bike and trailer setup for collecting recycleables after home football games, fall 2014.
Author: Tim Potter
Sustainable Transportation Manager, MSU Bikes on the Mich. St. Univ. campus; co-founder of the Univ. Bike Programmer's Network in early '08; webmaster for Ride of Silence organization - http://www.rideofsilence.org/main.php
Bilingual (Japanese), father of three, married to Hiromi Potter, daughter of 1961 Japanese National Keirin (professional track racing) Champion Seiichi Nishiji.
View all posts by Tim Potter
1 thought on “Survey of University Bike-based Courier Services”
Thanks for those of you who contributed to this survey. So far no one has a currently active bike-based courier service on their campus. Only one response from a univ. that used to have one for delivering mail. Anyone else out there who missed the initial email/ FB post about this? Here are the survey results so far: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1y0A5L3_vNpQ4XA3D65M0Rs34O9VzqiVwL5udm3X2eF8/edit?usp=sharing
Thanks for those of you who contributed to this survey. So far no one has a currently active bike-based courier service on their campus. Only one response from a univ. that used to have one for delivering mail. Anyone else out there who missed the initial email/ FB post about this? Here are the survey results so far: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1y0A5L3_vNpQ4XA3D65M0Rs34O9VzqiVwL5udm3X2eF8/edit?usp=sharing