United States' universities are forgetting about equitable bicycle programming on campus

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Transportation Studies
• Higher Education

Background:

• Bicycling offers significant health benefits.
• Underrepresented populations (racial/ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+, disabled) participate in cycling at lower rates in U.S. universities.
• Existing university bicycling programs often do not adequately serve diverse student and employee groups.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate current university practices for creating equitable bicycling programs.
• To identify barriers and motivators for implementing inclusive cycling initiatives.
• To inform strategies for enhancing bicycle programming accessibility.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study involving interviews with 19 U.S. university bicycle representatives.
• Analysis of current practices, barriers, motivators, and potential tools for equitable programming.
• Volunteer sampling to gather insights from key university stakeholders.

Main Results:

• Key barriers identified include insufficient personnel and financial resources.
• Motivators for equitable programming involve partnerships with off-campus organizations.
• Integration of community and university infrastructures emerged as a significant theme.

Conclusions:

• Universities face barriers that can hinder equitable bicycling program development.
• Collaboration with organizations serving underrepresented populations is crucial.
• Alternative transportation departments should prioritize partnerships to enhance program equity.