April 19 proved to be a beautiful day for a bike ride in Eugene, Ore. PeaceHealth Rides, a bicycle rental share program, celebrated its launch party that day with music, food trucks, information sharing about cycling safety and area trails, and lots of bike rides.
Vancouver, Wash.-based PeaceHealth is the title sponsor of the program, which includes 300 city-owned bikes and 36 bike share stations. PeaceHealth said it is contributing $900,000 total over three years for the sponsorship.
Using a mobile app, or by signing up online, riders 18 and older can rent a bike for a healthy, environmentally friendly transportation option — or just for fun. Riders get a code that allows them to unlock the bike, and then they return it to a station when they're done. Riders can pay a monthly fee of $15, which provides up to 60 minutes of ride time daily, or pay per use.
PeaceHealth Rides is piloting reduced fares for low-income bike riders. It's also working with the city of Eugene's Adaptive Recreation Services to make modified bikes available for riders with disabilities. It hopes to teach adults to bike ride, and to sponsor helmet giveaways and community rides.
PeaceHealth Rides has a station at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center, University Center and a station in Springfield, Ore., at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend, which is about 3 miles from Eugene.
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