Providing safety information to cyclists and motorists is a focus of the 2018 University of Mississippi Transportation Fair as access to bicycles increases through programs like the short-term bike share and the UM Bike Shop’s semester-long rental program. Photo by Robert Jordan/Ole Miss Digital Imaging Services
OXFORD, Miss. – The University of Mississippi will highlight modes of transportation, including busing, biking, ride-sharing and car-sharing, Wednesday (Sept. 12) during the 2018 UM Transportation Fair and Ride O’Rama.
The fair will take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Galtney Lott Plaza on Business Row.
“As campus continues to grow, so do more sustainable transportation options,” said Lindsey Abernathy, associate director of the Office of Sustainability. “There can be a learning curve when incorporating these modes of transportation into our daily commutes, so this event is meant to be a learning opportunity for students, faculty and staff in a low-pressure, fun setting.”
This year’s fair will include an interactive bike share demonstration, or “Ride O’Rama,” during which students, faculty and staff can try out the Ole Miss Bike Share in a temporary bike lane. Cyclists and Office of Sustainability staff will be on hand with tips for riding safely on the road.
The Bike Share program, which launched in 2017, allows students, faculty and staff the opportunity to ride two hours a day for free.
Fair attendees also can learn how to load their bicycles onto an OUT bus and get more information about Zipcar and Zimride ride-sharing and the UM Bike Shop, among other transportation-related topics.
Mike Harris, UM director of parking and transportation, said he hopes many students, faculty and staff attend the fair to learn more about various options available for getting around campus and Oxford.
“Learning how to navigate bus routes and schedules and experience bike and car share programs helps you to become familiar with these type of transportation options,” Harris said. “(When students graduate), they will most likely be working in a city with these types of mobility options available.”
Participants who complete activities at the fair will be entered to win a “commuter kit,” including a backpack, water bottle and lunch container.
The UM Transportation Fair is hosted by the Department of Parking and Transportation and the Office of Sustainability. To learn more, visit https://sustain.olemiss.edu/.