Students protest removal of Aggie Blue Bikes

Utah State University's board of trustees compromised on its proposal to defund Aggie Blue Bikes after a protest on Feb. 18.

Carter Moore, a former mechanic for Aggie Blue Bikes, organized a protest that took place on the same day the student fee board was set to meet. Moore encouraged students to ride their bikes, gather on USU’s quad and hold signs in support of the program.

Aggie Blue Bikes provides free bike checkouts, tuneup services and repairs to all Utah State students.

The student fee board is overseen by USU president Noelle Cockett and USUSA student body president Sami Ahmed.

“In Noelle's and Sami’s meeting, they specifically mention that they had heard all the complaints. And, they had heard the protests. They took that into consideration, and it was a big factor,” Moore said. “I’m glad that they saw how important this program is.”

There will still be a $10,000 budget deficit in the program's future, but an increased cost of parking passes will be used to help fund Aggie Blue Bikes.

“For a small organization, $10,000 is a lot of money,” said Maria Catalano, the Quinney College of Natural Resources senator. “They will still have to downsize some of their programs unless they can get outside funding or grant money, which they are applying for.”

She worries with less funding, the program will need to layoff student workers, charge for rentals, cut services and conduct less outreach.

“Bike rentals run out in the first three days of the semester, and students are always asking them to expand services,” Catalano said.

On the day of the protest and board meeting, Utah State received a gold rating on bike-friendliness from The League of American Bicyclists. Meridian Wappett, the senator-elect for the Quinney College of Natural Resources, said the gold standard is something the university has been pursuing for years.

“That designation was essential to the resolution that was passed by the faculty senate last year committing USU to be fully carbon neutral by 2050,” Wappett said. “People you would have never thought would be passionate about a program like Aggie Blue Bikes reached out to me very concerned about what was happening.”