One of the Dropbike bicycles, located near Mackintosh-Corry Hall.

If you need to get around campus or Kingston in a hurry, there is a new two-wheeled option you may want to jump on.

Toronto-based Dropbike has recently expanded to Kingston, bringing with them 100 bright orange bicycles that are available for rent from bike sharing spots located across the city. The company has partnered with the Sustainability Office at Queen’s to designate six bike locations on campus. The pick off or drop off spots are located near the Biosciences Complex, Botterell Hall, Duncan McArthur Hall, Mackintosh-Corry Hall (in the secure bike parking area), the Athletics and Recreation Centre (ARC), and Victoria Hall. The cost to rent a bike is $1 per hour, though there is no cost to the university to participate in the Dropbike program.

“Working with Dropbike creates another transportation option for us on campus – one that aligns with our sustainability goals,” says Aaron Ball, Sustainability Manager, Physical Plant Services. “Their model has a low barrier to entry for both users and host sites, which made it an easy ‘yes’ when they approached us about joining the program. We are pleased to welcome Dropbike to Kingston and to our campus.”

To use the Dropbike service, simply download the Dropbike application for your Apple or Android device, scan the bike’s QR code, and unlock the bike using a unique code that will be sent to your phone. Once your ride is complete, the bike must be returned to a designated ‘haven’ located across the city.

The opportunity to work with Dropbike came after the company reached out to Queen’s in early May. The City of Kingston was also invited to the meeting, and decided to get on board with the program.

"A service like Dropbike would have saved me a lot of time and money in the four years that I spent in Kingston as a Queen's University undergrad,” says Afraj Gill (Comm’15), Vice President of Business Development and Government Relations for Dropbike. “I can't wait for Dropbike to bring an affordable and green solution to the students, residents, and tourists in the city."

To learn more about the program, visit the Queen’s Sustainability Office website or dropbike.ca.