Limebike takeover on Notre Dame campus, second school with bike-share

NOTRE DAME, Ind. --The Limebike craze that swept South Bend, has now made its way to campus. Notre Dame is only the second university in the country to get this bike-share program. 

A campus known for repping green, now has a lot more green to go around.

"While this is such a big, beautiful campus and is very walk-able, having things like bikes on it would be fantastic to, say, go from building to building," says Notre Dame graduate student Niraja Suresh. 

Her wish came true.

Limebikes were unloaded on campus Wednesday morning, giving the Notre Dame community a chance to experience campus a different way.

Students will now be able to choose one of the 175 bikes on campus.

175 bikes for the school's 175th birthday.

"[It's] exciting. It's like we're the start of something new," says Jessica Brookshire, the Associate Director of Public Affairs for Notre Dame. "Bike sharing isn't new, but it's new to our community.  Limebike, with being dockless, gives people the flexibility to bike where they want to bike."

It's bringing students a chance to experience college on two wheels, rather than two feet.

Even if they've never ridden a bike before.

"I never learned how to ride a bike," laughs Suresh. "[It's] made me want to try it. And now that all of these bikes are available, I'll now be able to learn."

For others, it'll just make the transition to independent living, a little easier.

"A lot of the students who come to Notre Dame may not be from this area and they may not own a bike," explains Suresh. "Now, these shareable bikes are available to them. It helps them transition into life at the university.

She foresees student groups taking advantage of the Limebikes.

But will more wheels hit campus?

"I'll be watching the numbers," says Brookshire. "With the university's 175th anniversary, it seemed like the perfect number to roll out. Hopefully, we'll just grow from here."

St. Mary's and Holy Cross have also signed agreements with Limebike, hoping to further connect the three closely-knit schools.