Junior Rd Khoury said he saves $40 every week on gas expenses by biking instead of driving his car. He said biking was his way of cutting back on gas and that it was something he would recommend to other students.

“If you’re within two miles from campus, it’s usually worth it because two miles isn’t too bad on the bicycle,” he said.

Gas prices were up 77 cents compared to last year’s national average, according to AAA’s Daily Fuel Gauge Report website.

Junior finance major Cameron Deptula said he began riding his bike more frequently to reduce weekly gas expenses.

“I think just driving your bike to close places on campus is a good way to curtail and save gas,” he said.

Biking to class also saved him time and prevented him from getting parking tickets, Deptula said.

While filling her gas tank at the 7-Eleven gas station on the corner of Berry Street and University Drive, senior theater major Julia Pool said she avoided driving whenever possible.

The only reason she drove her car on that day was to get to a rehearsal which would have otherwise been too far away, she said.

“I live walking distance from campus so I can just walk or bike to school; I try not to drive anywhere, so that’s all I can do,” Pool said.

Sociology instructor and founder of the TCU Purple Bike Program Keith Whitworth said the program allowed students to check out bicycles for a semester free of charge. The program offered around 68 bicycles to students on a waiting list, he said.

He said students could also find inexpensive bicycles at pawnshops or by asking neighbors to borrow or buy unused bicycles.

Info Box

Want to get on the waiting list for The TCU Purple Bike Program?

Contact Professor Keith Whitworth at (817)257-5941

or email at [email protected]