USU drafts new micromobility policy

A new policy regarding micromobility on campus is being drafted at Utah State University and will take effect in the fall 2022 semester.

These new rules and regulations will be placed on the use of small, lightweight personal transportation vehicles — both self-propelled and motor assisted — that travel no faster than 15 miles per hour.

USU policies 509 and 501 cover personal transportation on campus. Due to the increase in personal transportation devices and higher congestion on campus, the policies have become outdated.

Overseeing this policy is the micromobility committee, consisting of representatives from a variety of stakeholders across campus.

Members include representatives from the Utah State University Student Association, Aggie Blue Bikes, USU faculty, Student Sustainability Office, USU Police Department, USU Risk Management Services, administration, Office of the Provost, Logan city and Office of Legal Affairs.

“The university recognizes the need for its community members and visitors to travel through and around the university campus, and the environmental, sustainability, traffic congestion and personal health benefits of using micromobility,” Jordy Guth, the associate director of planning and sustainability and chair of the committee, said. “The policy seeks to make sure this can be done safely.”

Campus-wide education and publicity of the new micromobility policy will take place after its completion and approval.

This will include new maps and signage across campus along with awareness and marketing campaigns expected to happen each year. The policy will apply to all USU campuses.

“We would like to allow the use of these as much as possible,” Guth said. “I think that the users really need to be well educated and use a lot of care when they are in these high congestion zones and also when they’re on the roads.”

James Morales, the vice president for Student Affairs, presented the policy to the USUSA Executive Council on Jan. 25.

“The air quality continues to be an issue in the valley,” Morales said. “So, this new policy almost has a really positive component to it that we encourage use of micromobility because we know that those issues are not going to go away on their own. So, we want to encourage less cars on campus, more personal transportation devices.”

Morales also sees this policy as getting ahead of the rising risks aligned with an increase in micromobility.

Currently, decals on campus specify certain zones for where personal transportation devices are permitted. Morales said the new policy will help to address current issues with micromobility and prevent potential risk.

“This should not be seen as a hard-fisted policy,” Morales said. “We want to make sure everybody follows the rules, but rather it is an invitation to the rest of our university community to use micromobility. We welcome it on campus. We hope this new policy raises awareness in a very positive way. Saying, ‘Yes, use it,’ but use it in a safe way according to the policy parameters.”

-Maya.Mackinnon@usu.edu

Featured photo by: Kate Smith