Public transit

BC Transit and the University of Victoria have worked together to create a Campus Transit Plan that outlines short term and long term options to improve transit service to campus with more buses, increased reliability and safety. Watch for the first set of service improvements in September 2013.

Bus routes To campus
The University of Victoria is a major transit hub in the community. With more than 800 busses arriving and leaving each day, you can connect to campus from almost anywhere in the CRD. up to 17,000 people use transit to get to campus each day!

Get a quick list of bus routes that serve UVic or visit the BC Transit website for schedules and maps.

Universal bus pass (U-Pass)

The universal bus pass (U-Pass) provides students with unlimited access to Victoria region public transit. All students taking at least one (1-unit) on-campus course are charged $69.25 for a four-month pass. This program makes transportation to UVic convenient and affordable, eases parking and traffic congestion, and reduces the demand to pave more of the campus for parking lots.

The magnetic strip on your validated UVic student card is also your U-Pass. If you are a returning student, take your card to the UVSS Info Booth (in the SUB), the University Centre Photo ID Booth or the GSS General Office to have it validated. If you are unable to use the U-Pass because you have a disability preventing you from using the bus or you already have a bus pass (e.g. through social assistance from the provincial government), you can opt-out of the U-Pass program. For more information on the very limited conditions for opting out, call or visit the UVSS Info Booth for more information.

Employee bus pass program (E-Pass)

The UVic employee bus pass program offers monthly Victoria Regional Transit passes at more than 50% off the regular price! To qualify for the subsidized bus pass, an employee must be eligible, defined as:

• any employee who lives off campus and
• any employee who is benefit-eligible or
• any employee who is on a continuing appointment or
• any employee who is on a temporary appointment whose hours of work are not less than 3 days per week or
• do not have a parking permit

These bus passes are not transferable—they’re for use by eligible employees only. The employee bus passes are sold at Campus Security Services on a month to month basis, available on the 15th of each month for the following month. In compliance with Canada Revenue Agency regulations, the UVic investment toward employee participation in the Employee Bus Pass program is considered a taxable benefit and will automatically appear on your T4.

Bikes on the bus

Have a long commute and only want to cycle one way, or the weather has turned ugly and you don't want to ride home? Almost all BC Transit buses are now equipped with front racks that can hold two bikes. Find out more by visiting the BC Transit website.

Cycling

Get ready for Bike To Work Week - May 27 to June 1!

The annual event to celebrate cycling commuting and to encourage new riders to try it with the support of colleagues is fast approaching. Lots of fun events happen around the region all week including Celebration Stations on the UVic campus at the Fountain:

Tuesday, May 28th, 7:30 to 9:30 AM

Thursday, May 30th, 3:30 to 5:30 PM

Free One Hour Cycling Safety Seminar, May 23rd, noon to 1 PM. Location TBA.

Register your team on the Bike To Work Victoria website. If you would like to join a team, or just to find out more, contact action@uvic.ca.

Cycling routes

The UVic campus is serviced by many convenient and safe cycling routes from downtown and points all around the region. Check the cycling route map for ideas on how best to get to campus on your bike.

Cycling Amenities on Campus

With more than 2900 bike parking spaces, UVic is a bicycle-friendly campus. Cyclists can take advantage of covered bicycle shelters, bike lockers, clothing storage lockers, shower and change room facilities, a self-service bike repair kiosk and towel service at the gym. A cycling amenities map is also available.

Showers and change rooms are located in the following buildings and facilties:

• Ian Stewart Complex
• McKinnon Gym
• Engineering Computer Science Building
• Medical Sciences Building
• Social Sciences and Mathematics Building
• Technology Enterprise Facility
• Administrative Services Building
• First Peoples House of Learning
• Continuing Studies Building
• Craigdarroch Office Building

Bike lockers
There are currently close to 100 bicycle lockers around campus available for students, faculty and staff to rent on a semester by semester basis. Each locker has enough room for your bike and gear. Visit or call SUBtext in the SUB for information on bike locker availability and rates. If you are unable to get a bike locker but need a bit of extra space for your cycling gear, simply take advantage of the hundreds of free lockers on campus, located in almost every building.

Clothing and gear lockers

In-building lockers large enough to hold bike bags, helmets, clothing, etc are located in 8 classroom buildings around campus. They can be rented on a semesterly or annual basis from Campus Security. Fees include a $10 lock deposit.

UVic Bike Kitchen
At our self-serve bike repair kiosk, the "bike kitchen", cyclists can have access to bike stands, compressed air, and basic tools for quick repairs and minor adjustments. Open 24/7, the kitchen is centrally located outside in between the SUB and the GSS building. Full toolkits are available for loan to students and staff through SUBtext inside SUB during regular office hours. Watch the video of the grand opening.

Bikes on the bus
In Victoria, over 95% of the transit fleet has bicycle racks on board, so it is easy to make cycling a part of your regular commute. There are 3 basic steps involved in putting your bike on the rack -- you can check out the BC Transit webpage for photos and instructions. Or, the next time you are at the bus loop on campus, try out the racks on a parked bus.

Free bike locks available for short term loan
Need to lock your bike, but no lock? Ask at the Library Loans Desk for a free lock available for short term loan.

Electric bike charging stations
There are 4 free designated electric bike charging stations on campus. All stations are on a first come first serve basis and owners are using the stations at their own risk. Locations are outside the following buildings:

• Human and Social Development
• Visual Arts
• David Strong
• University Centre

Bicycle engraving
To reduce the likelihood of theft and to assist in recovery if your bike is stolen, participate in a Bicycle Registration program with Campus Security Services. You can have your bike engraved and registered free of charge. Your bike and accessories will be identified with your Driver's License or BC ID number and Campus Security will register all your information on a computer system. To set up an appointment, call the Personal Safety Coordinator at 250-721-8981 or email psc@uvic.ca.

SPOKES

SPOKES is a unique bicycle loan and rental program, where volunteers give new life to old bikes making it easy for students, faculty and staff to have access to affordable, green, and active transportation.

For a one-time SPOKES membership fee of $10, you can either borrow a refurbished bicycle for an extended period of time or rent one of our newer bikes for up to a few weeks.

Location:

The SPOKES cage is located at the  end of west end of the University Centre underground parkade.

Summer hours:

• Monday, 1 to 2 PM
• Tuesday, 1 to 2 PM

Note: SPOKES wil be closed June 15 to August 31, 2013 due to construction of the new Campus Bike Centre in the UC parkade.

Pick up an application form and drop it off. Due to high demand at the beginning of the school year, it may take up to a month to get your bike. We're run by volunteers, so please be patient!

How it works

New Applications: We welcome applications for bike loans starting September 01, 2011. Students, faculty and staff can drop off a copy of their signed application to the mailbox located outside of the SPOKES Work Cage in the University Centre Parkade. We try to give out as many bicycles as possible as quickly as possible. You will be contacted when we are able to give you a bike. Please note that at the end of each semester we clear out all applications, so if you do not receive a loan, please apply again for January 01, 2012. Download a loan application here.

Bike Rentals: Bicycle rentals are available from SPOKES without any wait. The cost is $3 per day and we usually have a few styles to choose from. All bicycles come with a lock and are expected to be returned with the bike. Maximum rental time is 3 weeks. Download the rental application here.

New Volunteers: Interested in putting your skills to work? Drop by our volunteer open house on THURSDAY September 29, 2011 from 4:30pm - 6:30pm to find out how our program works and what to expect as a volunteer. We are seeking mechanics as well as people who can pick up donations and help us promote the program.

Bike Returns: Do you have a SPOKES bike? Please return your bike and lock during regular work party hours. If you are not able to come by at this time, please lock your bike to the storage cage and then toss in the key in an envelope with your name and the date on it. You can renew your loan, but have to come by to see us in person with it.

Bike Repair: If you require assistance with bike repair on your own bike, please visit the Bike Repair Kitchen located outside of the SUB on Finnerty Road. Or consider bringing your bike to one of the many local bike shops in Greater Victoria. SPOKES volunteers can sometimes assist you -- but our primary focus is for our bicycle fleet.

Bike Donations: Do you have an old bike to donate to SPOKES? As long as it is an ADULT-SIZED bicycle that has not been in an accident, we will do our best to get it fixed up and on the road. Please drop by your donation to our storage cage during work party hours or email the program to make arrangements for a pick up. Email: spokes@uvic.ca

How to find us

SPOKES has a work party cage located in west end of the underground parkade at the University Centre Building. You can enter from the stairs across from the David Strong Building or via the parkade driveway at the University Centre roundabout.

Volunteering for SPOKES

SPOKES is building a better community by sharing knowledge! Our entire program is run by volunteers who teach and learn from each other. We have a storage cage on campus where we host regular work parties. Each session has a lead mechanic who can help you get started working on a SPOKES bicycle. If you are interested in learning bike repair skills, we welcome you!

Volunteers of all experience levels are welcome. No tools or supplies required.

Contact spokes@uvic.ca for more information.

Program sponsors

The program is run by volunteers with generous support in 2011 from campus partners:

• University of Victoria

• UVic Sustainability Project

• UVic Students Society

Bike Centre

Plans are underway to create a new UVic Bike Centre under the University Centre at the west end of the parkade. Up to 30 parking spaces will be removed to make way for an expanded work space for the SPOKES bicycle loan program, bike lockers and other secure bike parking. This is a 50th Anniversary Legacy project with a planned opening date of March 2013. See the Terms of Reference for more info or contact action@uvic.ca

Virtual meetings

Using video conferencing can reduce your transportation impact by not leaving campus to attend meetings, lectures or seminars. The technology provides real time face to face interaction with sites virtually anywhere in the world. The technology allows for communication between two sites or between multiple locations. The state-of-the-art videoconferencing facilities at UVic are located in the Social Sciences and Math Building, with three different sized rooms available for rent. For more information visit Media Services.

Webcasting is another technology that can be used to reduce the numbers of people travelling to campus to participate in lectures, panel discussions or other events. Your event can be broadcast over the internet and seen by people around the world live, for a minimal cost. For more information visit Media Services.

Skype, webinars and other online collaboration technology should also be used whenever possible to discourage unnecessary travel for meetings.