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Capital Bikeshare Use Increasing This Spring, County Says

By WTOP Staff

Capital Bikeshare station at Norfolk and Cordell Avenues

Montgomery County officials and bike advocates have said Capital Bikeshare’s slow start in Montgomery County reflected the decrease in trips the entire system sees once the weather gets colder.

Increasing numbers in March and April seem to back that up.

For Friday’s Bike to Work Day, Montgomery County released data saying the amount of Capital Bikeshare trips originating from county Bikeshare stations increased by 95 percent in April compared to March. The county reported 3,182 Bikeshare trips started at a county Bikeshare station in April, compared to 1,630 in March.

First quarter 2014 trip data released Thursday by Capital Bikeshare also shows the use of Bikeshare picking up in Bethesda. There were 791 trips that originated in March at one of Bethesda/Chevy Chase’s 12 Bikeshare stations, compared to 514 in February and 493 in January.

The county and Capital Bikeshare opened a 12-dock station at the Bethesda Metro Center Plaza on April 29 and a Capital Crescent Trail-adjacent station at River Road and Landy Lane earlier in April, bringing the total number of Bethesda-Chevy Chase stations to 14.

Since the county opened its first Capital Bikeshare stations on Sept. 26, many have been interested in whether Montgomery County residents and commuters would use the system. The system has been very popular in D.C. and Arlington. Together with the Alexandria and Montgomery County stations, Capital Bikeshare is approaching 7 million total trips.

Montgomery County’s clusters of Bikeshare stations — in Bethesda/Chevy Chase, Silver Spring/Takoma Park and Rockville/Shady Grove — are a big test of whether the membership-based bike transit system can work in a more suburban environment.

According to the trip data, 2,479 trips originated in Bethesda-Chevy Chase’s 12 stations from Oct. 1, 2013 to the end of the year. There were 1,778 trips that started at the stations in the first three months of 2014.

As you’ll see from the ranking data after the jump, the Friendship Heights Metro station Bikeshare has been the area’s most popular so far. Keep in mind the data covers the six-month period from October 2013 through March 2014 — there is no available station-by-station data for April. Also, not all of the stations were installed when the county officially launched Capital Bikeshare in late September:

1. Wisconsin Avenue & Wisconsin Circle (Friendship Heights Metro): 799 total bikeouts, 547 in fourth quarter 2013, 252 in first quarter 2014, 71 in January, 71 in Feberuary and 110 in March. Longest trip? Two hours and two minutes, ending at the same station.

2. Montgomery Avenue & East Lane: 642 total bikeouts, 382 in fourth quarter 2013, 260 in first quarter 2014, 63 in January, 87 in February and 110 in March. Longest trip? Three hours and four minutes, ending at the Bethesda Row station.

3. Bethesda Avenue & Arlington Road (Bethesda Row): 582 total bikeouts, 383 in fourth quarter 2013, 199 in first quarter 2014, 43 in January, 56 in February and 100 in March. Longest trip? Five hours and 23 minutes, ending back at the Bethesda Row station.

4. Battery Lane & Trolley Trail: 415 total bikeouts, 189 in fourth quarter 2013, 226 in first quarter 2014, 61 in January, 67 in February and 98 in March. Longest trip? 23 hours and 29 minutes. Somebody must have taken the bike home for the night.

5. Norfolk Avenue & Fairmont Avenue (Veterans Park): 411 total bikeouts, 234 in fourth quarter 2013, 177 in first quarter 2014, 55 in January, 55 in February and 67 in March. Longest trip? Eleven hours and 37 minutes! The bike was brought back to nearby Norfolk and Rugby.

6. Chevy Chase Drive & Offut Lane: 334 total bikeouts, 184 in fourth quarter 2013, 150 in first quarter 2014, 57 in January, 45 in February and 48 in March. Longest trip? One hour and 18 minutes, ending at the C&0 Canal and Wisconsin Avenue NW station in D.C.

7. Cordell Avenue & Norfolk Avenue: 298 total bikeouts, 188 in fourth quarter 2013, 110 in first quarter 2014, 42 in January, 22 in February and 46 in March. Longest trip? Five hours and 17 minutes, returning to the same station.

8. Norfolk Avenue & Rugby Avenue: 223 total bikeouts, 105 in fourth quarter 2013, 118 in first quarter 2014, 33 in January, 41 in February and 44 in March. Longest trip? Just nine minutes and 50 seconds, ending at Montgomery Avenue and Waverly Street.

9. Elm & 47th (Elm Street Local Park): 170 total bikeouts, 110 in fourth quarter 2013, 60 in first quarter 2014, 11 in January, 14 in February and 35 in March. Longest trip? Three hours and 21 minutes, which ended back at the Elm & 47th station.

10. Old Georgetown Road & Southwick (Suburban Hospital): 139 total bikeouts, 42 in fourth quarter 2013, 97 in first quarter 2014, 21 in January, 23 in February and 53 in March. Longest trip? One hour and seven minutes, ending at the Norfolk & Fairmont station in Woodmont Triangle.

11. Friendship Boulevard & Willard Avenue: 129 total bikeouts, 43 in fourth quarter 2013, 86 in first quarter 2014, 26 in January, 20 in February and 60 in March. Longest trip? Five hours and 16 minutes, ending at the same station.

12. Montgomery Avenue & Waverly Street: 115 total bikeouts, 72 in fourth quarter 2013, 43 in first quarter 2014, 10 in January, 13 in February and 20 in March. Longest trip? Two hours and 31 minutes, ending at the Elm & 47th station.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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