Appeared on May 27, 2009
While studying abroad in Paris during his junior year at Drexel University, Timothy Ericson was impressed by the environmentally friendly bicycle-sharing system he encountered. After doing some research, Ericson learned that the program had 20,600 bicycles, 1,451 stations and more than 42 million users, and he saw an opportunity to take the concept back home and make some money while promoting a healthier environment. “Hopping on a bicycle to go to school and work would be a great convenience for me,” says Ericson, 23. “But beyond the convenience factor, this system reduces carbon emissions, which is something I believe in strongly.”