Document Type

Student Presentation

Presentation Date

4-18-2016

Faculty Sponsor

Samia Islam

Abstract

The International Rescue Committee aims to provide adequate transportation to all newly arrived refugee families that come to the Treasure Valley. In conjunction with the Boise Bicycle Project, the Boise branch of the IRC is currently providing a bicycle to every client they service. However, bike usage has been low since the launch of the program. This research will seek to provide a better understanding of the efficiency of bikes as a means of transportation for refugees. The focus of the research will have two goals: first, to better understand some of the hurdles that refugees are facing when it comes to utilizing a bicycle as their primary transportation and second, to provide a real world solution to the IRC in order to increase bicycle ridership.

In order to better understand the problems clients are facing, we will utilize surveys, data collection, and travel cost models to gain a better understanding of the effectiveness of bikes as a form of primary transportation for refugees. With this information we will be able to meet our primary objective of increasing ridership of bicycles among refugee clients. If the research does not support this solution, we will then be able to accurately advise the IRC to consider reallocating resources that are not being utilized efficiently. Along with this, we will be able to recommend other potential methods of transportation to the IRC staff that may prove to be more effective based on our research.

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