The warming spring weather has arrived just in time for Philadelphia’s new bike-share program, dubbed Indego, which officially launches on Thursday, April 23.

No need to make a reservation to use the service: Spontaneous users can just swipe their credit cards (it’s $4 per half hour), hop on a bike, and start riding. Once a destination is reached, the bikes can simply be docked at the nearest station; there are more than 60 throughout the city, supporting at least 600 self-serve bicycles.

As part of the Indego kickoff party on Thursday afternoon, a group of Penn students, staff, and faculty members are slated to ride the new three-speed bikes—equipped with adjustable seats, front and rear lights, and baskets—from Eakins Oval on Benjamin Franklin Parkway to one of the two campus docking stations. One Penn station is at 36th and Sansom streets, and the other is near the University City Regional Rail station at South Street and Convention Avenue. (There’s another docking station at 40th and Spruce streets, too.)

The campus stations are near existing forms of transportation, such as Penn Transit and SEPTA. They are also all purposely near bike lanes, says Matthew Brown, Penn’s bike committee chair.

Brown says the system is particularly important to Penn, which at times can be highly congested with cars, trucks, construction equipment, and people.

“[The bike-share program] will allow you to maneuver from classes to Pottruck for the gym, to Franklin Field for sporting events, without getting stuck in traffic,” he says, adding that the program supports the University’s Climate Action Plan.

When asked if he will use the program, Brown didn’t hesitate.

“Absolutely,” he says. He plans to use Indego when he journeys to campus from his offices at the Pennovation Works site along the southern bank of the Schuylkill River.

The stations on and near campus are due to the efforts of the city in partnership with several Penn departments and divisions, including Facilities & Real Estate Services, the Division of Business Services, the Division of Public Safety, and the Vice Provost for University Life.

Funding for the bike-share program was provided by the city and state, as well as an $8.5 million contribution over the next five years from Philadelphia-based Independence Blue Cross, hence the name “Indego.”

Brown says Philadelphia is the one of the last large cities in the United States to support a bike-share program, which has enabled the city to learn from the mistakes of other metropolises.

One of those lessons learned is offering a pay-with-cash option. Indego has partnered with PayNearMe to allow users to make monthly cash payments at retail locations, including 7-Eleven or Family Dollar.

“We assume everyone has a debit card or a banking account, which isn’t always the case,” Brown says. “With the credit card, debit card, and this cash option, it covers all walks of life for anyone who wants to use the bike-share system.”

For more information, such as membership registration or docking station locations, visit the Indego website.

Learn more about biking at Penn at the Penn Parking Services website.