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In
1991, the
transit agency in Phoenix, Arizona decided to experiment by putting
racks that could carry two bicycles on the front of their buses. Three
bus routes serving the Arizona State University were picked for the
six-month experiment, during which time more than 5,500 bicycles were
carried along with their passengers. The experiment proved that combining
transit and bicycling could work and the City quickly approved the
installation of bike racks on all its buses. Link
to project summary.
Less than ten years later, the Federal Transit Administration estimates
that as many as one-in-five transit buses nationwide have since been
equipped with bike racks, including entire bus fleets in large cities
such as Seattle,
Portland,
Tucson,
Miami, San
Jose, and San
Diego. The Seattle system now carries 60,000 bicyclists a month.
Most
communities use racks that carry two bicycles. Bikes can be quickly
loaded and unloaded from the bus without causing delays, and rack
designs have been modified to ensure bus headlights remain visible
and other operational problems do not arise. Potential objections
from bus drivers are often overcome when union officials and drivers
view a video developed ...
A number of transit agencies have developed and installed their own
racks, while many use commercially available racks that are constantly
being improved and updated based on feedback from users and transit
agencies. Sportsworks
is one such manufacturer.
Bicycles in Buses
A smaller number of transit agencies allow bicycles
to be brought inside their buses. This is usually allowed at the driver's
discretion, based on available space, and may be in addition to the availability
of racks on the front of the buses. Examples include the Dallas Area Rapid
Transit system and the Sacramento transit agency.
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