| Guest | Buses with racks go a long way
Wayne Pein wrote:
> Further, bus public transit is heavy and destroys the pavement,
> something that is very important to bicyclists. And when the bus pulls
> over to the curb, there is conflict with bicyclists.
>
> Frankly, public transportation and bicycling have nothing in common.
> Bicycling has much more in common with automobile travel.
>
> http://www.bts.gov/publications/nati...atistics/2004/
> html/table_04_20.html
>
> http://www1.eere.energy.gov/vehicles...t_fotw221.html
No way. Buses with racks go a long way for bicyclists who just use the
bikes for shorter distances. They are complementary...
Why Add Bike Racks to Public Transit Buses?
Encourages Multimodal Trips:
The federal government, originally through ISTEA, (Intermodal Surface
Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991), "encourages states and
metropolitan areas to develop innovative transportation plans and
programs which better integrate public transit, bicycle facilities,
and other modes of travel into the existing transportation system. The
goal of this multimodal planning is to provide travelers with a real
choice of travel options." (Federal Transit Administration, Bicycles
and Transit, A Partnership that Works, 1999). Adding bike racks on
buses does exactly that: provides people with real transportation
options by allowing a bicycle trip to be incorporated with a public
transit one. Through this incorporation, the bicycle and the public
transit vehicle create endless opportunities for a person with a bike
and bus fare!
Contributes to Cleaner Air and More Livable Communities:
"In many areas, increased investment in transit and bicycle facilities
can help meet goals for cleaner, healthier air; less congested
roadways and more livable communities. Used individually, bicycling
and transit provide low-cost mobility and place fewer demands on local
roads and highways to carry everyday trips. Used in combination,
bicycles and public transportation provide millions of Americans with
enhanced access to work, shopping, services and family and
friends." (Federal Transit Administration, Bicycles and Transit, A
Partnership that Works, 1999). The bike - bus combination not only
provides more mobility options to everyone, but also fewer automobiles
on the street mean quieter and safer neighborhoods.
Expands Ridership:
"Studies show that people are most likely to use public transit when
it's within a quarter mile walking distance or when it's within a
three mile biking distance. Making it easier for bike riders to take
their vehicles along on public transit opens up a 12 times larger
drawing zone for riders." (Passenger Transport, November 16, 1992.)
Not to mention, bicyclists often fill a gap in the weekend or off-peak
market, when transit ridership is typically lower.
Improves Bicycle Access:
Many commuters and recreational bicycle riders are constrained by
bridges, tunnels, dramatic hills and unsafe city streets. Adding a bus
bicycle rack into the public transit equation creates more options to
overcome geographical barriers, thus creating more opportunities for a
cyclist to ride and use the bus. Rail stations, businesses and
communities overall are continuing to get more bicycle friendly, and
it makes good proactive sense to extrapolate this out into the public
transit realm.
Promotes Good Public Relations:
Adding bicycle racks onto buses is one of the only value-added
services a public transit authority can provide to its riders. These
high profile programs market themselves. The community views bikes
being carried on the front of buses, and not only gets a direct
message about new transit options, but also gets a positive
environmental image of the public service. Statistics show that
cyclists have both outspoken advocate voices and are consistent
voters! Not bad, considering that the product is less expensive than a
bus tire!
Working Partnership:
As federal transportation spending now incorporates bicycles, a new
trend is growing and ultimately embracing a new partnership - one
between bicycles and public transportation. The importance of
strengthening the connections between bicycling and public transit is,
as Federal Transit Administrator, Gordon J. Linton, says, "a win-win
proposition". This partnership addresses our concern about traffic
congestion, air quality, and limited resources. The federal
transportation bill requires that this partnership be addressed at the
planning level, where multimodal concerns must be taken into
consideration. This is resulting in a viable partnership between the
bicycling community and public transit authority. Further, grant
monies under the federal transportation bill are widely available for
bike-on-bus projects, including up to a 95% match under the Transit
Enhancements Program.
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