Any Plans To Add Bicycle Racks On Metro Buses?

[WesternGulf]

Just curious for personal reasons. I never really payed attention until I really needed them when the 82 was jam packed.

[editor]

It seems strange that they don't have them already. I'd think there would be a nice fat federal clean air check available to pay for them.

[ssullivan]

There are a few that do have them, but there are very few of them. And of the few buses that have the racks, I've never seen one carrying a bike. The Metro Solutions plan did include bike racks on all Metro buses, but not much has been said about the issue by the agency since the plan was passed in November 2004.

I agree we need them. Right now there are a handful of buses out there with them, but bike racks are pretty useless unless you know that you're always going to get a bus with one.

[Houstonian in Iraq]

Article:Bus bike racks could be placed on the fast track

Houston cyclists may be able to take bikes along for the ride on Metro buses sooner than they had expected.

Bus bike racks could be placed on the fast track

Rising gas prices providing a new impetus for those seeking the change

By ALEXIS GRANT

Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle

Houston cyclists may be able to take bikes along for the ride on Metro buses sooner than they had expected.

The Metropolitan Transit Authority planned to install bike racks on the fronts of buses sometime in late 2008 or 2009, but is considering moving the date up as requested by cycling enthusiasts who made their case recently at meetings of Houston City Council and Harris County Commissioners Court.

"We've been asked to reconsider it, and that's what we're doing right now. We're reconsidering our timeline," said Raequel Roberts, spokeswoman for Metro.

It's not a new request; bike groups have been pushing the city for years to install racks on buses. But rising gasoline prices have provided new incentive for those seeking the amenity.

"As gas prices reach $4 and climbing, I think more Houstonians than ever will start to explore alternatives to their cars," said Robin Holzer, chair of the nonprofit Citizens' Transportation Coalition. "Bicycles make the bus routes more accessible."

The racks, which typically hold a couple of bikes, would encourage Houstonians to ride bikes, decreasing air pollution and reducing road congestion, Holzer said.

Racks also would make bus routes accessible to more destinations, said Woody Speer, chair of BikeHouston.

"Often people don't take mass transit because they get to the other end of the line, they've got another mile ahead to go," Speer said. "This is one initiative that would help an extreme amount in terms of integrating bicycles into a multimobile transportation system."

Purchasing and installing bike racks on 1,500 buses would cost $1.5 million, according to Metro. Most of the cost would be covered by federal dollars under a Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality grant.

Of the 15 largest cities in the country, only Houston, New York City and Detroit do not have racks on buses, according to the Citizens' Transportation Coalition.

MetroRail riders can take bikes on the trains during off-peak hours, though there are no racks. But buses are off-limits for bikes.

"Many times when I'm riding my bike I'll get stuck in a rainstorm or occasionally have a flat, and it would be really nice to me if I could load my bike up on a bus and get the rest of the way home," said Regina Garcia, chair of the Houston-Galveston Area Council's bicycle committee, who rides her bike to work.

Mayor Bill White, an avid cyclist, said he plans to ask Metro to study the idea to see whether there are enough bikers who would use to racks to make them cost effective.

Sharon Halton, who recently moved to Houston from New Orleans and rides her bike to and from work every day, said being able to bring her bike on the bus would make Houston a more bike-friendly city.

"If they had bike racks, that would give me the opportunity to maybe, say, take a bus ride out to an area that would normally be outside of my distance to explore Houston," she said.

.

[TJones]

Just curious for personal reasons. I never really payed attention until I really needed them when the 82 was jam packed.

It is a good idea, but God forbid Houston be as forward thinking as Austin. The cost for each rack would be absorbed in about 3 hours of bus traffic, and it would serve as an extra bumber for pedestirans NOT to get completely run over, you could pad the front real good, and if some knucklehead steps out in front, they might have a fighting chance. :closedeyes:

[The Voice of University Oaks]

There are bike racks on some (okay, very few) of METRO's 40' New Flyer buses. They were installed as part of a pilot project many years ago, but it was limited to only a couple of routes and it never really went anywhere, probably because it was so limited in scope.

Cyclists aren't going to use the bike racks unless they can be assured that every bus has them. That's why the few bike racks that are out there have never been used.

Bike racks on all buses were budgeted in the METRO Solutions package, but they were deferred until later in the decade (2009 or so). Hopefully the current pressure being put on METRO to move up its implementation date will have a positive effect.

[Houston1stWordOnTheMoon]

There are bike racks on some (okay, very few) of METRO's 40' New Flyer buses. They were installed as part of a pilot project many years ago, but it was limited to only a couple of routes and it never really went anywhere, probably because it was so limited in scope.

Cyclists aren't going to use the bike racks unless they can be assured that every bus has them. That's why the few bike racks that are out there have never been used.

Bike racks on all buses were budgeted in the METRO Solutions package, but they were deferred until later in the decade (2009 or so). Hopefully the current pressure being put on METRO to move up its implementation date will have a positive effect.

Would Park and Ride buses get the bike racks? Doesnt seem like a good idea. The testing of racks on buses, was it done on routes that went to or near a park or area with bike trails?

[Subdude]

Would Park and Ride buses get the bike racks? Doesnt seem like a good idea. The testing of racks on buses, was it done on routes that went to or near a park or area with bike trails?

There are people who ride bikes for reasons other than leisure, such as commuting to a job.

[ssullivan]

Would Park and Ride buses get the bike racks? Doesnt seem like a good idea. The testing of racks on buses, was it done on routes that went to or near a park or area with bike trails?

I think putting bike racks on the park and ride buses is a great idea. I don't too many bikers will want their bikes on the front of a bus traveling down the HOV lane at nearly 70 MPH, but the fact is the buses used on park and ride routes do float around the fleet some. On many afternoons at least one or two runs of the 4 Beechnut are made with one of the suburban park and ride buses, not a standard, local service bus. As previously mentioned, the only way people can really ride a bike to a Metro bus stop, get on the bus, and then at their destination stop, get off and bike the rest of the way is if they can be assured that every bus that comes along with have a bike rack. The only way to do this is to equip the entire Metro bus fleet.

Houston needs to do everything it can to encourage mass transit use. I say go for the racks as soon as possible.

[Houston1stWordOnTheMoon]

There are people who ride bikes for reasons other than leisure, such as commuting to a job.

Understood. I didnt think the Park and Ride buses were a good target for bike racks because the lots themselves are not usually close enough to ones front door to increase or even get usage of the racks. Park and Riders are people that work in dwntwn and the Tx Med Center. As all Houstonians know, the summers are nasty hot and humid here. How many people you think will ride a bike from thier door to a P&R lot in the mornings to catch a bus and get to work in dwntwn or the med. center covered in sweat and smelling like a boar hog?

Houston needs to do everything it can to encourage mass transit use. I say go for the racks as soon as possible.

Agreed, but make sure the money is spent on areas that will actually see sustained usage of the racks. Im still not so sure Park and Ride is a way to go. Seems as though most of those buses are on a dedicated route and not widely used throughout the city on all routes.

[musicman]

concur park and ride isnt' the way to go. I personally would like to see them added to a few routes that go across town daily (weekdays and weekends.) i might venture to take even longer bike rides if i knew i could catch a bus back.

[The Voice of University Oaks]

As I understand it, bike racks are supposed to go on METRO's entire fleet, including the suburban park and ride buses.

I don't know if they'll see a lot of use or not, but there actually are some people who bicycle to the park and ride lot. This is especially true for the Kingwood Park and Ride; you'll usually see several bicycles chained to the racks there.

[Houston1stWordOnTheMoon]

As I understand it, bike racks are supposed to go on METRO's entire fleet, including the suburban park and ride buses.

I don't know if they'll see a lot of use or not, but there actually are some people who bicycle to the park and ride lot. This is especially true for the Kingwood Park and Ride; you'll usually see several bicycles chained to the racks there.

in this heat, all sweaty and gross? where do they work, a gym?

[GovernorAggie]

I don't think people go into work all sweaty. Instead, this has to be a system approcah, a la these people's employers should have some sort of shower facility. Some places have gyms inside their office buildings--they may as well have showers.

[sunsets]

I'm lucky enough to work in a building that has a gym, and thus, showers, so riding a bike to work is feasible for me.

I think it's Chicago that built a cool bike commuting center downtown, with indoor lockers for bikes and shower facilities for the riders. That's a great idea, and I think more cities should try and work something like that out.

[Orikal]

I'm lucky enough to work in a building that has a gym, and thus, showers, so riding a bike to work is feasible for me.

I think it's Chicago that built a cool bike commuting center downtown, with indoor lockers for bikes and shower facilities for the riders. That's a great idea, and I think more cities should try and work something like that out.

Or something like this in Amsterdam :

[JasonDFW]

Just as an FYI WesternGulf, 1.5 megabits is an incredible waste of bandwidth for a 90px by 90px image. Well that's part of the problem your image isn't 90pix square, it 22 times too large. However, even for the image size the lack JPG compression is a bit much.

Jason

[RedScare]

At any rate, while equipping EVERY bus will allow one to take their bike anywhere, equipping even some of the busses near term will help. For instance, there are only 2 or 3 routes that I use. If even one of these routes has bike racks, I would move from an occasional bus patron to a regular one.

[Transit Nut]

Wow, this topic hasn't been updated in almost a year. Anyways, good news from METRO via kf5nd (Peter Wang?) at CTC Houston:

http://www.ctchouston.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=211

METRO is about to embark on an exciting new program, and we're inviting all bicycle riders to kick it into the "big" gear.

On April 20, 2007, METRO will be hosting a bike festival to mark the start of its new bike-racks-on-buses campaign. The festival will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at our downtown headquarters, 1900 Main.

Bike shops, clubs and a variety of vendors will be joining us for this event. At noon, METRO will host a news conference with METRO's President & CEO Frank Wilson, State Rep. Rodney Ellis and other local dignitaries.

Come check out the happenings, and check out METRO's new bike racks - attached to METRO's new, futuristic hybrid bus. It's one smooth ride.

Flyer: http://ctchouston.org/library/metro/metro_...ite_07apr20.pdf

[musicman]

i hope they add them to all the 7 day/week buses.

[northbeaumont]

It seems strange that they don't have them already. I'd think there would be a nice fat federal clean air check available to pay for them.

Yes, I'd like to buy a bicycle and ride it most everywhere. The problem is, I would have to know that the place I'm going to had a rack or some kind of post that I could chain and lock it to. If that problem were to be solved, and if Houston's bus system ran 24/7, I wouldn't bother owning a vehicle and having to pay for gas, insurance, maintenance, etc.

[musicman]

The problem is, I would have to know that the place I'm going to had a rack or some kind of post that I could chain and lock it to.

you can usually find something to lock it to. a tree, fence, telephone pole, etc.

[northbeaumont]

you can usually find something to lock it to. a tree, fence, telephone pole, etc.

Even chaining and locking something up will not stop a true theif. He/she would simply cut the chain with some steel cutters, just like Cool Hand Luke used on those parking meters.

[musicman]

Even chaining and locking something up will not stop a true theif. He/she would simply cut the chain with some steel cutters, just like Cool Hand Luke used on those parking meters.

well then it's more than just having a place to lock it up to. even worse thing, after you lock it up, some evil person comes by and puts another lock on it. that happened to someone i know downtown.

[editor]

I'm lucky enough to work in a building that has a gym, and thus, showers, so riding a bike to work is feasible for me.

I think it's Chicago that built a cool bike commuting center downtown, with indoor lockers for bikes and shower facilities for the riders. That's a great idea, and I think more cities should try and work something like that out.

It's not that great. I live virtually across the street from it, and the only people who use it are tourists. It's a good idea, but poorly located.

Something that IS a good idea is that there are places all around the city where you can rent electric cars by the hour to run errands. Something like $6.50 an hour. It helps people still making the adjustment to a car-free lifestyle.

[Orikal]

On April 20, 2007, METRO will be hosting a bike festival to mark the start of its new bike-racks-on-buses campaign. The festival will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at our downtown headquarters, 1900 Main.

I would love to go to this, but why in the world is it being held on a weekday? Seems like they would receive a better turnout if they were to hold it on a weekend.

[Houston1stWordOnTheMoon]

I would love to go to this, but why in the world is it being held on a weekday? Seems like they would receive a better turnout if they were to hold it on a weekend.

Its being held on a weekday so they wont be cussed out and bombarded with complaints about some of thier other bad ideas from pissed off people who otherwise work Mon-Fri, 9-5.

[musicman]

Its being held on a weekday so they wont be cussed out and bombarded with complaints about some of thier other bad ideas from pissed off people who otherwise work Mon-Fri, 9-5.

LOL.

[musicman]

good news is i've seen several of the new bike racks on the METRO buses. bad news is the two times i've tried to use them, the buses that come don't have them.

[sunsets]

Sadly, they're only on the 20 or so new hybrid buses that just rolled out. So if your route isn't served by those buses, you're out of luck for now.

Supposedly all buses will have them by December of this year. I hope that's true.