musicman Posted April 30, 2007 Share Posted April 30, 2007 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.yes i've seen them on the hybrid buses but when 4 come an hr, it is impossible to determine when a bus will be a hybrid. my route uses both currently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Transit Nut Posted April 30, 2007 Share Posted April 30, 2007 Installation of bike racks schedule:http://www.ridemetro.org/TransportationSer...es/bobsched.asp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted April 30, 2007 Share Posted April 30, 2007 Installation of bike racks schedule:http://www.ridemetro.org/TransportationSer...es/bobsched.aspthank you. i had hoped that the 7day/busier routes would be first, but at least the ones near me are not at the end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted September 11, 2007 Share Posted September 11, 2007 i had the chance to try the new bike racks this past weekend. one bus driver told me i would have to take a class because the drivers weren't allowed to help the bike rider. LOL i looked on METRO's website and didn't see anything about a class. i ended up trying it last friday. the 3 step directions are on the device. something like1) pull handle to lower2) lift bike onto rack3) pull and lift arm to lock bike.i will say that the arm doesn't look too robust but my two trips were successful. of course the bus driver was standing there saying he couldn't help me but that it looks like i did it right! LOLan aside, the bus driver has never had a passenger who used the rack. when we passed the polk street bus barn, another driver got on and kind of chuckled too because he's never seen anyone use the racks either. for you bikers out there, try it sometime. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricco67 Posted September 12, 2007 Share Posted September 12, 2007 i had the chance to try the new bike racks this past weekend. one bus driver told me i would have to take a class because the drivers weren't allowed to help the bike rider. LOL i looked on METRO's website and didn't see anything about a class. i ended up trying it last friday. the 3 step directions are on the device. something like1) pull handle to lower2) lift bike onto rack3) pull and lift arm to lock bike.i will say that the arm doesn't look too robust but my two trips were successful. of course the bus driver was standing there saying he couldn't help me but that it looks like i did it right! LOLan aside, the bus driver has never had a passenger who used the rack. when we passed the polk street bus barn, another driver got on and kind of chuckled too because he's never seen anyone use the racks either. for you bikers out there, try it sometime.Got news for you. I've been seeing the racks used quite a bit over the past few weeks. More often than not just a single bike, and just as often it's usually some sort of dirt bike or such. But I've seen a good number of road and racing bikes, believe it or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MetroMogul Posted September 12, 2007 Share Posted September 12, 2007 The only problem with this new program is that the decrepit articulated buses will not be getting the bike racks and they are used on the 2 - Bellaire, 4 - Beechnut, 8 - South Main (why, Metro has killed that route in a way that would make Ted Bundy blush) amongst others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricco67 Posted September 12, 2007 Share Posted September 12, 2007 Are they planning on having these replaced or have them upgraded in the near future? As far as I know, a new bus hasn't been purchased in several years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted September 12, 2007 Share Posted September 12, 2007 Are they planning on having these replaced or have them upgraded in the near future? As far as I know, a new bus hasn't been purchased in several years.They just received 30 hybrids, and have 100 more on order. The 40 Pecore is all hybrids, I believe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MetroMogul Posted September 12, 2007 Share Posted September 12, 2007 I don't think the 40 is all hybrids yet as it is split between Northwest garage, which has no hybrids, and Polk, with only 20 and they are used on other routes, most notably the 42 - Holman Crosstown. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted September 12, 2007 Share Posted September 12, 2007 Admittedly, I do not watch every one that drives by, but lately I only see the hybrids. I live a block away from this route, so I see them often. Let's say that there is at least one hybrid on the 40. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted September 12, 2007 Share Posted September 12, 2007 Got news for you. I've been seeing the racks used quite a bit over the past few weeks. More often than not just a single bike, and just as often it's usually some sort of dirt bike or such. But I've seen a good number of road and racing bikes, believe it or not.that's good. i don't want them to cancel the program due to poor usage.As far as I know, a new bus hasn't been purchased in several years.METRO has acquired quite a few new buses. i see them on the 36 quite frequently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricco67 Posted September 12, 2007 Share Posted September 12, 2007 What I mean, new articulated buses. Of course as I type this, I think I saw one of them yesterday. Just haven't been paying that much attention to them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MetroMogul Posted September 12, 2007 Share Posted September 12, 2007 There aren't any "new" articulated buses so to speak. I think the newest ones arrived in late 1999 or early 2000. They aren't as worn out as the older ones I see in southwest Houston. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunsets Posted September 12, 2007 Share Posted September 12, 2007 I'm very glad to see the racks getting used. I am also glad that the buses on my preferred route - the 34 - now have racks installed.I haven't used them here yet, but we had a similar setup in Ann Arbor, and I never had a problem with the bike staying on the bus (though one time a driver motioned me up to the front at a stop and had me go out and move the loop higher on the front wheel - the bike was wobbling a lot). I haven't noticed any signs on the bus to this effect, but I think Metro needs to warn bikers to let the driver know that they'll be recovering their bike when they disembark. It's tough for the drivers to see someone at the front corner of the bus, especially in bad lighting. I almost got run over one night in Ann Arbor because I didn't tell the driver I was going to get my bike off the rack. He gave me quite the lecture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Voice of University Oaks Posted September 12, 2007 Share Posted September 12, 2007 This bike rack business is completely new to bus drivers. With time, they'll get used to it. Cyclists can do their part by using the racks when they can and by, as the previous poster mentioned, reminding the drivers that they're retrieving a bike when they get off the bus. I'm seeing the racks used with increasingly frequency on the 25 Richmond, which is good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricco67 Posted October 28, 2007 Share Posted October 28, 2007 This bike rack business is completely new to bus drivers. With time, they'll get used to it. Cyclists can do their part by using the racks when they can and by, as the previous poster mentioned, reminding the drivers that they're retrieving a bike when they get off the bus. I'm seeing the racks used with increasingly frequency on the 25 Richmond, which is good. Well, people ARE using them...this is the 4th bus I saw yesterday with a bike on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmancuso Posted October 28, 2007 Share Posted October 28, 2007 do you put the bike on yourself or does the bus driver have to get out and do it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted October 28, 2007 Share Posted October 28, 2007 do you put the bike on yourself or does the bus driver have to get out and do it?you do it yourself....the bus drivers told me they aren't allowed to assist the passenger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Serrano Posted October 29, 2007 Share Posted October 29, 2007 you do it yourself....the bus drivers told me they aren't allowed to assist the passenger.This morning i saw somebody using the bike rack and it is the passenger responsibilty to put the bike on the bike rack. Hopefully the bus driver is not running late and this will slow him down more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricco67 Posted October 29, 2007 Share Posted October 29, 2007 do you put the bike on yourself or does the bus driver have to get out and do it?I thought if you were asking if *I* put it on there. But MM got it on the nose, they have enough to do aside to help some goober struggle to put on their bike. From what I understand, it's rather easy to do. I got a giggle watching a little girls bike, tassles and all, going down westheimer a few weeks back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zippy Posted November 1, 2007 Share Posted November 1, 2007 So.. do people lock up $1000-2000 bikes to trees when they get to work?Can you bring them inside at least? I'm always worried about vandalism.. flat tires.. missing seats and wheels.. etc.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniepwils Posted November 1, 2007 Share Posted November 1, 2007 The bike racks are in the front of the busses (or the one I saw the other day was). I never knew those were bike racks, until I saw a man put his bike on one, before he boarded a bus.People in my building either take their bikes to their apts or lock them in the garage, I don't think there has been a problem as of yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted November 1, 2007 Share Posted November 1, 2007 So.. do people lock up $1000-2000 bikes to trees when they get to work?Can you bring them inside at least? I'm always worried about vandalism.. flat tires.. missing seats and wheels.. etc.. depends where you work i guess. i have concerns too but my bike is vintage and most people turn their heads the other way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunsets Posted November 1, 2007 Share Posted November 1, 2007 We can't bring our bikes inside work here, but we have a monitored bike parking area out in front of the building. It seems to work, though I haven't seen any really high end bikes out there. My own $100 beater steel road bike is really not that attractive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbigtex56 Posted November 1, 2007 Share Posted November 1, 2007 So, how long does it take to put a bike on, or remove it? Are locks allowed?I'd worry that a passerby could snatch it off at a red light. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lockmat Posted November 1, 2007 Share Posted November 1, 2007 Can someone take a bike onto the rail? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted November 1, 2007 Share Posted November 1, 2007 So, how long does it take to put a bike on, or remove it? Are locks allowed?I'd worry that a passerby could snatch it off at a red light.you really can't use a lock on the bus setup. i guess you could but it would just be a pain. it takes probably takes a minute or less. one time it took me more because the spring mechanism was difficult to operate. maybe rust? Can someone take a bike onto the rail?yes but if the car is crowed with standing room only METRO doesn't encourage it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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