by Sara Raposo

Feature

Bikes Can Ride Buses, Too

Riding a bicycle as part of a daily commute is a great way to keep in shape, save money on those ever-rising gas prices and help the environment. But the irregular weather of the Pacific Northwest may make the return leg of the commute not so pleasant. The distance between home and work is also a factor that may discourage some people when considering biking as their preferred mode of transportation.

One option that many cyclists have, but are often hesitant to take advantage of, is the opportunity to combine their bike and bus commutes. Since 1994, two-bike racks have been installed on all Metro Transit buses, thanks to a $915,000 federally funded grant, while Sound Transit buses are equipped with three-bike racks, making multimodal commuting easy and enjoyable. According to Metro Transit spokesperson Linda Thielke, new bike lockers have been added to five park-and-ride locations (Issaquah Highlands, North Seattle, Renton Highlands, South Bellevue and Newport Hills), while more have been installed at various transit centers and freeway stops. This all greatly accommodates the growing number of bike-on-bus travelers who cycle to the bus stop and take public transit for the remainder of their journey.

Photo by Bicycle PaperNo more excuses. Bus your bike to work and ride it home, or vice versa.

Still, many riders shy away from mixing public transportation with their commutes, often too intimidated by the seemingly complex bike rack systems, or are simply worried about damaging their bikes. However, even if loading and unloading a bicycle from a public transit bus may seem overwhelming, time consuming and an all-around nuisance to other riders, utilizing the bike racks is much easier and much less tedious than some may think.

Many riders, in fact, integrate these two modes of transportation regularly. Nicholas Cooper, an experienced bike-and-bus-combination commuter, says there really isn’t anything to worry about when it comes to bringing your bike along on your bus ride. He believes the best way to load and unload a bike is to simply watch others do it to get a feel for the process. And, he says, the bus drivers and even other cyclists are usually more than willing to help a struggling commuter out.

Photo by Bicycle PaperNo more excuses. Bus your bike to work and ride it home, or vice versa.

Cooper, who doesn’t own a car or even a driver’s license, greatly relies on the ability to bring his bike on the bus. He calls his commute to and from Seattle a pain, and explains that he loves to ride, especially when the weather is as nice as it has been lately, but a cross-lake trip has its restrictions.

Currently, no bikers are allowed to ride across Highway 520’s Evergreen Point Bridge, which connects Seattle’s Montlake District to Northern Bellevue. To alleviate this restriction, Metro and Sound Transit have instituted a temporary transportation project that allows bicyclists and other bus commuters to ride for free on out-of-service buses. The project runs until Sept. 29, and its goal is to help relieve congestion of the increasing number of bicyclists who want to integrate their bike and bus commutes. However, Transit officials advise commuters not to rely on the program for transportation, but rather to know that the buses are only an option for such a trip because out-of-service buses do not operate at all times.

Photo by Bicycle PaperNo more excuses. Bus your bike to work and ride it home, or vice versa.

Whether riding one of the designated Bicycle Demonstration Project buses or simply a regular bus, it is still important to know that loading and unloading a bike is no more difficult than riding public transit in the first place. Rather than agonizing over the complex appearance of the rack, or if you are still unsure even after observing regular users, simply follow a few short steps, and soon loading and unloading a bike on a transit bus will be easier than riding the bike itself.

The first step to ensure efficient and safe loading is to have the bike ready as the bus approaches the stop. Make sure to remove all accessories, such as panniers or water bottles, as they can fall off while the bus is moving or inhibit a second bike from fitting on the rack properly.

Photo by Bicycle PaperNo more excuses. Bus your bike to work and ride it home, or vice versa.

Once the bus stops, let the driver know you will be using the rack. If there are no other bikes on the rack, you will need to release it from its closed position (fig. 1). To do so, simply squeeze the rack handle and lower the frame, unfolding it away from the bus. Next, lift the bike up onto the rack, making sure the wheels are secure in the slots labeled for front and rear wheels. If yours is the first bike in, load it into the outside slot away from the bus (fig. 2) to provide the driver with “a visual marker for front-end clearance,” says Thielke. Then raise and release the support arm over the front tire of the bike to secure it in the rack (fig. 3), and voila! Your bike has now been successfully loaded onto the bus. The risks of scratching or damaging the bike’s frame are minimal, as the rack has contact with the wheels only. And to make sure that it doesn’t get stolen, sit near the front of the bus to keep an eye on it, as Metro and Sound Transit are not responsible for stolen property.

But before you go race out to put your bike on a bus, there are some important details to keep in mind. Bicycles cannot be loaded or unloaded in the Ride Free Area in downtown Seattle, which extends from Battery Street to South Jackson Street and Sixth Avenue to the waterfront between the hours of 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. The downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel also poses its own set of restrictions in regards to using the racks. It is limited to the Convention Place and International District stops at either end of the tunnel. Heavy traffic and the potential for too many cyclists pose safety risks, so if your commute includes this Ride Free Area or the Transit Tunnel, be sure to load and unload your bike at the appropriate locations.

Photo by Bicycle PaperAll racks clearly display instructions on how to use them; it's as easy as 1, 2, 3.

And when it comes to bicycle accommodations on public transit in the Northwest region, King County Metro Transit and Sound Transit are not the only public transportation vehicles equipped for bike combination traveling. The Sounder Commuter Rail, running from Tacoma to Everett via Seattle, provides tie-downs for two standard-sized bikes located in each Sounder car. They also provide space for four additional bikes, which can be found in the vestibule of the car directly inside the doors.

Similarly, TriMet buses of the Portland Metropolitan area are all equipped with bike racks accommodating up to two bicycles. The procedures for loading and unloading bicycles are the same as for King County Metro and Sound Transit vehicles. And TriMet’s MAX Light Rail System and the Portland Streetcar also offer designated areas inside the cars for storing bicycles.

Combining a healthy bike ride with your usual bus commute is much easier than many may think. Loading and unloading a bicycle on a vehicle that is under strict time constraints may seem rather daunting, but knowing how, when and where a bike can be loaded onto a bus will make the process much smoother.