Photo by the TTC
Bike bus racks to be standard
Sept. 15/06. (Star)
TTC staff say bikes and buses don't mix.
The politicians who run the TTC disagree.
A TTC staff report to be discussed at next week's commissioners' meeting says there is "no clear justification" to expand the installation of bike racks on TTC buses after a one-year experiment.
But Adam Giambrone, the TTC's vice-chair, said he believes commissioners will vote to expand the program nonetheless.
"We're going to go forward and make this program permanent," said Giambrone, saying all new buses will have a bike rack.
While the TTC received positive comments from cyclists and non-cyclists during the pilot project, few people took advantage of the racks at the front of the bus. In all, 110 buses were outfitted with the racks at a cost of $202,000. But the highest observed usage was 20 customers on a single work day on the 29 Dufferin, a route that draws 43,300 customers on a typical weekday. A number of buses on the 7 Bathurst, 29 Dufferin, 47 Lansdowne, 98 Willowdale-Senlac, 161 Rogers Rd. and the 310 Bathurst were outfitted with racks.
They were chosen because they were high-frequency routes that cross Highway 401 and provide service between the suburbs and the downtown. Giambrone said outfitting buses with bike racks fits with the city's policy of promoting bike use. Once commuters realize so many buses have bike racks, users will "quickly begin to multiply," he said.
1 comment:
Chicago, where I spent four years, has bike racks on virtually every bus. It's a very good thing to rely on, but they also allow bikes on the subway at all times except for rush hour. One thing I remember being nice was the ability to bike long distances and not have to worry about a sudden downpour. If you're late and you have a long straight stretch, a couple bucks will take some time out of the ride.
TTC drivers are just protecting themselves, imagining mangled bikes and people under the fronts of their buses and how they'll have an additional worry.
In fact, public transit and bikes are the perfect marriage.
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