Vancouver Buses to Allow Bikes After Dark Again
King County Metro Transit, which provides transit service to the Seattle, Washington area, has started installing bike racks on their buses that will hold three bikes. Metro started equipping buses with bike racks in the 1970s, and today every bus in the fleet has a rack that holds two bikes. By the end of spring 2007, they expect to have the three-bike versions on more than 250 buses.
Our bus passengers who ride bikes have been asking for more capacity to support their commute and lifestyle for some time, said Metro General Manager Kevin Desmond. We wanted to accommodate them, but we also wanted a bike rack that would be sturdy, didn’t interfere with the safe operation of the bus, and was easy for customers to use.
Sportworks, a Washington company, designed the new rack. It attaches to the front of the bus with an adjustable plate that allows Metro’s Vehicle Maintenance staff to raise or lower it depending on the model of the bus. It has three bike cradles that are made of a very strong composite material. Unlike the older all-metal, two-bike racks, the new ones should stand up much better to different road conditions and washing.
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