The other day we warned people about MAX trains and how you can’t always assume that you’ll get your bike on one, particularly during rush hour. The same is true for some buses at some times.
Buses only have two bike racks on the front of them, and bikes are not allowed on board. The big exception, once again, is actually quite small: folding bikes. Folding bikes, if they’re “luggage sized” are welcome on the bus.
So you’re waiting with your full-sized bike for a bus and when it shows up, there are already two bikes on the front. What to do? Here are your options: wait for another bus and cross your fingers; ride a few blocks over to another bus line and cross your fingers; or just ride all the way to your destination.
None of these is a particularly attractive option, but luckily buses aren’t as commonly clogged with bikes as trains are. There are, however, some buses that are routinely full and cannot take any more bikes during commuting hours. A BTA member has reported that the 76 and the 96 (both from Tualatin) are frequently full, for instance.
So that commuters may plan accordingly, what other bus lines seem to frequently reach their bike capacity and when? Please respond in comments (please direct MAX-related comments here).
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The #4 on Division from 4:30 on is hard to get a bike on due to bikes already on–The #17 is an alternative-still, with both lines I have waited for up to three busses with bikes on to pass me by before the open bus-My commute is 10 miles one way-some days I am just too tired to ride the whole way home- I’m working up to it more frequently though!!!!
My concern is with the bike carrier itself. I have an extra large bike frame and the carrier is too small to accomodate both tires so the front tire sits on the lip of the carrier frame. It hasn’t fallen off yet but it’s probably only a question of time. I currently use a bungee cord to secure the front tire to the frame but that takes time, extending the loading process.
I believe I’ve seen some carriers that are openended so bike length is not an issue. Will these be the norm in the future?
The #16 from St. Johns to City Center at 7am ALWAYS has 2 bikes by the time it gets to me. I always have to wait for a few Max trains heading west during rush hour due to crowding.
I have inquired on the Trimet phone comment line about outfitting the busses that chronically have more than 2 bikes with larger carriers. They said they do not have plans to do anything of the sort as of yet…
My mom says the #51 is frequently full, which doesn’t surprise me because it’s the only bus that goes from downtown up to Council Crest/Dosch Road. Who wants to ride up that hill after a long day at work? Worse, it only comes once an hour – and never on Sundays since the service cuts.
Neither of us can think of a good way around this. She can leave her bike at work, but then she can’t ride the next day. She could take MAX to the zoo or the #8 to OHSU, which at least gets her on top of the hill, but probably doubles the commute time. I guess a folding bike might be something to look into.
My issue is with the MAX. I think it’s high time TriMet consider remodeling some of the older low-floor cars such that 1/2 of the car is for bikes to handle more bikes during busy times. I see more and more older people who can’t heft their bikes to hang them, but are still riding. I also see bikes that are too heavy/long/short to hang. I’m really tired of the public message to ‘take your bike on transit’, yet there is what appears to be massive resistance inside TriMet to make that possible.
The Line 35 from Oregon City to Portland often will often already have two bikes on the rack when it comes through Lake Oswego toward the end of the day (5 pm). Unfortunately, there is no other bus and frequency is every 1/2 hour during rush hour and then every hour in the evening. Only option for biking back to Portland is a very big hill (Up Terwilliger or up through the cemetary if your headed south) to avoid biking on Hwy 43, which is not safe for bikes, especially at commute time.
The #16 to/from St. Johns at Rush Hour. Always full. Usually I ride home but it’s nice to have the option to bus it part of the way when needed.
Please direct comments about MAX to the blog post about MAX: http://www.bta4bikes.org/btablog/2009/09/08/managing-maxpectations/
And if bikes on transit is an issue that interests you, consider attending our upcoming member forum: http://www.bta4bikes.org/btablog/2009/09/09/next-bta-advocacy-forum-bikes-and-transit/
BUSpectations?
?!
You’re FIREDspectations!
Keep your snarky comments on your http://blogtown.portlandmercury.com, Ms. Mirk, and we’ll keep our lame headlines and puns here on the BTA Blog. I’m going to go cry now. Meanie.
Margaux (and anyone else trying to get up Council Crest or to the other close in SW locations)–if you have a monthly or annual TriMet pass you can bring your bike on the tram. Going uphill in the evening it’s not terribly full as most of the traffic is coming downhill. You can either ride (or walk) up to Fairmount from the hospital or down to Terwilliger and up Cheltenham to Hillsdale. It’s nice because you can avoid a lot of the downtown traffic and congestion by riding down through Riverplace to Moody.
judie,
I’d appreciate it if you directed comments about the tram to my “Managing TRAMspectations” post…just kidding. Great suggestion.
The Portland Aerial Tram, from South Waterfront to OHSU’s Marquam Hill Campus, is very bike friendly. They allow as many bikes as are comfortable on board the tram. As with buses and MAX, rush hour can be dicey. Things can get tight on the way up in the morning and on the way down in the evening (but who in their right mind would put their bike on the tram to go DOWN?! That’s like putting skis on and taking the chairlift DOWN from the top of the ski slope!). As an alternative to Council Crest buses for the commute home, however, it could work quite well depending on where you live.
Tram fare is $4 to go up and FREE to go down. As Judie stated, monthly or annual Trimet passholders ride free. Those with Portland Streetcar annual passes and C-Tran monthly Portland Express Passes also ride free. You can also purchase a $100 annual pass for use only on the tram. If you wish to buy an individual ticket, keep in mind that the brilliantly-designed ticket machines at the base only accept credit cards and quarters (you’ll need 16) — no bills.
For more info on the tram, visit the Portland Aerial Tram website: http://www.portlandtram.org
I thought the point of riding a bike to work was to ride a bike to work??? I dot quite get the “bus your bike to work” deal. If im putting down my mileage do I add in the bussed distance also?
All the time I see someone waiting for the bus with their bike on HWY 43 at the top of the hill. Dude, its down hill. ride your bike.
Enough fun for now…
Unless your tire is flat, ride it.