Houston METRO Goes Green with Bikes on Buses

[kf5nd]

I would like to invite you to a press conference on this Friday, April 20th at Noon at 1900 Main Street with METRO President and CEO and Senator Rodney Ellis and other bicycle advocates as we announce the implementation of bike racks on the METRO bus fleet. We are developing a flier, but in the mean time, please pass the word around. We would love to have as many cyclists as possible actually ride their bikes to the building on that day. We will also have refreshments from Whole Food Market along with demos from various bike shops in our lobby.

Please call me and let me know if you will be able to make it. My number is 713-739-4980 work or 713-419-1218 cell.


Thanks,
Karen Marshall
Director, Community Outreach
Metropolitan Transit Authority
713-739-4980 work



METRO is about to embark on an exciting new program, and we're inviting all bicycle riders to kick it into the "big" gear.

On April 20, 2007, METRO will be hosting a bike festival to mark the start of its new bike-racks-on-buses campaign. The festival will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at our downtown headquarters, 1900 Main.

Bike shop, clubs and a variety of vendors will be joining us for this event. At noon, METRO will host a news conference with METRO's President & CEO Frank Wilson, State Rep. Rodney Ellis and other local dignitaries.

Come check out the happenings, and check out METRO's new bike racks - attached to METRO's new, futuristic hybrid bus. It's one smooth ride.

[randya]

About time for this...Portland has had bike racks on all of it's busses for about 15 years now.

[kf5nd]

We've been trying for about 15 years, too...

[donnamb]

Don't forget to cross-post this to your regional forum. :)

[kjmillig]

So witht the official announcement on Friday, what's the proposed time frame for actually having the rack on all busses? I might start using the route near my house on rainy days if I know they have a rack. What type of racks are they going to be installing?

[Raiyn]

Wow and I thought my area was slow to implement B.O.B. We've only had full compliance for a few years in the area.

[scubajim49]

City of aAustin have had bike racks on Metro busses for over a decade or more! Yo, H-town, grandma is slow but she's old!

[Falkon]

Huntsville's got em! I've used them and they work pretty well. They're easy to use, too.

[unkchunk]

The buses in Cincinnati have had them for a while. But I've never seen a bike on one. Hopefully people in Houston will use them. If they don't, it's going to be harder to ask for something else. Personally I would have gone for lots of good public bike racks first. Mostly cause then the city would have lots of decent bike racks today. But we don't, and looks like we probably never will now.

[Elkhound]

Here in Charleston we have had them for about a year; they aren't used much, but give them time.

I used to live in Charlotte, and for a couple of years after they were installed there I never saw them used (or almost never) but I went back to visit last year and almost all the busses I saw had at least one bike on them.