Advocacy & Safety - Buses and Bikes - Share The Road - CDOT/CTA video

The Chicago Department of Transportation and the Chicago Transit Authority partnered to create this training video for bus operators and bicyclists on how to safely share the road.

http://vimeo.com/7949969

With an overall theme of shared responsibility, the program provides guidelines for avoiding crashes at key conflict points such as intersections and service stops. CTA is using the video to train bus operators, and CDOT urges all Chicago cyclists to view the program and practice safe cycling. This project was funded in part with a grant from the Illinois Department of Transportation, Division of Traffic Safety.

Pretty nice video.

Nice info. They should have something similar in NYC too and air it on NY1. NYC bus drivers too often pull away while the bike is already on their side. And cyclists pass buses on the right even when the bus is stopped.

Adam

That is a nice video. I rarely have to go into Chicago any more, and have been glad I wasn't riding then.

I thought it was interesting that the video stresses safe riding and the importance of being visible, but none of the bicyclists are using lights. Or wearing high viz. The Illinois Department of Transportation has their employees that work by the side of the road wear hi viz vests/jackets, and their trucks have plenty of flashing lights on them - I wonder if they think we're not as worthy as their employees?

Good video, but I'll probably feel safe staying behind the bus as a beginner to bicycling.

Nice video with good advice. I was particularly glad to see them give the advice about staying out of the door zone but I still had to cringe at all the door zone bike lanes and there were several shots of buses passing bicycles that were in door zone lane bike lanes where the cyclist could not have possibly avoided an open door without hitting the bus. Talk about an accident waiting to happen!

The door zone advice bugged me. They said - stay 3 feet out of the door zone - but never specified how wide the door zone should be considered. I see inexperienced cyclist thinking that a 3 foot clearance from a parked car is what is being recommended. Which will eventually get them doored.

A touch more clarity in that section would be helpful.

The door zone advice bugged me. They said - stay 3 feet out of the door zone - but never specified how wide the door zone should be considered. I see inexperienced cyclist thinking that a 3 foot clearance from a parked car is what is being recommended. Which will eventually get them doored.

A touch more clarity in that section would be helpful.

Nor did they say anything about the fact that the car door zone is different for different makes of car. And that where 3' may be enough to keep one from being doored with type "a" car it could put one smack dab in the middle of the car door for type "b" car.

It was a nice video and helpful. A funny line was, "Remember, buses are in the business of stopping!" Never thought of it that way. Good emphasis on the dangers of passing buses on the right. I liked the emphasis on courtesy and safety of cyclists, riders, and pedestrians, rather than "3 foot this, the law says that" kind of bull we get in A&S.

A bit optimistic to say buses reduce the number of cars on the road, since most of the time in the video the buses were nearly empty.

roughstuff

It was a nice video and helpful. A funny line was, "Remember, buses are in the business of stopping!" Never thought of it that way. Good emphasis on the dangers of passing buses on the right. I liked the emphasis on courtesy and safety of cyclists, riders, and pedestrians, rather than "3 foot this, the law says that" kind of bull we get in A&S.

A bit optimistic to say buses reduce the number of cars on the road, since most of the time in the video the buses were nearly empty.

roughstuff

I think that that might have been because they were instructional or training buses and not regular route buses.

I think that that might have been because they were instructional or training buses and not regular route buses.+1 But there are some non-rush hour buses that are a waste. Honolulu, and surely other cities, have rush hour express buses that run longer distances and are nearly full or even overcrowded. Those bus runs do lower the number of motorist on the road, as well as lowering the number of cyclist on the road.

+1 But there are some non-rush hour buses that are a waste. Honolulu, and surely other cities, have rush hour express buses that run longer distances and are nearly full or even overcrowded. Those bus runs do lower the number of motorist on the road, as well as lowering the number of cyclist on the road.

Well, sometimes the buses that are not very full are not as much of a waste as you might think. One of the reasons many people are reluctant to take the bus is because it limits their flexibility. If you leave a route without any bus for two or three hours people will be less likely to rely on it for transportation even if they only rarely ride the off hours. So if you eliminate the "unprofitable" runs you may end up losing ridership on the "profitable" ones.

+1 But there are some non-rush hour buses that are a waste. Honolulu, and surely other cities, have rush hour express buses that run longer distances and are nearly full or even overcrowded. Those bus runs do lower the number of motorist on the road, as well as lowering the number of cyclist on the road.

Yep, in the past I've been on some buses that didn't even have any standing room left in them. We were literally packed in like sardines. About the only places that people weren't standing were in the stairwells. And there are buses that for all intents and purposes the lone rider has a private coach.

In those cases it probably wouldn't be a bad idea to swap the normal full sized bus out for a smaller more fuel efficient bus. Although PSTA has added several "green" buses to it's fleet so presumably they are fuel efficient.

Well, sometimes the buses that are not very full are not as much of a waste as you might think. One of the reasons many people are reluctant to take the bus is because it limits their flexibility. If you leave a route without any bus for two or three hours people will be less likely to rely on it for transportation even if they only rarely ride the off hours. So if you eliminate the "unprofitable" runs you may end up losing ridership on the "profitable" ones.

When I was up in NY not too long ago taking care of my Grandmother it seemed to me that the vast majority of the buses ran only ran a few times a day. Whereas down here in Tampa/St. Pete most run at least every 15 minutes and during peek times every 10 minutes. I think that some of the less demanded routes run every 30 minutes, but even that is better then running once every couple of hours.

Yep, in the past I've been on some buses that didn't even have any standing room left in them. We were literally packed in like sardines. About the only places that people weren't standing were in the stairwells. And there are buses that for all intents and purposes the lone rider has a private coach.

In those cases it probably wouldn't be a bad idea to swap the normal full sized bus out for a smaller more fuel efficient bus. Although PSTA has added several "green" buses to it's fleet so presumably they are fuel efficient.
I've been packed in like sardines on a double-length bus before (those accordion style ones). This is crazy to think about as its a line that runs every ten minutes during rush hour and makes almost regular stops. It doesn't help the bus runs along one of Denver's busiest traffic corridors as well as through some of the poorest neighborhoods.

I've also been on the bus that stops right outside our house in which, yeah, I was the only person. Fortunately, these are usually the newer buses which are a bit more fuel efficient.

As was stated earlier, you generally don't want to remove much service from the regular buses during non-rush hours as it will discourage use during rush hours. It'd definitely discourage me as I don't generally ride the bus that stops outside my house during rush hours.

I've been packed in like sardines on a double-length bus before (those accordion style ones). This is crazy to think about as its a line that runs every ten minutes during rush hour and makes almost regular stops. It doesn't help the bus runs along one of Denver's busiest traffic corridors as well as through some of the poorest neighborhoods.

I've also been on the bus that stops right outside our house in which, yeah, I was the only person. Fortunately, these are usually the newer buses which are a bit more fuel efficient.

As was stated earlier, you generally don't want to remove much service from the regular buses during non-rush hours as it will discourage use during rush hours. It'd definitely discourage me as I don't generally ride the bus that stops outside my house during rush hours.

Yep, gotta agree with ya there. If they (the various bus systems) feel the need to "cut" service during off peek hours cut it back from every 10-minutes to every 15-minutes or maybe at most every 20-minutes. But not much more then twice an hour. As you said they don't want to cut so far back that it discourages use during the peek hours.

Here in St. Pete if I time it right I don't see any buses while I'm on the road, and it is probably actually faster for me to ride then it is to wait for the bus. NY, Chicago, LA, and other large cities the reverse is probably true.

...... If they (the various bus systems) feel the need to "cut" service during off peek hours cut it back from every 10-minutes to every 15-minutes or maybe at most every 20-minutes. But not much more then twice an hour. As you said they don't want to cut so far back that it discourages use during the peek hours.......

Peek hours? Are those special times for perverts and frottageurs?

The economics cuts so many ways with buses. Some of it is a chicken/egg thing. The more people who ride buses, the more economical and reliable and useful they are. When I took the Night buses in london back from my job at Navy Station, they were packed with revelers. But unless they make a serious dent in traffic (especially peak traffic), which i don't think they do, you just end up sitting on a bus during peak periods instead of a car, and i'll take a car any day...even my old dodge neon.


When you add poor use during non peak periods buses make even less sense. I have always thought that perhaps mininbuses could be used---zillions of 'em at peak time...then in off peak, the minibuses are converted to different routes and different uses...maybe on-call taxi services for small groups, etc. Some communities have experiment with just providing low income citizens (the vast majority of bus riders) with vouchers so that they can rent taxis. Repealing/removing barriers to taxi service would cut costs even more...in many places taxis have ridiculous medallion or other regulator requirements.

roughstuff