This synthesis will be of interest to transit agency managers, bicyclists, and other personnel interested in the subject of integrating bicycles and transit operations, including the issues of safety, equipment procurement, scheduling, and interjurisdictional co-operation. Information on bicycle-on-bus, bicycle-on-rail, and bicycle-on-ferry programs is included. Intermodal transportation, spurred by the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 and other factors, has resulted in an increased number of transit agencies attempting to serve the bicycling community in addition to their traditional patrons. Transit agencies have worked with bicycle interest groups to provide accommodations, including parking facilities and on-vehicle storage, to enhance the compatibility of such dual-mode travel. While many agencies have only limited experience with bicycle-transit interaction, others have demonstrated effective methods for initiating and sustaining such efforts. This report of the Transportation Research Board describes the characteristics of various bicycle-transit programs, including operation, equipment, and other issues for bus, rail, and ferry applications. It includes experiences from various transit agencies in the U.S. that are successfully integrating bicycles into their operations, as well as information derived from the literature on the subject. (Author/publisher)
Abstract