More taking bike to bus



G

Garrison Hilliard

Guest
More taking bike to bus
TANK's racks deemed success

By Joshua Rey
Post staff reporter

e

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Jeff Salisbury, 41, doesn't put his bike away often.

On a recent weekend, the Newport, Ky., native and other members of the
Cincinnati Cycle Club completed a 100-mile ride from Ludlow through Boone County
and back. Since Salisbury and his wife, Christine Plepys, share a car, he often
rides his bike to work downtown.

Now, he can take the bus - and keep his bike at hand.

In a time of $3 gallons of gas and increasing levels of air pollution, hundreds
of Northern Kentucky citizens are turning to an unlikely combination for their
transportation needs: buses and bikes. The Transit Authority of Northern
Kentucky launched its "Bike & Ride" program last June and has racked up
supporters ever since.

"The racks give you more freedom in using the TANK system because you can take
advantage of many routes without having to worry about making connections," said
Salisbury, who recently parked his bike on the front bumper of a bus bound for
Crestview Hills, before riding his two-wheeler back home to Newport.

In a matter of seconds, two wheels become six when bus riders load their bikes
onto racks mounted on the front of TANK buses.

Racks are available on a first-come, first-serve basis and can hold up to two
bikes at a time. Bicyclists are not required to pay anything but the standard
$1.25 fare.

According to TANK statistics, more than 7,000 bicycles were placed on the racks
of Northern Kentucky's 100 buses in the first 12 months of the Bike & Ride
campaign.

The program debuted with 560 bikes stowed in June 2006 and peaked last month
with 943, much to the surprise of avid bicyclist David Witt.

"When it first came out, I thought, 'Who's going to use these other than me?'
But it's being used much more than I expected," said Witt, a 45-year-old from
Fort Wright.

Like Salisbury, Witt rides his bike across the Kentucky/Ohio border to work. He
enjoys the exercise, but has endured his final thunderstorms and cold fronts.
When temperatures dipped below 25 degrees last winter, Witt sought cover in
Northern Kentucky's buses.

"They're nice from my point of view because they extend my riding season," said
Witt, who splits time between Ross and Bridgeport bicycles. "I don't have to
gamble with the rain."

The TANK Bank & Ride program isn't unprecedented in the area. Bike racks were
added to Cincinnati's 390 Metro buses in 2000. Statistics for Metro's program
haven't been kept since its inaugural year, but Metro spokeswoman Sallie Hilvers
says that there's been a noticeable increase in bikes stowed this spring,
especially children's and sports bikes.

With two programs in two states, bicyclists on the border no longer have to
worry about competing with downtown traffic. TANK routes extend as far north as
the Metro hub at Government Square in Cincinnati.



Publication date: 06-18-2007
http://news.cincypost.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070618/NEWS01/706180372
 
Tidewater Regional Transit (TRT) in Norfolk, VA also equips its buses with
bicycle racks.

A couple of weeks ago I had a blowout in my rear tire. Apparently my spare
was too old, because when I installed it and inflated it, it split about
three inches along a seam. Although it was not fun walking two miles in
cycling shoes to the closest bus stop, I was able to transport myself and
the bicycle by bus to within a few blocks of home.


"Garrison Hilliard" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:eek:[email protected]...
> More taking bike to bus
> TANK's racks deemed success
>
> By Joshua Rey
> Post staff reporter
>
> e
>
> Meet Singles into Cycling
> View Photo Profiles. Local Singles into Cycling. Join Now for Free.
> www.Fitness-Singles.com
> Top 10 Road Bike Trips
> Highway One or Skyline Drive Find the best bike routes in the US
> Gorp.away.com
> Bike Electrified Kits
> 600 watt conversion kit only $449 400 watt conversion kit only $199
> www.werelectrified.com
>
> Jeff Salisbury, 41, doesn't put his bike away often.
>
> On a recent weekend, the Newport, Ky., native and other members of the
> Cincinnati Cycle Club completed a 100-mile ride from Ludlow through Boone
> County
> and back. Since Salisbury and his wife, Christine Plepys, share a car, he
> often
> rides his bike to work downtown.
>
> Now, he can take the bus - and keep his bike at hand.
>
> In a time of $3 gallons of gas and increasing levels of air pollution,
> hundreds
> of Northern Kentucky citizens are turning to an unlikely combination for
> their
> transportation needs: buses and bikes. The Transit Authority of Northern
> Kentucky launched its "Bike & Ride" program last June and has racked up
> supporters ever since.
>
> "The racks give you more freedom in using the TANK system because you can
> take
> advantage of many routes without having to worry about making
> connections," said
> Salisbury, who recently parked his bike on the front bumper of a bus bound
> for
> Crestview Hills, before riding his two-wheeler back home to Newport.
>
> In a matter of seconds, two wheels become six when bus riders load their
> bikes
> onto racks mounted on the front of TANK buses.
>
> Racks are available on a first-come, first-serve basis and can hold up to
> two
> bikes at a time. Bicyclists are not required to pay anything but the
> standard
> $1.25 fare.
>
> According to TANK statistics, more than 7,000 bicycles were placed on the
> racks
> of Northern Kentucky's 100 buses in the first 12 months of the Bike & Ride
> campaign.
>
> The program debuted with 560 bikes stowed in June 2006 and peaked last
> month
> with 943, much to the surprise of avid bicyclist David Witt.
>
> "When it first came out, I thought, 'Who's going to use these other than
> me?'
> But it's being used much more than I expected," said Witt, a 45-year-old
> from
> Fort Wright.
>
> Like Salisbury, Witt rides his bike across the Kentucky/Ohio border to
> work. He
> enjoys the exercise, but has endured his final thunderstorms and cold
> fronts.
> When temperatures dipped below 25 degrees last winter, Witt sought cover
> in
> Northern Kentucky's buses.
>
> "They're nice from my point of view because they extend my riding season,"
> said
> Witt, who splits time between Ross and Bridgeport bicycles. "I don't have
> to
> gamble with the rain."
>
> The TANK Bank & Ride program isn't unprecedented in the area. Bike racks
> were
> added to Cincinnati's 390 Metro buses in 2000. Statistics for Metro's
> program
> haven't been kept since its inaugural year, but Metro spokeswoman Sallie
> Hilvers
> says that there's been a noticeable increase in bikes stowed this spring,
> especially children's and sports bikes.
>
> With two programs in two states, bicyclists on the border no longer have
> to
> worry about competing with downtown traffic. TANK routes extend as far
> north as
> the Metro hub at Government Square in Cincinnati.
>
>
>
> Publication date: 06-18-2007
> http://news.cincypost.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070618/NEWS01/706180372
 

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