TTC Adds Bike Racks to More Buses

Why did it take the TTC so long to add racks to their buses? In Hawaii they had these on their buses back in late '97.

Does anyone use these things? I mean, they're a great idea. Keeps people like me who used to poop out and take my bicycle on the bus from hogging the aisles.

still not much for the west side i see, like major routes like kipling, east & west mall and islington. but scarlett get these?

being from the west coast, and having bike racks on busses for as long as I can remember, I'm still in awe with how far behind the TTC actually is in this regard.

@Aaron: Coming from Chicago, where they are also on every bus, it never occured to me that they wouldn't be on buses here. Then I noticed a big feature in the bike map about the "pilot project." Better late than never.

I don't think I've ever seen a bus with a bike on the rack.

Who really uses these? This is supposed to be big TTC infrastructure/biking news but I really don't see the point. I'd prefer more bike parking at certain big stations, real RACKS at others.

I see people use these... and unfortunately it takes the bus an extra 10 minutes at each stop with a bike involved... not to mention the shuffling when there's multiple bikes on the racks. I guess it's a nice idea but pretty impractical.

FYI... The ROM also recently unveiled it's new fancy bike racks out front, which look much too intricate to fit a bike lock through but they're cool nonetheless!

I've added some photos to my stream on flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/27753146@N06/

One of the things I like in Chicago - and it may be true elsewhere, but I don't know - is the availability of bike racks inside some stations. It's more secure than the options outside the stations, and a lot harder for a couple guys in a van to access.

I think the TTC bus racks will be more popular when they're all over. If I have to go up that hill on Dufferin, though, I'll look for a bus!

I actually spotted bike racks on the 104 Faywood bus yesterday. Was that a mistake?

Are these free to use? Do you need a Metropass to use them for free? Is the TTC now looking to start charging for their use, to avoid having to have everyone subsidize the few who take advantage of them?

(Kidding.)

I use these all the time.
I feel bad to inconvenience the riders because I usually fumble quite a bit getting my bike secure on there, not to mention my anxiety worrying that my wonderful bike is going to fall off the rack and fumble under the bus' wheels.

I wish they had those on the streetcar somehow though, cos getting north south is easy, but east west is all streetcars south of Dupont.

How will they manage that?

An extra 10 minutes? Um, whomever is using the rack doesn't know what they're doing if it takes THAT long. My partner uses the rack all the time, and it takes an extra minute and a half, tops. The racks are easy to use and I wish every bus had them. Wish the streetcars had them, too, because getting bikes on and off the streetcars are awful. Takes much longer (but still not TEN minutes!!!).

With all due respect, I couldn't diagree more with Corina's comment that "it takes the bus an extra 10 minutes at each stop with a bike involved." As someone who has used these racks several times, I can tell you that it takes me no more than 30 sec to load / unload both mine & my wife's bike from these racks.

I'm so sure of that, I'll be happy to wager $100 with anyone who thinks this is not possible.

are they going to reduce the token price and metropass price since token users have been subsidizing parking and metropass holders no long park for free?

What a joke. This city seriously needs better underground transportation-both in speed and size. New York City is currently building the 2nd Avenue line. Enough of the NIMBY syndrome here in Toronto and all the bullshit bureaucracy. You can cross the city north to south on an express train without stopping at every station. Who ever thought of that? No more glamorized streetcars.

Michael, considering this is a new scheme for the TTC and it's riders, i doubt bike riders using this system for the first time will put on and take off their bikes in 30 seconds.

Secondly, how much is fitting the busses costing us? I'm sure these stupid racks are the cause of the 3 million dollar shortfall that the metropass parking lot fiasco is addressing.

Funding for bike racks and bike storage across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area was provided by Metrolinx - the Greater Toronto Transportation Authority. http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/May2008/20/c2295.html

I've used this rack twice before and each time loading it was a hassle. When I asked if the driver could show me how to load my bike on (the very first time I used it - after I fumbled with it for a moment and felt bad for holding the bus up) - she seemed inconvenienced and rude. Like Magda said before, I was worried about if I had properly locked my bike in or if it would fall out. I found it kind of stressful. Maybe if I knew how to use it properly, I wouldn't feel that way.

The route I normally take is the 126 Christie (which normally doesn't have a bike rack on the front) and some of the bus drivers have threatened to not let me on the bus with my bike even when it wasn't during rush hour. When it is late at night and I want to home ... sometimes I just want to take the bus.

I think that the TTC need to let its drivers know what is rules and regulations with bikes because half of them don't even know.