Bus Racks Racks Added to Texas City Transit Routes

Tyler, Texas Transit general manager, Norman Schenk, announced recently the addition of bus bicycle racks to two of the city's buses - the Red Line and the Green Line. The move was made as a response to several citizen requests and public input. The bicycle carriers will service routes that comprise a large portion of the Tyler, Texas transit system's daily trips near and around hospitals, colleges and other public institutions.

"Bike racks on the buses give customers just one more option," Mr. Schenck stated. "It may have been too far for a customer to walk to and from the bus stop, but riding the bike makes the trip distance more acceptable." Mr. Schenck added that several large Texas cities, including San Antonio, Dallas and Houston already offer bus bicycle carriers for commuters.

According to city officials, each bike rack, which is mounted on the front of the bus, can transport up to two bikes, further explaining that users must pull the handle to lower the bike rack, lift the bike onto the rack and replace the spring tension arm over the front tire and conduct a safety check. The entire process is expected to take just 20 seconds. Additional bicycle carriers could be added to buses on the Blue and Yellow lines if demand for the service increases in the future.