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I also put this in another blog on this forum
I used to ride bikes, and, enjoyed long rides. But, I, like many, have had to adjust to bad knees, hips, etc., over time, and, have changed my lifestyle to short distance on foot/light rail/bus.
I have thought about how to encourage bicycling as a form of commuting a bit, and, have noticed that NOWHERE does one find a special bus designed to carry bicyclists and their bikes.
How can one maximize the number of bikes that a bus can carry efficiently, while at the same time, having cyclist + bike board and exit quickly?
One solution I thought of was a bus with no seats and a low level floor. All passengers would have to stand and use handholds, as is done on crowded subways. Bikes might be racked vertically along the full length of the driver's side wall. Two sets of entry and exit doors, too.
Buses such as this should be provided on corridors with the proviso that only such buses can be used for cyclists with their bikes. Say once per hour during daylight hours to start.
In addition, terminus points should have additional design criteria, such as low grades, access to bike paths, etc. (Even in my decrepitude I can ride 10 miles downhill). Terminus points for bicyclists do not, and, IMO, should not be same as those designed for pedestrian bus riders. (For example, stops along the crests of hills).
My point is that no bus seems to have been designed to help the average, slightly pudgy bicyclist that wants to use his or her bike at either end of a bus (or train) ride. How many bicycles and their riders would it take to fill a 60' bus?
The issue with bicycling, bus, and, trains, in part, is that not enough thought has been placed on what bicycling commuting actually entails for cyclist who really rather not burn any extra calories but at the same time be able to use the efficiencies short distance provides?
Bike rental is not significant solution, IMO.
To link this to US 36. There are magnificent downhill hides along US 36, both to a pickup point and from a drop off point. You just use two different stops as part of the commute.
Addendum: the bike should cost an addition $1 or two for such a service (still cheaper than bike rental, and, you have your own bike).
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