If you live in Dallas, you’ve probably already heard the good news – bike racks are coming to the DART buses! Starting now and finishing by the end of the year, the Dallas transit agency will install bike racks on the front of all 650 Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) buses. The transit agency is converting 20 to 30 buses a day, with the goal of completing the installations by the end of 2008. Each rack will hold two bicycles.
At BikeTexas we are strong supporters of bike racks on buses. In past years we worked with State Senator Rodney Ellis and local bike group BikeHouston to convince the Houston transit authority to install bike racks on their buses (pictured). Finally last year, in 2007, the buses were outfitted with racks.
Buses equipped with bike racks allow commuters and other riders to combine cycling and buses for transportation, making long distance trips easier and providing better bus access to people that don’t live within walking distance of a bus stop. They also contribute to widespread recognition that bikes are a legitimate, everyday mode of transportation.
(see this Dallas Morning News article for more information. Click here for more information from DART on using the racks.)