Cycling and Public

Transport Integration

Implementing Bikes on Buses

beyond the business case

Jonathan Slason jonathan.slason@beca.com

23 February 2012

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Bus and Bike

Research Basics - History

Cycle-PT Research:

NZ Research Report 418 published data on

estimated demand and costs of system wide ‘bike

on bus’ roll out.

Research included Bike and Ride, locker demand,

and an extensive literature review.

The research provided a comprehensive review of

Bike on Board and Bike and Ride programmes

worldwide.

Bike and Ride (BaR):

This is where a cyclist uses a bike to reach

the public transport facilities and

then parks the bike there

(parking on either end of trip)

Bike on Board (BoB):

This is where a cyclist uses a bike to reach

the public transport facilities and then carries

the bike onto the public transport service.

The bike can then be used at the latter end of

the service to reach the final destination.

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Bus and Bike Bikes increase the net

catchment per bus / rail / ferry

stop.

Tables and images from Research

Report 418

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Growth in Bike and Bus in USA Creating liveable Cities

World Class Transport

Active and Healthy City

Sustainable transport modes

Integration of other Regional Initiatives

(regional cycle ways, rental cycle scheme)

Removal of Harbour Bridge Crossing

Impediment

Bike bus tour: Basic

Info

Streetfilms

http://vimeo.com/20052198

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Implementation

Stakeholder engagement and financing

Identify Drivers and Champions for Project

Roll-Out Planning

Market preparation

Pre-roll out

4 E’s

Management and Evaluation

A successful implementation

of the Bike and Bus system

should be staged to take

advantage of planning and

building incremental support

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• Partial or trial approaches won’t work as well – and won’t capture the

excitement necessary to create meaningful behaviour change and may

take a long time to build support and generate demand for system.

• Risk is great – use analytical approach to maximise efficiency and

benefits of the investment

• The Cycle-PT Research combined an extensive literature review and

exposure to international systems allows NZ the opportunity to learn

from others –

• Opportunity to take the best from worldwide examples to create a truly

exciting and successful Cycle and Public Transport system

Partial Implementation - Challenges

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Fully Integrated Bike on Bus System Rollout The 4 E’s

Environment Create a Liveable City

Education Create a Learning

Environment

Engineering Create a Quality System

Encouragement Create a Culture

World Class Transport

Active and Healthy City

Sustainable transport

modes

Integration with other

Regional Initiatives

(regional cycle ways,

rental cycle scheme)

Removal of

Impediments such as

Tunnels and Harbours

Practice racks at key

locations

Bike on Bus events -

Rolling Bus Tour

Cycle Education

Teaming up with

CAN/CAA and other

advocate networks

Printed materials,

videos, combine with

branding

Maximise use of the

integrated Bike & PT

system (i.e. lockers,

bike on board, bike

rentals, etc.)

Bus bike racks

Bike locker and bike

rack (bike parking)

establishment

Improve local cycle

access (key routes,

cycle lanes, signal

priority for buses and

cycles, etc.) to stations

and heavily used local

bus stops

Identify space

restrictions and turning

bus turning radii

conflicts (route audits)

Cycle signage to major

destinations and bus

stops

Advertising &

Branding

TravelWise

Incentive programme

Key performance

monitoring system

Events

Key public figures get

on board

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Education Training

Travelling bus bike rack

Source:

Philly, PA, USA. Philly Bike Coalition

http://www.flickr.com/photos/philly_bike_coalition/4344509174/in/photostream/

practice racks

Practice racks at busy stops as well as

general education about the rack

system.

The practice racks can reduce the fear

and hesitation – for that first time that is

always a bit scary

left: Example here is a travelling practice rack.

below: bike rack on bus tour

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Education Popular Training and ‘cool factor’

Seattle General User Introduction to Bike Bus Rack Video

video:

mms://winmedia.kingcounty.gov/transit/metrobikeracks.wmv

Video with lots of examples of people loading and unloading their bicycles from the bus racks.

Provides clear and easy to understand directions for users.

Bike Rap Video: Louisville

Encouragement and Education

video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoFFg0W9UME

Rappers and bus drivers dance with a catchy tune advertising and educating

people on the new bus racks. Highlights the benefits of the bike and transit

combination.

Example videos on public

education on the concept of

putting your bike on the bus

Will need a NZ specific version!

Internet video

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Engineering Quality Equipment

http://www.sportworks.com/bike-racks-for-buses.aspx

http://www.sportworks.com/bus-racks/video.aspx

Sportworks Product Video

Proven equipment.

Solid recent results on

Waiheke using the 3-

bike version

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Engineering Fixing the Constraints

Route Audit for Bike on Bus and Bike and Ride systems

- Bus geometric limitations: Buses will need to navigate with

another ~1 metre length. Route assessments to determine

where stop lines and parking may be affected by turning

buses (especially at signals)

- Bike and ride locker demand and placement: Efficient

placement at places of demand to minimise cost of

implementation.

- Access: Review cycle routes to and from the bus route or

facility to the sources of the demand (homes, businesses,

etc.)

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Engineering – bike parking Locker supply and management

Craft a business or organisation model

which can manage the bicycle racks and

bicycle lockers

The lockers will become a pivotal part of a

integrated Cycle-PT system. Especially on

high volume PT routes such as the

Northern Busway (Auckland)

Incentives to use lockers can increase

locker utilisation and PT patronage

Technology, good positioning, marketing

and partnerships can enable a successful

locker system

Left top: Northern bus way locker. $2 deposit and

return system. (ARTA website)

Right top: Wellington bike lockers (CAN website)

Left bottom: Bike Link is a technology driven locker

system used along the CalTrain (and elsewhere)

system.

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Encouragement Culture & Behaviour Change

TravelWise and

Bikewise month

Develop flyers,

brochures to

encourage

additional riders

Build culture

around the

activity

Riding mentors: a

person to person

coach for cycling

Examples found in

Chicago, Illinois,USA

How to create a

culture!

Influence Behaviour

Change

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Implementation Getting it Right

Allow cyclists to reach the bus system with improved cycle facilities and

cycle parking at major stops and stations.

As overall cycle demand and facilities grow – PT Trips will follow.

The key is to build an integrated solution – all modes, all routes, on

board and lockers.

NZ has the advantage to learn from the rest of the world

And build a high quality complete system

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Case Study - Waiheke

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Monitoring and Evaluation: users

The Bike on Bus System on Waiheke island is likely to

experience a wide variety of users – especially those that:

─ Have more leisure time (sight seeing, wine tasting, exercise)

─ Will have families and large groups

─ A higher proportion of non-commuters and non-work business

─ Overall less consistent rider base

This will lead to users potentially with larger needs and interests in the

Bike on Bus system as well as users with more flexibility in time and less

focused on bus timetable efficiency.

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Fullers: Waiheke Bus Company

Fullers arranged for the bike racks to be purchased as an

added value for their current and anticipated future patrons.

Initial pilot – 3 racks were purchased.

─ The 3 racks were tested with real bikes for a few days while driving

over the roads and bus route

─ Opened to the public on 25 January 2012

Success has lead to Fullers planning to purchase the

remaining racks for their bus fleet.

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Activities Undertaken

Pre-implementation survey with bus drivers. This provided

the drivers to comment and add thoughts/reactions to about

the racks.

Provided to Fullers Marketing, legal advice on liability,

instructions to users, and opportunities for making a ‘bike

loading video’

Visually confirmed racks on buses and discussed system in

an informal follow-up with drivers

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Initial Findings

Racks work extremely well, even given the rough road

conditions on Waiheke.

A diverse user base of the racks

─ Tourists who may not anticipate the hilly terrain

─ Recreational users plan on half of trip by bus

─ Commuters, bus in, bike back (and vice versa)

─ Bike Commuters when time is tight, the bus offers a quicker alterative

─ Cyclists when Weather changes (rain and wind)

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Driver perspectives

Initially:

─ Fearful of bike risks of falling off

─ Timetable issues of slow loading/unloading

─ Extra work to assist users

─ Tight geometry of roads around the island cause some concern of

safety

─ Didn’t see the point

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Driver perspectives

Currently:

─ Already clear that the racks have added value to a few users

─ No impact on timetable

─ Have had to assist a few times

─ A few confused users unsure how to operate the rack

─ Bus ‘pulse’ configuration timetables for Ferry’s has resulted in

insufficient capacity to meet demand (more people on a specific ferry

want to use the limited rack space)

─ Drivers have become aware of tight spots. Some safety education

around stops may have to be undertaken (due to swing of a loaded

rack)

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Monitoring and Evaluation:

On-board surveys will be carried out a few months that can

document changes from Pre- and Post- :

─ Demographics

─ Time of loading, unloading

─ Ease of use

─ Information that users had of the system

─ Driver’s impression of system

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Next Steps

Refine the Waiheke approach

─ Ensure equipment is acceptable

─ Record driver information and feedback

─ Understand ‘growing’ pains of the first regional implementation

─ Provide better information to users of the system

Wider roll-out application

─ Understand if any physical constraints

─ Document how different uses use the system and what information

can be better presented to maximise efficient use of the racks

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Case Study - Waiheke

Install permanent

Bike on Bus rack

at the Ferry

Station.

Practice rack for

those new to the

system

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Monitoring and Evaluation: usage

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Monitoring and Evaluation: usage