HOW TRANSIT AGENCIES HANDLE BICYCLES | AN ANALYSIS OF NINE NORTH AMERICAN TRANSIT AGENCIES

Abstract

A key weakness with public transportation is the lack of accessibility to transit stops. Bicycles can increase user accessibility to transit stops and reduce door-to-door travel times. The goal of this thesis is to better understand how transit agencies currently integrate their transit service with bicycles. While there is a great deal of literature available on this topic, much of it is outdated and may be out of touch with current trends in bicycle and transit integration. With the recent increase in both bicycle and transit ridership, it is likely that many agencies have begun to alter their approach to bicycle and transit integration to accommodate for this rise. This thesis set out to produce a comprehensive analysis and concise report on how transit agencies currently handle bicycles. To do this, I conducted a survey to gather detailed information on bicycle programs, investments, planning, policies, procedures, funding sources, operations, infrastructure, marketing, and accessibility features from multiple transit agencies. I used two different methods when selecting transit agencies to take part in this study. One approach identified transit agencies that practice advanced bicycle and transit integration strategies through a literature review. The other identified transit agencies located in cities with high bicycle ridership and transit use. Thirteen agencies were selected and nine of those agreed to complete the survey I created. I analyzed the survey responses and compared them to better understand the current methods and tools used by transit agencies to integrate bicycles and transit. I found that most agencies did not express interest in improving bicycle-on-transit facilities. Instead, most surveyed transit agencies had bicycle-planning documents that focused on the conception and implementation of improved bicycle access and secure bicycle parking.