Metro News Release

For immediate release: April 30, 2003

Metrobus adds a lift to "Bike to Work Day 2003"

Now that bicycle racks have been installed on the front of all of Metro’s more than 1,440 buses, the regional transit agency is able to play a more active role in national "Bike to Work Day" on Friday, May 2. Metro’s Bike-on-Bus feature is part of the continuing effort to reduce automobile emissions as well as expand the horizons of bicycle riders in the area, making Metro truly intermodal.On Friday, May 2, thousands of bicycle commuters in the Washington Metropolitan region are planning to celebrate clean transportation at Bike to Work Day 2003. Now, area residents who live some distance from their places of work and still want to ride their bicycles will be able to catch a Metrobus to help get them where they want to be.The bike racks, which accommodate two bicycles each, enable customers to combine bike, bus, and rail trips. "This is the 30th anniversary of Metrobus, and we’re still looking at the services we provide to our bus customers and seeking ways to make their bus-riding experience more enjoyable," said Metro CEO Richard White. "The addition of bicycle racks on our buses is another example of how we’re accomplishing that objective."We hope that the addition of bicycle racks will open doors to places for area residents to ride their bikes when in the past they may not have ventured to a particular area," Mr. White said.Each bike rack is conveniently located on the front of the buses and provides easy-to-load and easy-to-secure features for customers. Loading and unloading of bicycles from the racks does not cause delays to the bus schedules.The racks, which include a locking mechanism to prevent bikes from coming loose or falling off, require minimal maintenance and can even go through the bus wash. Special mirrors installed on the buses allow bus operators to see the bike racks and customers loading their bicycles.Bicycles are also permitted on Metrorail cars during non-peak hours only. For more information about Metro’s bicycle policies, visit http://www.wmata.com/metrorail/bikes.cfm.

News release issued on April 30, 2003.