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Bike rack use increases on Milwaukee County buses

Posted by Tom Held of the Journal Sentinel on May 18, 2011

cycling

Recent blog posts about bikers on the Hoan Bridge and a cut in state money for bike and pedestrian projects generated several comments questioning the use of bike racks on Milwaukee County Transit System buses.

To a number of readers, the racks installed in 2009 remain a boondoggle: seldom-used and a waste of the $405,000 it cost to install them on more than 460 buses.

One reader asserted that “virtually no one” uses the racks.

I promised to produce figures to address that point, and here they are.

According to the Milwaukee County Transit System, bus drivers recorded 47,995 instances where bus passengers used the racks in 2010.

That fell short of the 100,000 projected by the transit system, and the 200,000 estimated by the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin, during the debate that preceded the purchase of the racks.

Use has increased significantly so far in 2011.

Through the first four months of the year, MCTS drivers counted 12,695 bikes on buses.

That’s double the number – 6,184 - in the first four months of 2010. The monthly average so far in 2011 is 3,173, compared to 1,546 through April 2010.

In month-to-month comparisons, the usage this year has been roughly double the 2010 figures, a trend that could put the total for 2011 close to the 100,000 figure estimated by MCTS.

Last year, the usage peaked in August and September.

Milwaukee County Supervisor Mark Borkowski, a steadfast critic of the bike racks, remains skeptical.

“My cursory view of eyeballing buses throughout the days and every now and then I see a bike on a rack.” Borkowski said. “I guess I'm not driving in the right places. Maybe it's time for your paper to do a PolitiFact.”'

Jacqueline Janz, spokeswoman for MCTS, sent this statement:

"We have received a lot of positive feedback from customers who appreciate this program so it is not surprising to see the bike rack usage numbers doubling. This program extends MCTS's reach to additional customers at a time when gas prices are soaring, giving the community an economical alternative."

Janz also pointed out that the usage projection of 100,000 was based on annual bus ridership of 51 million. Ridership on MCTS routes dropped to about 37.5 million in 2010.

Janz also noted that the county used federal grants totaling $384,750 for the racks and MCTS contributed $20,250.

Here are the usage numbers from MCTS:

  2010 2011
January 869 2,180
February 889 1,804
March 1,746 3,419
April 2,680 5,292
Total 6,184 12,695

 

71 Comments for "Bike rack use increases on Milwaukee County buses"

  1. The county put in a total of $20,250 to make this happen. Last year, there were about 50K usages, with 100K expected this year.

    Let's assume that there will an average of 50K usages/yr and that these things last a total of 4 yrs, or a total of 200K usages during the equipment's lifetime.

    This would work out to a cost to the county of about a dime per use.

    Given that this would improve the quality of life for those 200K users, and that it might actually increase ridership at $1.25 a pop (with essentially zero concomitant cost), why exactly was this such a bad idea for the county to do? I mean other than "I hate buses and I hate bike riders" or some equally brilliant and enlightened argument?

    Bike riders - especially those who would use this equipment - are much more likely than the general population to be young, high income professionals. In what universe does an improved quality of life in the MKE area involve NOT getting more of these people to live here?

    bronyaur May 18, 2011 1:07 PM

  2. I have used the bike racks 19 times always related to weather conditions. My preferred mode of commuting to work is by bicycle. I only drove the car to work 26% of the time last year primarily during the winter. I have even been the second bike on the rack twice. Having bike racks allows me to challenge bad weather forecast knowing that I can always take the bus if the weather turns against me. This option takes a car off the freeway during rush hour. I don’t know how much of the usage numbers represent new business, but in my case it is new business that doesn’t happen without the bike racks. Even if the bike racks only break even in covering the cost over a period of years there is the benefit of reducing traffic. Do some of you that oppose bike racks love traffic jams?

    DarrellG May 18, 2011 1:09 PM

  3. "No, I think I'm better than our arrogant mental midget of a Governor who couldn't hack it at Marquette."
    "I also know I'm better than you at simple extrapolation"
    "And yeah, always, I am better than most of you right wing @$$holes."


    Talk about arrogant and pompous. et tu, Brute?

    Cheesehead May 18, 2011 1:22 PM

  4. Looks like somebody forgot to take their medication this morning. Oh and I support the bike racks and I am a Republican. Why must every fricken opinion be based on your political beliefs? Cant anyone form their own thoughts anymore without being accused of being left or right winged? All I see these days on this site is how the left hates the right and the right hates the left. How about you all go up to Canada and fight it out while us clear thinking moderates who lean a little each way cleans up the fricken mess we are in.

    CRobby May 18, 2011 1:47 PM

  5. Grad-
    Ooooo....tough guy, too! LMAO

    Cheesehead May 18, 2011 1:58 PM

  6. Thank CRobby. There are many of us moderates out there, whether left or right, that use common sense with each position.

    Convinced of the Hex May 18, 2011 2:00 PM

  7. Tom, if you could put together a list of things the county has paid more that $20,000 for since the installation of the racks (and/or during Scott Walker's tenure), that would be super. Let's at least give the talk radio squawkers something real to complain about.

    RvrwstBrewFan May 18, 2011 2:13 PM

  8. @MKE4ever

    so....you've mounted your bike a fair number of times you say

    nice!

    opinion8d May 18, 2011 2:20 PM

  9. dmichael1234 - It has only been 2 years TOTAL since they've been
    installed!!

    xsighter May 18, 2011 2:24 PM

  10. Now on a serious note...

    Anyone who suggests these only cost $20K is part of the problem in today's world. The cost was over $400K -just because some of its Federal money doesn't mean it was free. It is precisely that type of thinking that hurts this country. Those are still your tax dollars!! Wake up people.

    opinion8d May 18, 2011 2:27 PM

  11. Now how in the world did they even come up with these numbers? You can't honestly tell me that the drivers were counting every time a bike was put on the bus. Seriously, come on now. Very rarely to I ever see these waste of money racks being used. I think these are as much of a waste as those tv's they put on that didn't last long.

    Hopeful4u May 18, 2011 2:43 PM

  12. @opinion8d
    "so....you've mounted your bike a fair number of times you say

    nice"

    My bike is sexy, but not ergonomic in the prone position!

    MKE4ever May 18, 2011 2:50 PM

  13. Funny I have TimeAgain complaining Im not conservative enough for him. While your belief on how the program should have been implemented is correct and I agree with it (should have been a phased in program instead of all at once in my opinion) that doesnt mean that we should just stop the program. The program was implemented, like it or not, but to not support it and imply that we should just do away with the bike racks lacks logic. Are the racks being used? Yes. Are they being used as much as they should be? Probably not. Knee jerk reactions dont solve anything and this is the problem we are in. We should get the data (I would prefer a better way than just using "tick sheets" but that is what we have to go with) and analyze it to which routes are being used and which arent. Maybe I missed the upkeep costs, but I would doubt that financially it makes sense to remove all the racks at this time. And yes you can be conservative and support a social program. I support many social programs, that doesnt mean i support their current state of use or implementation. I dont support them just to make myself feel good either, but because if used correctly they make sense.

    CRobby May 18, 2011 2:57 PM

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