IndyGo Proud to Support Bike to Work Day

May 16, 2012
IndyGo will showcase a new hybrid electric/diesel bus, complete with a bike rack to allow attendees hands-on experience for loading a bike on the bus. The Bike Hub Plaza opens at 7 a.m.

As part of the national Bike to Work Month, IndyGo is once again proud to support INYDCOG’s Bike to Work Day Indianapolis on Friday, May 18.

Join IndyGo and other bicycling advocates at the Indy Bike Hub YMCA, located at City Market for morning festivities including free all day bike parking, free breakfast, the chance to learn more about resources for bike commuters and a special address by Mayor Ballard. IndyGo will showcase a new hybrid electric/diesel bus, complete with a bike rack to allow attendees hands-on experience for loading a bike on the bus. The Bike Hub Plaza opens at 7 a.m.

“When people ride their bikes in conjunction with IndyGo, they are choosing a low-cost transportation option that helps them stay fit and reduce carbon emissions in the air,” said Samantha Cross, vice president of business development for IndyGo. “All IndyGo buses have bike racks, which expands the options for alternative commuting in our community.”

In addition to the morning event, INDYCOG also coordinates morning group rides, beginning at 6:30 a.m., and other social activities throughout the day. The 2012 Bike to Work Day celebration will continue with a lunchtime ride, a free lunch and learn session and will wrap up with a special Bike to Work happy hour sponsored by Sun King at Tomlinson Taproom inside City Market.

“Bicycling in our community continues to grow year after year,” says Kevin Whited, executive director of INDYCOG. “This event is an opportunity to raise awareness for bicycle safety and the multiple options our city provides for bike commuting with trails, bike lanes and bike racks on IndyGo.”

Sharing the Road - Bike & Bus Safety

As bike lanes become more commonplace, bicyclists and drivers must realize they both share the same rights and responsibilities on the road. Buses move in and out of traffic but primarily stay in the right lane for passenger loading and unloading. Bicyclists also spend the majority of their time in the right lane. Because bikes and buses share the same space on the road and travel at slower speeds than cars, it’s important for both drivers and cyclists to respect one another, understand each other’s method of operation and make safe choices while in traffic.

“We train our drivers on how to safely maneuver their vehicles near cyclists and bike lanes,” said Mark Emmons, director of safety, training and security for IndyGo. “However, it’s important for bicyclists to understand that IndyGo buses are at least eight-feet wide and some city streets are narrow, so we sometimes have to share bike lanes with cyclists.”

  • Bicyclists have the right to ride in the street even if there are no marked bike ways.
  • Bicyclists should NEVER pass a bus on the right as they can endanger themselves as well as those getting on and off the bus.
  • Bicyclists should ride two feet from the curb and three feet from a bus’s door zone.
  • Bicyclists should always ride predictably. Any sudden movements or maneuvers will not give the bus driver enough time to react.
  • One of the most dangerous things a bicyclist can do is turn right across the path of a bus at an intersection.

Bike to Work Day Timeline (times and events subject to change)

  • 6:30 a.m. – Commuter rides begin departing toward Bike Hub Plaza, City Market
  • 7:00 a.m. – Bike Hub Plaza opens to bike commuters with parking options and free breakfast
  • 7:55 a.m. – Presentations by Indianapolis Mayor Ballard and other VIPs
  • Noon – Various lunch hour rides (Cultural Trail, commuter center)
  • Noon – Free bike commuter lunch and learn at the Bike Hub
  • 3:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. – Sun King-sponsored Happy Hour at TomlinsonTapRoom
  • 7:00 p.m. – All-day parking expires at Bike Hub

To learn more about Bike to Work Day and other transit services, visit www.IndyGo.net. Additional bike information at www.theindycog.com.