The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Bus Company today announced that bicycle racks will be available permanently on four local bus routes – in Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island – after the success of a pilot program to encourage greener transportation alternatives for customers.

Beginning Sunday, July 1, bicycle racks will be available on every bus on the Q50 and Bx23 routes, as well as 36 buses on the S53 and S93 routes, for free customer use. MTA New York City Transit tested the use of bicycle racks during a Bike & Ride pilot on the S53 and S93 routes on Staten Island in 2015.  The permanent installation of the racks is part of the MTA’s Fast Forward plan to modernize NYC Transit, which seeks, among other goals, to improve bus service and arrest a nationwide trend of falling bus ridership by focusing on customer service and redesigning the entire bus network.

“The addition of bike racks is another step in the Fast Forward Plan to improve bus service and attract new ridership,” said Darryl C. Irick, President of MTA Bus Company and Senior Vice President of the NYC Transit Department of Buses. “Bike racks are a great amenity for customers who want to increase their mobility and take advantage of the city’s growing network of bike lanes and greenways. The racks help customers transport bikes over a long distance and our buses provide a vital connection for people who need help traversing major crossings such as the Whitestone Bridge.”

“As we have seen in Staten Island, adding bike racks to buses is key for making ‘last-mile’ connections to parks, schools, and commercial destinations, encouraging New Yorkers to choose mass transit and green modes for their daily trips,” said Sean Quinn, Senior Director of NYC DOT’s Office of Bicycle and Pedestrian Programs. “Adding racks to the Q50 and Bx23 will further promote cycling, connecting residents of Co-Op City to parks and downtown Flushing’s commercial core. The City is looking to double number of New Yorkers who regularly ride a bicycle by 2020, and these racks are one step toward reaching this goal.”

The bicycle racks will be mounted to the front of the buses, providing space for two bicycles on each bus.

The racks are free to use and available on a first-come, first-served basis. Customers who wish to transport their bicycles must wait for a bus with an available rack. There is no age restriction on usage but the customer must be able to load and unload the bicycle safely and securely, and parents or guardians are asked to use caution when allowing minors to use the racks. Any customer who cannot safely operate the bicycle rack may be restricted from using the service.

The Q50 route operates between Co-op City in the Bronx and the Flushing section in Queens. The Bx23 connects the Co-op City Loop and Pelham Bay in the Bronx. Buses that were part of the earlier Staten Island bike rack pilot are also continuing to operate with the bike racks that were installed during the pilot. The Q50 serves nearly 4,600 customers daily, and the Bx23 route serves nearly 3,800 customers daily. The S53 and S93 routes serve a total of 13,000 customers daily.

A video instructing customers on the safe and proper use of the bicycle racks will be posted at www.mta.info and the MTA’s YouTube channel.