State Representative Ann Paulsen (D. Belmont) praising the improvements in the Bikes on the T program

MBTA Deputy General Manager Mike Mulhern opens the bike rack on the front of a Crosstown bus

MassBike President-Elect Paul Schimek loads a second bike onto a bus rack

MBTA Bikes on the T Update, September 2000

The following summary is by MassBike President-elect Paul Schimek, who attended the MBTA's September 6 press conference at the Sullivan Square Station in Charlestown.

As of October 1, no special bike permits will be needed on subways and commuter rail. The same restrictions apply as before (not weekday peak hour peak direction on commuter rail, only 10 am to 2 pm and after 7:30 weekdays on the subways, not at all on the Green Line, etc.). They have printed up new "Bikes on the T" brochures. We have a version on the web now. MassBike will have a bunch of copies, and the T has promised to put them on racks throughout their system, as well as getting them to all line staff.
Here is the MBTA's press release.
Here are the MBTA's rules for taking a bike on the T.

For September 2000 only, passes will be available for free from MassBike (info@massbike.org or 617 542-BIKE). You only need one if you don't have a current pass and want to put your bike on the T this month.

Bike racks for up to 2 bikes have been added to the 3 Crosstown bus routes. I tried them and they are easy to use. There is a "Rack and Roll" brochure on the buses which explains this. No pass necessary. You can use them right now. The CT2 route was extended from Kendall to Sullivan Square with an intermediate stop in Union Square in Somerville. Click here to see the "Rack and Roll" pamphlet.

The buses for the Crosstown routes have turquoise C logos on them, automatic stop announcements, and new bus stop signs, with information on routes, schedules, and fares (shocking! it's only a bus after all). The fare is the regular bus fare, but subway passes are also accepted, and if you don't have a subway pass you can buy a subway transfer for an extra $0.25 (this is the same policy used on the #39 bus). [HTML Schedules]

• The CT-1 bus goes from B.U. Medical Center in the South End to Central Square, via Mass. Ave (a limited stop version of the #1) every 15 min. weekdays only. [Map] [PDF Schedule]
• The CT-2 bus goes from Ruggles Station to Sullivan Square every 20 min. weekdays only. [Map] [PDF Schedule]
• The CT-3 bus goes from the Longwood Medical area to Logan Airport, weekdays every 15 min., but weekends it only runs from Andrew Station (Red Line) to the Airport. [Map] [PDF Schedule]

Expect further progress from the MBTA Bikes and Transit Committee where MassBike continues to work with the T.

[The racks are Sport Racks and hold two bikes each. I could operate the rack with one hand while holding the bike with the other, getting a lot of practice for various cameras. They hold small 26-inch tires and Paul's 27-inch (or 700C, I'm not sure which) quite firmly, but the 700x38C tires on my Specialized Crossroads barely fit. -Doug Mink]