In 1991, the transit agency in Phoenix, Arizona decided to experiment by putting racks that could carry two bicycles on the front of their buses. Three bus routes serving the Arizona State University were picked for the six-month experiment, during which time more than 5,500 bicycles were carried along with their passengers. The experiment proved that combining transit and bicycling could work and the City quickly approved the installation of bike racks on all its buses. Link to project summary . The Seattle system now carries 60,000 bicyclists a month.
Most communities use racks that carry two bicycles.
Bikes can be quickly loaded and unloaded from the bus without causing delays, and rack designs have been modified to ensure bus headlights remain visible and other operational problems do not arise. A number of transit agencies have developed and installed their own racks, while many use commercially available racks that are constantly being improved and updated based on feedback from users and transit agencies. Sportsworks is one such manufacturer. A smaller number of transit agencies allow bicycles to be brought inside their buses. This is usually allowed at the driver's discretion, based on available space, and may be in addition to the availability of racks on the front of the buses.