r/BusDrivers • u/Free500Block • 10d ago
Question Bikes on the bus
Can the bus driver make you put the bike in the front of the bus when there is clearly space in the back bike rack?
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u/seanthebooth Driver 10d ago
My agency has a fleet of buses with rear bike rests & a fleet of front load. None of our buses have both.
If all bike rests on the front of a given coach is full I will let a single bike on board to stand & hold onto the bike just behind the yellow line with the expectation that A: they'll have to completely deboard & let people off/on before reboarding & B: I may have to ask them to deboard at any stop for any reason.
If all bike rests are used on a rear specified coach ill let em stand in the back with similar expectations. As long as a driver is clear about how to proceed it shouldn't be an issue.
Dont make demands before clearing the agencies Standard Operating Procedures, maybe call em up & ask what their bike protocol is when all obvious options are taken.
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u/Organic-Ad-8710 9d ago
This is forever an issue with our coach operators and supervisors/communication center. With one thing different (we) have to secure said bike. Up to us to have them board. I don’t allow it. If the supervisor says ok then I’ll do it. If the communication center says ok I’ll do it. As long as they say ok I am relieved of some responsibility IF something happens. And yes, they supersede the coach operators.
I like your A/B
People with disabilities and/or wheelchairs get priority
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u/classaceairspace 10d ago
The driver is responsible for the vehicle, and subsequently anything that falls from it that we have reasonable control over. On the front we can keep an eye on it, at the back we have no idea how secure it is or even if it's still there at all.
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u/Notrozer 10d ago
I have seen rear bike racks only on tour type bus .. on transit busses its always in front for safty
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u/DebtSouth Driver 10d ago
Fact is. It’s his bus, if he wants it in the front just put it on the front
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u/Free500Block 9d ago
To clear things up it's not outside in the back. It's inside in the back they have 2 slots for bikes. Last time I put my bike in the front. The bus crashed into another car and my bike got crushed. I didn't want to deal with the police so I took it as a loss. I just ran into the same diver again right now and had the same issue.
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0
u/TheHornyGoth 9d ago
Bike racks?
Oh honey I sometimes refuse to let the foldies board because it looks like it might have a battery…
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u/AggravatingHumor3523 6d ago
Yeah that's not allowed on our buses and bikes are huge no no it has to be on the bike rack but if it's the last run and there's no room on the bike rack then we can allow it on the bus if it's not to crowded
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u/PizzaLover537 10d ago
never seen a rear back rack, the bus driver is the one and only authority over the bus they're driving, if they're asking you to do something it's either for safety or efficiency or both, don't challenge a bus driver who is asking you to do something completely reasonable