BIKES ON BUSES
Getting around Bakersfield is easier than ever for bicycle enthusiasts thanks to Golden Empire Transit District’s (GET) Bikes on Buses program. Use your bicycle for part of your trip and the bus for the rest. It’s easy!
Bicycle racks are mounted on the front of each GET fixed-route bus and customers may load a bicycle at any bus stop. The process is quick and easy, usually taking 20 seconds or less. Customers will be accommodated on a first come, first served basis with a limit of one bike per person. There is no charge for your bicycle.
Bike racks are designed for adult size bikes only! Each rack holds two bicycles with wheels 16′ or larger in diameter.
Loading Your Vehicle
Before loading your bicycle, remove water bottles, pumps, accessories or any loose objects that might fall off. When the bus arrives at your bus stop, let the coach operator know you will be loading your bicycle. If the rack is not in the open position, simply pull the handle to release the rack. Lift your bike onto the rack, fitting the wheels into the slots. Front wheel slots are labeled. Raise and release the support arm over the top of the bike’s front tire. Make sure the arm is resting on the tire and not the fender or frame. For safety, be sure to stand only on the curb side of the bus when you load your bicycle.
If the rack is full, but room on the bus allows, the coach operator may permit you to take your bicycle with you on the bus, moving to the back of the vehicle. When the rack and bus are both full, you will need to wait for the next bus.
Unloading Your Bicycle
Tell the coach operator that you will be unloading your bicycle before you de-board the bus. Then just raise the support arm off the tire, move the arm down, lift your bike out of the rack and you’re all done! If there is no other bicycle left on the rack, please fold it up.
After removing your bike from the rack, return to the curb with your bicycle and wait for the bus to leave before entering traffic or crossing the street.
Keeping Your Bike Secure
Bicycles are secured by tires, not the frame, and two loaded bikes do not touch each other while in the rack. You cannot lock the bicycle to the rack. It is the customer’s responsibility to observe his/her bicycle during the trip. Coach operators cannot monitor bicycles and who unloads them. For additional comfort and security, you can use a lock to attach the wheel of the bicycle to the frame of the bicycle. This will help to prevent another passenger from riding off on your bicycle by accident. Remember you cannot lock the bicycle onto the bike rack.
Call 661-869-2GET for route and schedule information and to find out more about how you can combine biking and busing.
GET is not responsible for loss of accessories or damage done to or by bicycles in the process of using the racks or while loading or unloading the bicycle.
