National Bike Month

May 17, 2022

Photo Credit: Justin Durner Photography

May is National Bike Month. Established in 1956, National Bike Month is celebrated in communities from coast to coast and incorporates several events including National Bike to Work Week (May 16-22, 2022) and National Bike to Work Day (May 20, 2022).

According to the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, there are 112,096 bicyclists in Philly. In the United States, 40% of all trips made are less than two miles, making bicycling a feasible, fun, healthy, and emission-free way to get to and from work. Commuters can travel even farther by combining cycling with public transit. Biking to or from a transit stop can also shorten the last mile to your home or office. And we have bike racks at most of our stations!

In honor of National Bike Month, we want to remind cyclists that bikes are allowed on Regional Rail trains, the Norristown High-Speed Line, Market-Frankford Line, and Broad Street Line on weekdays except for during peak commute times (between 6am and 9:30am and between 4pm and 6:30pm) and all day on Saturday, Sunday, and major holidays. 

If you’re planning to bring your bike on a SEPTA vehicle, it is important you follow Bike & Ride General Guidelines:

• Avoid blocking doorways. This could interfere with the free movement of passengers, the operation of the vehicle, and the safety of the operation.

• Do not place your bicycle on a seat or in a space needed for passenger seating.

• Persons with bicycles on trains must use the same space provided to accommodate persons who use wheelchairs or have other mobility limitations. Be prepared to yield the space to a person with mobility limitations, even if that means leaving the train.

• Make sure you are able to physically lift, properly store, and unload your own equipment.

• Walk alongside your bicycle in SEPTA facilities, and only use stairways and elevators to enter or exit. Please do not use escalators.

• If you have a folding bicycle, make sure it is fully collapsed before bringing it onto a vehicle as luggage. Otherwise, guidelines for non-folding bicycles will apply.

Bicyclists interested in group travel on Regional Rail should contact Rail Transportation at (215) 580-8403 at least five days in advance of the date they wish to coordinate the activity.

Bikes are welcome on buses anytime. Each bike rack located on the front of the bus holds two bikes. Here's how to use the on-vehicle bicycle racks:

Loading a Bicycle

• Before the vehicle arrives, remove all unsecured items from your bicycle, such as water bottles and air pump that might fall off.

• When the vehicle arrives, advise the operator that you will be stowing your bicycle.

• Load your bicycle from the curbside or front of the bus to avoid traffic in the adjacent lanes.

• Squeeze the handle at the top of the rack to release the latch and allow the rack to open.

• Place your bicycle onto the rack and fit the wheels into the labeled slots.

• Raise the support arm over the front tire so that the hook rests at the highest point of the front wheel.

Unloading a Bicycle

• As you exit the vehicle, advise the operator that you will be unloading your bicycle.

• Unload your bicycle from the curb side or front of the bus to avoid traffic in the adjacent lanes.

• Raise the support arm from the front tire. The support arm will automatically fold down into a secure position.

• Lift your bicycle out the rack.

• If there are no other bicycles on the rack being unloaded, squeeze the handle and close the rack.

• To ensure your safety, immediately step to the curb. Wait for the vehicle to pull away and check for traffic before crossing or riding onto the street.

 

So gear up, grab your helmet, your bike, and your SEPTA Key card! No bike - no problem! Check out our friends at Ride Indego!