Milwaukee, WI – On Thursday, June 4 at noon members of the media and transit supporters are invited to join the Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS), Milwaukee County Supervisors Michael Mayo, Patricia Jursik, Marina Dimitrijevic, and Christopher Larson, and the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin for the launch of Bikes on Buses. Following remarks at the Milwaukee County Courthouse, Supervisors Jursik and Larson will load their bikes on MCTS bike racks and ride the bus to O’Donnell Park for a celebratory Lakefront Ride.

The installation began in May and currently 324 buses of the 479 MCTS buses are equipped with the front racks. Please see attached fact sheet for the specific routes which have buses with bike racks.

“We are pleased to provide increased convenience to our riders,” said Anita Gulotta-Connelly, MCTS Managing Director. “We hope this project will allow even more individuals access to bus routes. It is also a great way for bike riders to get to our great county parks and enjoy a ride.”

Each rack holds two standard bikes with 16” and larger wheel dimensions. Recumbent bikes, tandem bikes and three-wheeled bikes are not allowed on bike racks, as they do not fit securely in the racks.

A “how-to” guide for bikes on buses can be found in a brochure on all buses, as well as on RideMCTS.com. Riders should remember to always tell the operator when they are loading and unloading their bikes. Due to safety reasons, the operator cannot assist with the racks.

The project is funded by a $650,000 grant, with a $32,500 local match. The project was approved by the Milwaukee County Board in the 2009 budget. It costs roughly $350,000 for the racks, installation and parts, as well as another $140,000 for vehicle and facility modifications.

The racks will also be demonstrated throughout Bike to Work Week, June 6-12. Also, Breakaway Bike Messengers, will be donning shoulder bags with the Bikes on Buses logo the week of June 15 to help spread the word.

The Byk-Rack brand racks are manufactured by Midwest Bus Corporation in Michigan. The Milwaukee County Transit System operates every day of the week, providing more than 42 million rides each year.