Twenty-one new low-floor articulated buses scheduled to go into service this September on the 99 B-Line route will have an added feature, thanks to an arrangement between BC Transit and UBC.
Each of the new buses will be equipped with exterior bicycle racks that allow for the transport of up to two bikes per bus.
The Alma Mater Society (AMS) will contribute $10,000 from its Innovative Projects Fund towards the cost of purchasing and installing the bike racks on the buses.
The proposal for funding was initiated by UBC's Trek Program, the mission of which is to promote sustainable transportation alternatives at the university and beyond.
The bike racks are attached to the front of the buses. Cyclists are responsible for loading and unloading their bikes.
"As the largest bicycle destination and second largest transit destination in the Lower Mainland, linking the two modes of transportation only makes sense," said Vivian Hoffmann, AMS president. "Our student society is proud to support this initiative toward more sustainable transportation options."
The 99 B-Line is a limited-stop bus service operating in the Broadway-Lougheed corridor between UBC and Lougheed Mall.
In addition to introducing bike-rack-equipped low-floor buses to the route this fall, BC Transit will further enhance peak-period service on the 99 B-Line and extend service into the evening.
Ridership on the B-Line exceeded first-year projections by more than 15 per cent and continues to grow since the service was introduced in September 1996.