BikePGH has taught hundreds of trainee bus operators how to safely share the road with bike riders

Getting Pittsburghers around without personal motor vehicles is a joint effort which is why we’ve worked for years with Pittsburgh Regional Transit (formerly known as Pittsburgh Port Authority) to provide commuters with options. From our advocacy to install bike racks on every bus to our work educating trainees, it’s a relationship that is crucial to our mission.

2024 has been a milestone in our educational partnership because we will have trained roughly 300 operator trainees by the end of the year. There’s a good chance that your next PRT bus driver will have been trained by us. So, what have the trainees learned from us about driving around cyclists and what should cyclists know about sharing the road with buses?

Share the Road

This video, shown at every PRT operator training, highlights the importance of sharing the road with bike riders, and also gives bike riders some tips on being safe around buses. We clarify what the law allows bike riders to do, such as “taking the lane” for safety and we also point out some common cyclist behaviors that may be less-than-legal but should be watched out for such as riding on sidewalks or rolling through stop signs.

Tips for Bus Drivers

• Pass bike riders with care: 4 ft. is the law!
• Don’t “leapfrog” by passing bike riders and then abruptly turning in front of them
• Understand that bike riders “taking the lane” is a legal and safe practice
• Do not drive into the bike lane unless pulling over to service a bus stop
• Kneel the bus and give passengers time to load/unload bikes from racks

Tips for Bike Riders

• Be predictable
• Ride in the direction of traffic
• Follow the law- stop at red lights and stop signs
• Avoid riding on the sidewalk
• Do not pass buses on the right unless in a bike lane
• Be mindful of buses’ blindspots
• Be mindful of discharging passengers
• Never pass a bus in a bus-bike lane
• Use front and rear lights when riding after dark

Respect Bikes and Bike Infrastructure

Inspired by The League of American Bicyclists Bicycle Friendly Driver curriculum, we’ve taught bus drivers how to look out for bike riders, respect bike infrastructure, and understand how bike riders utilize different types of on-street bike facilities. One thing drivers learn is that bike infrastructure makes bike rider behavior more predictable by giving them a clearly delineated place on the road.

Be Empathetic

We show the below video from a bus driver’s training in Cariacica, Brazil to illustrate what it feels like to be closely passed by a speeding bus. Although we do not, yet, perform this on-the-saddle training, the video itself elicits strong reactions from trainees who may never have considered how it feels to be passed closely by a 30,000-pound vehicle while biking. We also remind drivers that while interactions on the roadways can sometimes be tense, we’re all human beings trying to get from point A to point B safely. Pittsburgh’s Vision Zero pledge means that all road users have a role to play to keep each other safe.

How to Rack and Roll

Watch the video below for instructions on using the bus bike rack. When using the bus bike rack, inform the driver where your stop is, so that they know to give you additional time to get your bike. Note: bus racks may not fit bikes that have extra-wide tires, longer than normal wheelbase, or bikes that are over fifty pounds. Also note, drivers are not permitted to help you to load or unload your bike from the rack.

How to Give PRT Feedback

Whether you’ve witnessed PRT drivers doing a great or less-than-great job, your feedback can help improve service and hold employees accountable. If you experience any issues with bus drivers (reckless driving etc) or bike racks on buses (if one happens to be broken or a bus arrives without a rack), or even want to give praise just follow these simple steps:

1. Take down the four-digit vehicle ID number, found on the back exterior or front interior of the bus, give that number to customer service.
2. If you can’t get the four digit ID, be sure to get the bus route, time, and location of when you intended to board the bus (e.g. “the rack on the 54C route at 1:12 p.m. on South 18th Street at Carson Street…”).
3. Contact Port Authority Customer Service at 412-442-2000 (put that number in your cell phone).  Or send them a complaint or praise. NOTE: If you want the Port Authority to respond to your complaint and follow up with you, you must let them know in your email or phone call, otherwise they won’t respond.
4. If you’ve actually been struck by a PRT bus you can make a claim here.

We’re All in It Together

Whether on the saddle or in a bus seat, we’re all devoted to getting Pittsburghers around safely. We remind transit drivers that a better Pittsburgh for biking is also a better one for walking and public transit. We’re all safer when we look out for each other. If you’d like to be an advocate for better public transit in Pittsburgh, visit Pittsburghers for Public Transit and find out how to get involved. Contact us at education@bikepgh.org if you have any questions or concerns about biking around buses.