I have a friend who tours both Europe and USA and who relies on public transportation to get to their tour sites. He and his wife also have folding bikes (Dahons), which are fitted into soft luggage bags. Their luggage (and the bikes) are accepted by the carriers, including AMTRAC.
-----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Robbie Webber Sent: Sunday, November 01, 2009 9:28 PM To: bikies Subject: Re: [Bikies] Folding Bikes & Bus Travel As someone who has frequently use the Van Galder, and for those who may not be familiar with the service/policies, they accept luggage that goes underneath the bus, not just in the overhead bins, and there is no charge for any of this luggage. Since I often see the buses loading in front of Memorial Union, I know that many students (and other passengers) place large items (suitcases, strollers, golf clubs, skis, etc.) in the lower luggage area, and am not aware of any additional charge. They may charge for very large items, but Aaron's folding bike, which fits in a bag, is no larger a standard suitcase that one would check on the airlines. I know that Van Galder, and most bus companies, leave the decision to the bus driver whether a standard bike can be placed on the bus. Some don't charge at all, some allow it if there isn't too much other luggage, and some require it to be boxed. (Again this is a regular bike, not a folding bike.) Almost all buses, trains, airlines, and other transit companies do NOT charge more than standard luggage fees for a folding bike that is placed in a bag or suitcase. That is, if they don't charge for a regular "big" suitcase, they don't charge for a folding bike. It seems that this particular driver is the problem, not the bus company in general. I would suggest making a complaint directly about the driver in question. But it would be nice if Van Galder had a more bike-friendly policy that was understood by all drivers and passengers. Robbie Webber Bike Walk Madison Steering Committee www.bikewalkmadison.org Join our group on Facebook! _______________________________________________ Bikies mailing list [email protected] http://lists.danenet.org/listinfo.cgi/bikies-danenet.org _______________________________________________ Bikies mailing list [email protected] http://lists.danenet.org/listinfo.cgi/bikies-danenet.org
