Multi-Modal - The Answer to The First & LAST Mile Dilemna

                        

My introduction to bike commuting and Multi-Modal transportation began several years ago when gas prices were just shy of $5.00 per gallon in the Louisville, KY metropolitan area.  I refuse to line the pockets of petroleum company executives with their price gouging. Fortunately, during that period my local transit company; TARC, (Transit Authority of River City) offered $0.25 fares.  The $2.50 weekly cost to use public transportation was a huge savings compared to the $90.00 weekly gas expense of my SUV to commute to and from work at $5.00 per gallon. Unfortunately, like most users of public transportation; our schedules don’t always fit the schedules of public transportation providers.  One day after walking a half mile to catch my bus home and missing it by two minutes and then having to wait an hour for another bus home; I thought there had to be a better way.

A few days later while on my bus ride to work, my solution became clear when I noticed someone bike commuting with panniers.   When I got home that evening I searched the internet for as much information as I could find about bike commuting. I emailed several bike commuters around the world to get their take, watched videos, looked at various bike routes and checked out equipment options as I already had a mountain bike. 

My initial dilemma;  was my 12 mile safe bike route going to offset the time I spent using public transportation.  The following Sunday, I sat out on one of the safe bike routes I had created to determine how long it was going to take to complete my door to work bike commute.  As I figured, my bike commute to work was about the same as using public transportation.  However, by using my bike and public transportation; my Multi-Modal commute home was going to be an hour less than using public transportation exclusively.

That summer several years ago when gas prices were close to $5.00 per gallon started my bike commuting lifestyle.  It led me to bike commute daily to and from work. I devised several more different routes to and from work which eventually led me to arrive at work faster than using the public transportation. I felt more confident biking in heavy morning and afternoon traffic conditions, commuting different types of weather conditions including snow and sub freezing temperatures. It led me to bike commute to complete grocery shopping, to shop at large discount stores and shopping centers, to attend church, doctor’s appointments and eventually giving up my vehicle all together.

The last year I owned a vehicle, I drove less than 3,000 miles while riding my bike almost 7,500.  I was riding my bike more than driving and owning a vehicle with over 250,000 miles; it was soon going to need replacing.  Approaching retirement, it was asinine for me to take on a monthly car payment, so I went carless.  Bike commuting and Multi-Modal transportation has been my mainstay for how I move around. 

However, it was two years into my bike commuting experience before I utilized Multi-Modal transportation.

One of the biggest apprehensions I had about using the bike racks on buses was how to operate the rack.  I was intimidated. More than being intimidated, I was afraid of not securing my bike properly and delaying the bus.   If I, who considered myself an experienced bike commuter was intimidated with operating the bus rack how would novices feel.  Thankfully after watching a few cyclists; like the gentleman above, and also watching a video Using The Bike Rack on a Public Bus, I felt more comfortable.

Now after using Multi-Modal transportation many times, I find it a great way to move around metropolitan Louisville in a timely manner.

However, the one thing I do not understand is why my local transit company and local government don’t promote the use of Multi-Modal transportation more extensively.

The Louisville metropolitan area has many industrial warehouse parks, an International UPS airport facility and two Amazon fulfillment centers where there is limited public transportation coverage.  The use of bike commuting and public transportation offers an alternate means for employees to conquer “The First & LAST Mile” dilemma which a lot of public transportation users face either arriving to work or home.

I have used this approach on many occasions to as part of my journey including a few times during inclement weather and bike touring.

Finally, I wish TARC and the City of Louisville would be more proactive in campaigning the use of Multi-Modal transportation as a viable alternative of transportation around metro Louisville, KY.