With child by bike, bus and rail – a mom’s story
Taking your bike onto transit bus and rails can be surprisingly easy. And it’s an excellent way to extend your range to near and far corners of the Silicon Valley and Bay Area, in an affordable, healthy, environmentally friendly — and adventurous — way.
Check out the latest video clip from Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) and Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition (SVBC). It takes the mystery out of the bike-bus-train connection with brief visuals that show how simple it can be. You’ll find it in English and Spanish just below.
Or talk to Darcie Green.
Darcie and Hathorne’s story
The single mom recently set out with her 6-year-old son, Hathorne, on their first-ever venture by bike, bus and rail. Their goal: Get from their home in the Alum Rock area of San Jose to downtown, where streets were to be closed to vehicle traffic for the day for the Viva Calle open streets festival.
More challenging, Hathorne had never ridden a bike before. Darcie is an occasional rider at best. “That day, he was going to learn.”
“Nervous” and “a little concerned” are words Darcie uses to describe the morning hours leading to the adventure. How do I find a route? Will the bus or train be on time? How do I get a ticket? Will it be hard to wrestle our bikes on board? What if my son has a terrible experience? Important questions.
What did they discover?
“It went from the morning, of ‘No, we’re not going to go, it’s too much hassle,’ to two hours later, we were going. You can do it spontaneously, it is simple, it didn’t take that much planning, people are super friendly, the environment on the bus and train is great,” Darcie says.
“It was just very simple and easy … it was just such a great experience for me and my son, as mother and son.”
They did have help. A knowledgeable friend — Shiloh Ballard, executive director of SVBC — pointed them to easily available information and provided encouragement, including coming by to accompany them into town.
Resources include:
Santa Clara County: Valley Transportation Authority
San Mateo County: SamTrans
Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition: Education
They quickly found a bus station just minutes from their home.
Bus and rail schedules and maps were also online — buses came by their local stop every seven minutes — and the stops themselves had a phone number and web link for checking bus status if the schedule was in doubt — what Darcie terms “an abundance of guidance.”
The buses have a rack for bikes — and the driver was happy to help with the rack, or to let them bring the bikes on board if need be. The driver also filled them in on the best routes to their destination, and ways to make light rail connection. “The bus drivers are super-super friendly, and really helpful.”
At the light rail station, they likewise were surprised that it was easier than expected to find their route, buy passes and stow their bikes.
Once downtown, they toured the area. Hathorne had a fall — a heart-stopping moment for any parent. He got up, took a short break, and was back on and rolling. They attended a children’s “bike rodeo” at the SVBC office, downtown on 11th Street, where a ride leader instructed in basic techniques, safety and equipment. They went to lunch.
And then more riding, until the Viva Calle event’s street closures ended. The excursion turned into a full day of adventure — with Darcie and Hathorne returning home worn and happy about 5 pm — and a success.
“We closed the event, and we were on our bikes the whole time,” Darcie says. “What a great activity to do with my son and he still talks about that day. Just the look on his face as he was learning to ride his bike … and the look his face when he fell but he gets back on top … by the end he was ‘Race you to that corner mom!’ VTA helped make that happen.“
Below, see Valley Transportation Authority/Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition feature videos on taking your bike by bus or rail — in English and Spanish
Valley Transportation Authority and Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition video on taking bike on bus or light rail