Every Mountain Line bus features a bike rack that can hold up to three bicycles, so you can bike and bus in perfect harmony and extend your trip almost anywhere. We also have strategically-placed bike racks, tool towers and air compressors to fill your tires along our routes.
Our bike racks are easy to use and it only takes a few seconds to load your bicycle. Electric bicycles are allowed; however, the racks are too narrow to accommodate fat-tire bikes.
As the bus approaches, have your bike ready to load. Remove water bottles, pumps or any loose items that may fall off. Signal to the driver you are loading your bike. For safety reasons, the driver can’t get off the bus to help you, but they can tell you how to use the rack.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Loading Your Bike
Once the bus has come to a complete stop, signal to the driver that you’ll be loading your bike. Remove any loose items that may fall off during the ride.
Approach the bus from the curbside. Squeeze the handle up to release the latch, then fold down the bike rack.
Lift your bike onto the rack, fitting the wheels into the wheel slots. Each slot is clearly labeled for the front wheel. All bike positions are independent of each other, making it easy to load or unload any bike, even if other bikes are loaded.
Raise the support arm over the front tire. The support arm needs to be raised so that the hook rests beyond the highest point of the tire closest to the frame. The hooks are designed to fit over fenders.
Unloading Your Bike
Don’t forget you have a bike with you when you get off at your stop! For safety reasons, it is very important to tell your driver you need to unload your bike when you approach your stop.
Raise the support arm off the tire. Move the support arm down, out of your way.
Lift your bike out of the rack.
Fold up the bike rack if there are no other bikes in the rack.
Servicing Your Bike
The Downtown Transfer Center & Missoula Public Library Bike Stations give downtown riders a place to store and lock bikes out of the weather. These bike stations also offer tool towers and free air compressors for pumping tires. They are available to anyone, whether they ride the bus or not.
The University of Montana, Lewis & Clark Park and Ride & Southgate Mall Bike Stations offer riders a place to store and lock bikes while on the line or out enjoying the community. These bike stations also offer tool towers and free air compressors for pumping tires. They’re available to anyone who needs them.
Hand pumps for tires, tool towers and bike racks are also available at the Bonner Post Office, Walmart off Route 7, and at the Great Northern & American Way on the east side of Barnes & Noble.
By making our system bike friendly, we’re adding convenience, promoting alternative methods of transportation and traffic reduction, assisting with the ease of parking and helping improve our air quality. Grab your bike for the ultimate park and ride!
