The Good Balita

By Malorie D. Magsuci

Commuters hold their bicycles in a coach of the Light Rail Transit 2 during the launching of the Bike O2 project of the LRTA yesterday. AP [Philstar]

‘Bike On, Bike Off’ is the brainchild of the Light Rail Transit Administration (LRTA) and Tiklop society, a bicycle advocacy group. The project officially allows folding bikes to board the trains of the public transport system.

Cycling enthusiasts and supporters gathered and boarded the LRT line 2 from Araneta Cubao station to Legarda station with their folding bikes, marking the start of bimodal transportation, the use of two different modes of transport (in this case, a train and a bicycle), in the Philippines. This way, a commuter can easily go to his or her point of destination after alighting the train without the hassles of walking or waiting for a jeepney ride, saving time, energy, and a few pesos.

With this project, a cyclist could board the train the same way as a non-cyclist would – going through inspection, buying a ticket and going through the turnstile, with a little added bonus of carrying the folded bike. Here are a few ways to make the trip easier for all is to:

• Make sure to fold the bike properly to avoid accidental ‘unfoldings’ in the train.
• Keep the greasy bike chains away from other commuters.
• Place the bike in between your legs to give free space to other commuters.

For now, only a maximum of four bicycle-carrying passengers with 16” to 20” bikes are allowed in one trip. They occupy a given area called the ‘green zone’ located at the end of the last cart. A folding bike does not occupy much space, so maybe upon seeing good results and an increase in supporters, the LRTA may dedicate a whole cart for cycling commuters. And concerned groups would also be happy to see parking spots allotted for full sized bikes in the station in the near future.

It has been a dream for cyclists for this to happen and thus, initiated by a phone call from the LRTA administrator Mr. Mel Robles to Tiklop society head Mr. Pio Fortuno Jr., the planning, policy-making, and execution took a span of a month with only a few bumps on the road, if none at all.

Before the official start of the project, the members of cycling groups such as the Firefly Brigade and the UP Mountaineers’ Padyak Project Foundation conducted a dry-run to test the possibility of the project. Equipped with their folding bikes and the will to make a dream a reality, the two teams entered the stations of the LRT line 1 and 2, folded their bikes and carried them, fell in line, went through inspection, bought tickets, went through the turnstiles, boarded the trains and experienced the ride. Needless to say, the experiment was successful.

The Tiklop society, founded by Fortuno, is a bicycle advocacy group that supports a healthier and environment friendly way of travel. According to him, the project does not only benefit cyclists but almost all people in Metro Manila. It provides a safer way of travel, keeping a lot of commuting cyclists away from the dangers of major open roads. It also promotes a healthier environment when private vehicle users catch on with the wave and use their carbon monoxide emitters less often or even try the bimodal transportation. It does not only help clear the road but it helps clear the air as well. The society can help educate you from your bicycle queries to environmental issues that need the public’s attention. You can visit tiklop.org or email Mr. Fortuno at bykerouac@gmail.com for more details.

(Story courtesy of Manila Bulletin)

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