Bikes on Buses: A Melbourne Case Study

Abstract

This paper study presents a case study exemplar of how voluntary professional association's (VPA's) can contribute towards the achievement of societal goals like improving public health, reducing the rate of growth of congestion, reducing transport emissions by developing and implementing multi-stakeholder, industry-wide initiatives that aim to improve the extent of inter-modality for users of bicycles and buses in Victoria, over the long term, not just as an agent of bus operators, but of Government as well. This paper details the historical and current state of the carrying of bicycles on buses in some local and international jurisdictions and suggests two theories that underpin the initiative, being agency theory and the stakeholder perspective. It is expected the results will aid in the decision making associated with the greater proliferation of bicycle racks on buses. This paper extends the hypothesis of agency theory with two agents and presents a case study exemplar for other VPA's (or industry representative bodies) looking at developing industry-wide responses to societal issues.