Jun

Are Bikes Welcome Onboard the Subway?

Posted by admin Published in Transportation Alternatives

To build out that you are not welcome on public transit considering you’re carrying a bicycle is disappointing, particularly that biking seems much more related to taking public transit than using a car. When New York’s mayor Michael Bloomberg said, “I don’t run the subway system, I don’t run the [Metropolitan Transportation Authority], but whether I did - whether I had total ability - I guess I’d say it’s too crowded for bikes,” bicyclists were outraged.

Currently the policy is that bicycles are allowed at all times of day on the subway. But since the bus system does not have bike racks, unlike several other American cities, folks who ride their bikes to public transit have no choice but to bring it on the trains.

With the recent surge in transit ridership, the city’s subway system has become much more crowded. The MTA already has guidelines that propose lettered lines have wider trains as well as larger platforms, and that bicyclists should wait for the next trains whether the first one is too crowded. Bicycle advocacy groups say that bicyclists with common sense know the appropriate hours to take the train.

Some systems, like San Francisco’s BART, have banned bicycles during convinced hours (or during all hours altogether). Some

transit systems that have special designated bike cars or bike racks onboard their trains.

In Paris, one major solution to construct bikes accessible to everyone was the creation of the Velib’ bicycle rental program. There are hundreds of Velib’ bike hiring points - it seems like every building is nearby one. Since one can return the bike to any hiring point, the system works well for short distance hops (the rental is free for 30 minutes). It complements the transit system by allowing metro passengers to bike to the subway, and next bike again to their final destination without having to bring the bicycle on the trains.

Earlier that year, New York adopted a transportation plan that has goals to add 200 miles worth of bike lanes in the city and several bike parking shelters. Yet, the mayor says considering of the growing ridership, “the only wheels on the subways [he] wants to see are on baby strollers.” The MTA has not made any changes of rules regarding bicycles.

Photo: Flickr user Petroleum Jelliffe.

Original post by Alexander Lew