Outreach Newsletter 090105

BIKES ONboard; Our History In 2006, Caltrain received a $250,000 grant to develop a Caltrain Bicycle Master Plan. In public meetings and surveys, Caltrain made it clear that its Bicycle Master Plan would not increase onboard capacity. Instead the plan would focus on improvements in bicycle parking and station access. In response to Caltrain’s lack of planning for its onboard bicycle service, a group of concerned bicyclists formed the BIKES ONboard team. BIKES ONboard is made up of bicyclists from all three counties served by Caltrain, and sponsored by the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition (SFBC). After public criticism of the limited scope of Caltrain’s Bicycle Master Plan, Caltrain changed the name to Bicycle Access and Parking Plan (BAPP). The Caltrain board adopted the BAPP in October 2008, with no funds available for its implementation. The BAPP can be found at www.caltrain.com.


  
  

January 5, 2009

Caltrain’s Strategy: A “Modest” Increase? Caltrain staff said they plan a “modest” increase in capacity per bike car by spring, but with only one bike car per train. The net result will be a system-wide decrease in the number of bike spaces. Caltrain is focusing on consistency over capacity. This is unacceptable!

Act Now! Send an email to Caltrain by January 15 telling them we need 80 bikes per train, so we don’t get bumped anymore! See our web page for details: www.sfbike.org/caltrain_bob_200812

The BIKES ONboard team authored a Plan for Bicycle Carriage on Caltrain to fill in the missing piece of Caltrain’s bike plan. We presented our Plan to the Caltrain board in August 2008. http://www.sfbike.org/download/actions/caltrain/Plan_Bikes_on_Caltr ain_SFBC.pdf

What We Want

In response to strong public interest, Caltrain staff agreed to study a “modest” increase in onboard bike capacity, to be implemented by spring 2009. We fear that Caltrain’s “modest” increase will not solve the bike capacity problem, and we’ll still get bumped.

Do not pursue bike sharing. Cyclists don’t want to ride heavy, illfitting, poorly maintained bikes – the usual fare for shared bikes. Funds are better spent on increasing onboard bike capacity.

We Need Your Help The email you write to Caltrain today is important, and we need you to stay involved. Let the Caltrain board and staff, community leaders, and state and federal officials know you support bikes onboard Caltrain. Continue to write letters to the editor, be an advocate, and encourage your friends and neighbors to get involved. Work with the SFBC or similar organizations to be united in our efforts.

Provide capacity for 80 bikes on every train by replacing seats with bike racks. Every train should have two adjacent bike cars, each carrying 40 bikes. Leave enough seats near the bikes, so cyclists can guard against bike theft.

Delay adding more bike parking at stations until the capacity problem is resolved. Onboard capacity is the number one priority for Caltrain’s bicycling customers.

What We Want Right Now Place aisle striping on the bike car floor and allow as many bicycles as possible at each rack while keeping the striped aisle clear. Racks have five bungee cords, and can easily hold more than four bikes. Give cyclists priority boarding at the bike car, and ask non-bike passengers to sit in other cars. Eliminate bicycle entrance and exit doors on Bombardier bike cars.

Additional Information at: www.sfbike.org/caltrain_bob

Make the second bike car easily identifiable by painting the back of the mirror bright yellow.

Bikes on Board Caltrain; The Right Thing to Do

A Perfect Combination

Cost Effective All Caltrain passengers are subsidized, because fare box revenue covers only 40% of operating costs. Most Caltrain users require some additional transportation to and from the station. Bikes on board users require only a space for their bicycle; they do not require a parking space, bus, or shuttle service. When all costs are considered, bikes on board provides one of the most cost-effective methods available. This table from BIKES ONboard’s Plan for Bicycle Carriage on Caltrain illustrates subsidies; see the Plan for references. Travel mode to station walk walk walk bike* bike* bus bus shuttle drive drive

Travel mode to destination walk bus shuttle bike bike bus shuttle shuttle walk Bus/shuttle

Subsidy $5 $10 $11 $13 $5 $16 $16 $17 $25 $31

*Bikes on board cost of $13 is exaggerated, as this subsidy is based upon the bicyclist taking a seat from a paying passenger. This rarely, if ever, happens. Almost all trains have many empty seats, so the true subsidy is only $5.

Environmental and Community Benefits Per Caltrain’s February 2008 passenger count, there were 2382 bike boardings per weekday. For an average three-mile bike trip per boarding, this works out to 7,150 fewer automobile miles per weekday or 1,860,000 miles per year. This also represents 1000 tons of CO2 emissions not produced. We estimate that Caltrain is currently losing 1000 bike boardings per weekday due to insufficient bicycle capacity on board trains. If capacity were increased to meet today’s demand, this would be 10,150 miles not driven per weekday or 2,640,000 miles per year and 1500 tons of CO2 not produced. Imagine also the reductions in traffic congestion and gasoline consumption, quieter and safer streets, air pollution reductions with healthier and calmer neighborhoods.

+ Bikes on board exactingly serves Caltrain’s self-proclaimed mandate “to get people out of their cars and onto the trains”.

Proven Success Caltrain’s onboard bicycle service has been in continuous operation since 1992, and has a proven track record of success. The most recent increase in onboard bike capacity was in 2002 to accommodate growing demand, but that capacity is no longer sufficient today. In 2006, routine bumping (bicyclists denied boarding due to bike cars filled to capacity) began limiting growth. From 2003 to 2006, bicycle passengers increased 41%, but from 2006 to 2008, bicycle passengers increased only 5% due to limited bike capacity on board trains. Walk-on passenger growth during both periods was constant at 16%. Bicyclists are being turned away from trains and have to find alternate commute options, usually driving.

Benefits for You Bicycling is often faster than public transportation, and it provides greater flexibility. No need to wait for an arriving shuttle or bus, just jump on your bike and go! Bicycling is a healthy commute method, and saves your employer health care expenses, because you maintain a healthier lifestyle compared with sitting in your car driving to work. Combining your bike with Caltrain enables you a large travel range, previously not possible without a car.

Additional Information at: www.sfbike.org/caltrain_bob