per new BART car or only 1?
BART has been asked to redesign its new Fleet of the Future cars due to ADA requirements, requiring the space originally planned for bike racks (as shown) to be moved from the center of the new 3-door BART cars to one end of each car. We support improved access for persons with a disability. Unfortunately, staff are not proposing to place bike racks at both ends of each new car, which would allow you to use BART kind of how you currently do, entering either of the two existing doors and getting space for bikes. Having bike space with dedicated racks at both ends of each new car is preferable not only for your convenience, but also because such increased space better organizes bikes during high usage times, improving movement with the cars and the overall experience of all BART commuters, with or without bikes. The BART Board votes February 26 on the new redesign.
Regardless of final car design decisions, BART plans to test ten new cars and see how they operate. The BART Bicycle Advisory Task Force is asking the BART Board to design at least five of these test cars with bike racks at both ends of each car. Bike East Bay supports this ask. Once BART secures these ten test cars, BART will run them for a test period and let the public interact with them and provide feedback. As a BART customer, you will see either a full ten car train with all new cars or one of two 5-car all new trains. You’ll never see a BART train with a mix of old and new cars. If you are lucky to catch a new train, you will experience the new design, either a car with bike racks at both ends or a new car with rack only at one end. It’s a test, and one we want in order to show BART that more bike space is good for all BART customers because it better organizes customers and their bikes on more crowded trains.