BART just completed its 2nd pilot for an all-hours bikes on BART test this past week and again, like last August’s pilot, few passengers even noticed the difference. Early reports show that things went smoothly with little if any inconvenience to non-bicycling BART customers. We will continue to work with BART officials to review this latest bike pilot with a goal of lifting the bike ‘blackout’ periods forever. In the meantime, it is essential that BART hear from its bicycling customers that you support lifting the bike blackout.
Provide your positive feedback to BART about this great bike pilot.
Read the Full Report on the Successful Bikes on BART Pilot
BART is trying an expanded bike access pilot of allowing you and your bike on all trains and in all stations for all operating hours. It happens now, the week of March 18-22 and again the East Bay Bicycle Coalition will be working closely with BART officials to ensure things go smoothly. Every day that week bikes will be welcomed on board and the commute hour restrictions will lifted for all trains and stations. At the same time BART is introducing one new rule – that bikes will not be allowed on the first 3 cars of each train during commute hours (7am-9am and 4:30pm-6:30pm). BART is lifting the bike blackout periods for this full week in March and welcoming you and your bike to commute into San Francisco in the morning and back home in the evening, and all times in between. The daily blackout periods currently prohibit traveling with a bike towards San Francisco during morning rush hour, and away from San Francisco in the evening. This second pilot lifting of the “bike blackout,” is taking us another major step towards a truly bike-friendly BART.
You can help win permanent access for bikes on BART in three easy ways: 1) set a great example of courtesy to other BART passengers by following some simple rules listed below, 2) take the survey from the link above, once it opens on March 18, and let BART know that commute-hours bike access works fine, and 3) volunteer for a two-hour shift as a bike ambassador. Bike ambassadors will remind passengers with bikes about good bike practices while on BART and help answer questions. The East Bay Bicycle Coalition’s first big success after we formed in the 70’s was winning access for bikes on BART. We have been working closely with BART staff to develop this plan for this second pilot. Sign up as a BART Bike Ambassador Today we have a chance to win full-time access, something we have been working on for years. But we can only win this with your help. We need you to be a great ambassador for bikes when you take your bike on board BART during the pilot the week of March 18. Here are a few suggestions for how you can be an exemplary bicycle citizen on BART, for this pilot week in March, and everyday:
- If a car is crowded, board another car or wait for the next train. Do not try to wedge a bike into a crowded car.
- Stay out of the 1st car, bikes still not allowed in this lead car (first three cars during commute hours)
- Exit and board quickly to keep trains on time. A delayed train can have a ripple effect through the entire BART system.
- Step aside when doors are closing to avoid delaying the train.
- Be mindful of your fellow riders and make sure your bike is leaving them adequate space.
- When possible use the designated “bike space” on the cars that have it.
- Do yield to pregnant, disabled and elderly passengers.
- Click here for a complete list of rules for bikes on BART
BART has shown a strong commitment to better bike access through the 2012 Draft BART Bicycle Plan, including plans to double the number of people who arrive at BART by bike. We are delighted to see the steps BART is taking to be a truly bicycle-friendly transit system. Improving bike access will help make our whole region more accessible and will help BART to increase ridership as well. These positive changes at BART would not be possible without the hard work of many advocates. In particular we want to thank BART Director (and former EBBC Director) Robert Raburn for leading the way on bike access on BART. We also want to thank Dr. Shirley Johnson and everyone involved with the Bikes on Board campaign, and our partners across the bay, the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition. This is our chance to win full-time access for bikes on BART. By being a good ambassador on BART with your bike on these pilot days you are helping to make our City and our region more accessible by bike. Let’s show BART that permanently lifting this rush hour ban on bikes will increase ridership and make BART accessible to all.