Bike Plus Train A Perfect Combination!

1. Bike Plus TrainA Perfect Combination! BIKES ONboard Project Shirley Johnson, Ph.D. June 3, 2009 1

2. Outline • Access to public transit • Case study: Caltrain’s onboard bicycle service • BIKES ONboard project • Caltrain’s concerns • Caltrain’s progress • Summary Reference: SFBC Plan for Bicycle Carriage on Caltrain www.sfbike.org/caltrain_bob June 3, 2009

3. Access to Public Transit • People living within ½ mile of a station are three times more likely to use transit • In 10 minutes, average person can • walk ½ mile • bike 2 miles • Cycling increases accessibility by 16-fold! ½ mi 2 mi www.sfbike.org/caltrain_bob June 3, 2009

4. Bike Plus Train • Average bike commuter will ride 3 miles • Combining bike plus train considerably extends travel range • Bike to the station • Bring bike on board for a fast trip • Bike to destination • Caltrain is a national leader with its onboard bicycle service  a good case study + www.sfbike.org/caltrain_bob June 3, 2009

5. Caltrain’s Onboard Bike Service • Enormously popular • Offers convenience and flexibility; 40% of cyclists vary their normal commute pattern • Suburban stations have limited public transportation; biking is often faster • Green commute method • Biking is fun and great exercise • Over 7% of Caltrain passengers bring a bike onboard • Caltrain could not have anticipated the success www.sfbike.org/caltrain_bob June 3, 2009

6. Cyclists Bumped Daily • Caltrain’s bicycle capacity is insufficient • Cyclists with paid tickets left behind • Trains have empty seats Bumped in Palo Alto, Sept 2007 www.sfbike.org/caltrain_bob June 3, 2009

7. Cyclists Exceed Capacity 2008 farebox revenue loss ~ $1 million www.sfbike.org/caltrain_bob June 3, 2009

8. Solution: Add Bike Capacity • Add onboard bike space • More passengers Pulling out of SF, Sept 2008 • Fewer empty seats • More revenue www.sfbike.org/caltrain_bob June 3, 2009

9. BIKES ONboard Project: Goals and Scope Goals • Increase bicycle capacity on-board Caltrain's existing trains by 2009 • Ensure recommendations for Caltrain's new rolling stock (for electrification in 2015) meet bicyclists' needs www.sfbike.org/caltrain_bob June 3, 2009

10. Caltrain’s Concerns • Dwell time • Seat removal • Subsidies www.sfbike.org/caltrain_bob June 3, 2009

11. Bikes cause dwell time delays? • Bicycle boardings increased 45% from 2003 to 2007. • No significant change in on-time performance. www.sfbike.org/caltrain_bob June 3, 2009

12. Inadvertent Experimental Trial: Seat Removal • On May 30, 2008, Caltrain removed 14 cars from service for emergency repairs • Reduced seating capacity • Ridership increased 5% from May to June • No walk-on passengers bumped www.sfbike.org/caltrain_bob June 3, 2009

13. Inadvertent Experimental Trial: Seat Removal Conclusion: Removing empty seats does not decrease ridership. www.sfbike.org/caltrain_bob June 3, 2009

14. Estimated Subsidies www.sfbike.org/caltrain_bob June 3, 2009

15. Caltrain’s Progress • Caltrain is increasing onboard bike capacity • In process of adding 8 bike spaces per bike car by end of July 2009, a 28% increase • Converting two cars to bike cars by Sept 2009 • One-third of trains specified to have 80 bike spaces • Need more onboard bike capacity • After Sept 2009, two-thirds of trains will vary unpredictably with 24, 40, 48 or 80 bikes per train • Inconsistent service drives away paying customers • Consistent 80 bikes per train needed to meet demand www.sfbike.org/caltrain_bob June 3, 2009

16. Summary • BIKES ONboard continues to help Caltrain plan for success • Need better consistency today • Onboard bike service must be a high priority for new rolling stock specifications • Bike plus train is a perfect combination! • Green for the planet • Convenient for commuters • Cost-effective for transit agencies www.sfbike.org/caltrain_bob June 3, 2009