In the past two weeks, I’ve received three separate stories from readers about TriMet fare inspectors and security personnel pulling cyclists off trains for various reasons.
At issue is how security personnel are enforcing TriMet’s official policy governing bicycles on MAX trains. I realize that security personnel are contracted by a third-party, so I understand the challenge of educating them about specific policies. However confusion over the rules regarding bicycles on MAX has persisted for a long time and it would be great to finally do something about it.
First, I’ll share the stories from readers, then a response I received from a TriMet representative and finally, I’ll share some thoughts about possible solutions.
Here is the first story,
“A friend at work witnessed fare inspectors pulling cyclists off a train. She talked to a TriMet security officer about it and he told her that fare inspectors have no authority in that instance. He told her that as long as you make room in the aisle bikes are welcome on trains.”
And the second,
“A friend of mine was on the MAX last Friday and witnessed something rather interesting. The train was not particularly full, but all the bike hooks were in use. There was one more person on the car with a bicycle. The security guard made the bicyclist exit the train. He said that even though the train was not full, it might fill up at the next stop, and so the bicycle could not be on the train.”
And the third,
“Yesterday, April 3rd as I carried my bike down the steps and onto the platform to wait for a train I noticed a fare inspector pulling 2 cyclists off of a train and then talking to them…he was telling them they could not bring bikes onto the train unless there was an available hook…
…he cited safety concerns as the primary reason that bicycles are limited to designated spots. He said that if “something terrible happens” a bike would cause a great deal of injury to passengers and that it “would be the cyclists who would be sued for everything they’re worth…”
…he told me that there is a $94 citation for putting a bike on the train when there isn’t a hook. He told me that I would have to wait on the platform until a train came along with room or I would be cited.”
I’ve been hearing stories like this since last summer and wanted to find out the facts once and for all. I asked TriMet planner and bike issue liaison Eric Hesse about the fare inspector’s conduct and about the issue of cyclists being told to leave full trains if there is no hook available.
Here’s what he said about fare inspectors,
“I have been unable to confirm the incident with the staff who manages our fare inspectors. Given that there appears to have been some inclarity on this point for at least one of our fare inspectors, we have clarified this point with our inspectors and expect no further issues in this regard. Please let me know (hessee@trimet.org) if you here about any, so that I can remedy them.”
And about bikes on the MAX he said,
“…let me clarify that bikes are permitted on train cars as long as boarding and transport of the bike otherwise complies with the TriMet Code and Administrative Rules (see below) and that there is no specific requirement that a bike hook be available.
Hesse went on to clarify that,
“…no part of a bike can block stairways or aisles; bicycle users (and all other riders) must yield priority-seating areas to seniors and people with disabilities; and bicycles are not permitted aboard train cars that are full.”
He also sent me a copy of TriMet’s official Administrative Rules governing Transport of Bicycles (47KB PDF) which were adopted on January 7, 2007.
It seems to me that this confusion will persist until TriMet more effectively communicates their bike policies to their security personnel and to the general public. One way to do this would be a billboard campaign inside the MAX cars.
The larger issue on the table is that the amount of cyclists in Portland has outgrown capacity on TriMet buses and MAX cars. I’ve heard three-bike racks are on the way for buses, but what about MAX?
I asked former TriMet bike guy Kiran Limaye about this and he said new MAX trains are being designed in the near future and there might be an opportunity for cyclists to be involved in the process (stay tuned). In addition to capacity issues, we have also discussed how a new design might improve bike security.
One idea is to make more fold-up seating in selected areas. This would allow more room for bikes during peak hours. What are your thoughts and ideas about this?
In the meantime, I recommend keeping a copy of the rules in your wallet…just in case.