WMATA Welcomes Bikes on Metro Trains

[Sunyata]

In case this is buried in the thread about the folding bikes on Metro, I figured I would post here as well.

Starting next week, Metro customers will be able to bring their bikes with them on the train – at any time – as Metro ends a longstanding restriction that prohibited bicycles during rush hours.

The policy change, which takes effect Monday, is expected to make Metrorail a more attractive travel option for reverse commuters (i.e. customers traveling outbound in the morning and inbound in the evening) who want to take their bike to travel between the rail station and their workplace.

Metro reviewed its policy and determined that it could respond to requests from the bicycling community by ending the rush-hour bike restriction without significant negative effects. The review took into account that the majority of rush-hour trains are 8 cars in length (the longest possible), and that new 7000-series trains provide more open space.

“We received requests from Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA) and others in the bicycle community asking us to take a fresh look at our policy,” said Metro Chief Operating Officer Joe Leader. “We believe this change supports ridership growth by Metro a commuting option for those who want to have a bike with them.”

Full news release can be found here.

Topic

[jrenaut]

@LhasaCM 185977 wrote:

The direct quotes weren’t an issue, in my reading. It was the lead-ins or other words surrounding quotes that gave me heartburn, which makes me wonder what was said to lead the reporter to that interpretation and how much inherent bias there was….

Yeah, agree. She and I ride together a lot, especially during Freezing Saddles. The article makes her out to be the “scofflaw cyclist” caricature, which is entirely inaccurate and not what anyone would have taken from talking to her.

I initially had emailed the writer after he reached out on Twitter, and gave my opinion on the new rule both as a bike advocate and as a husband who likes his wife coming home from work safely. On both of these fronts, the new rule is an improvement. He didn’t care much about what I had to say and just wanted to talk to someone who actually would be likely to put their bike on Metro at rush hour, which I’m unlikely to do with any regularity. On one hand I get this, but on the other I made some frankly awesome points that never made it into the article.

[Mark]

@buschwacker 185960 wrote:

Took my bike in today from Eisenhower to L’Enfant in an effort to allow the MVT to thaw. No major issues!

I didn’t anticipate taking my bike on the metro any time soon. But the new policy saved my bacon yesterday. Around 4:30, I had a flat on Fort Totten after turning off Bates. Changed the tire and then had soon had another flat. Walked to Fort Totten and took the metro to Glenmont, where a family member picked me up to go home. Kudos to WABA for getting the Metro policy changed.

(The second flat was baffling. I checked my tire for anything sharp inside. And I was able to get my tire on the rim without using tire levers; I’m confident I did not puncture the tube. I will need to investigate this over the weekend from the comfort of my home).

[KWL]

Digging through my files I found this October 1991 edition of “Metro News” which outlined the restrictions of taking a bike on Metrorail. We’ve come a long way.

I also found my Bicycle Permit that expired 5/16/98 which I will not post. And I thought drivers license photos were terrible.

[Steve O]

@KWL 192119 wrote:

Digging through my files I found this October 1991 edition of “Metro News” which outlined the restrictions of taking a bike on Metrorail. We’ve come a long way.

I also found my Bicycle Permit that expired 5/16/98 which I will not post. And I thought drivers license photos were terrible.

I, too, once upon a time, went to Metro HQ, took the test, paid my fifteen bucks and obtained myself a bike-on-rail permit, thank you very much. I, however, threw mine away long ago.

[drevil]

@Steve O 192125 wrote:

I, too, once upon a time, went to Metro HQ, took the test, paid my fifteen bucks and obtained myself a bike-on-rail permit, thank you very much. I, however, threw mine away long ago.

Haha! I totally forgot about that. I did it too. I have no idea where my mine is, but I probably kept it somewhere, maybe my mom’s house

[Crickey7]

Never did that. I found pretty much any bike would fit in the trunk of a Crown Vic, which is what every cabbie drove in the 90’s and early aughts.

[KWL]

@Steve O 192125 wrote:

I, too, once upon a time, went to Metro HQ, took the test, paid my fifteen bucks and obtained myself a bike-on-rail permit, thank you very much. I, however, threw mine away long ago.

Got mine at Bike to Work Day in Freedom Plaza, which may explain the squinty-eyed photo taken in the bright daylight.

[Author]

Replies