USA: Chicago commuter operator Metra is making permanent a Covid-era policy allowing bicycles on all trains from February 1, and has begun manufacturing and installing bike racks on its coaches.
The racks which can hold two to four bikes or e-scooters are being produced in-house and will initially be installed on about 50 vehicles, which will be identified with an exterior logo.
Bikes have been allowed in the accessible seating area of Metra trains since 2005, but were restricted to off-peak services until ridership plummeted during the pandemic.
Last year a record 260 000 passengers took bikes on trains.
Bicycle and scooter spaces are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, and passengers with disabilities have priority in the seating areas on accessible coaches; people with bicycles and scooters may be required to leave the train if the accessible space is needed for passengers with disabilities.
‘We are truly grateful to the passionate cyclists who helped us change our policy for the betterment of all riders’, said Metra CEO Jim Derwinski ahead of the start of the new policy. ‘Metra and bicycles are natural partners, and it is gratifying to solidify our relationship.’
