BART boots its bike ban for another test run

After a successful trial run, BART is implementing another to determine if it will go through with allowing bike riders and their trusty two-wheelers onto trains during rush hours.

The first run took place for four Fridays in August, yielding tons of positive feedback about the eco-friendly travelers. In fact, everything went remarkably well when bike-riders abided by the rules, kept bikes from obstructing train doors and abstained from forcing their fixie into overflowing trains.

Though rider surveys were split on individual opinions about the change, a whopping 90 percent said they did not notice any significant difference in their commutes when bikes were allowed aboard.

The next run will really put bikers to the test when this trial kicks off for an entire work week, March 18 through 22. The transit organization is taking this step to see how bikes affect commutes during a busier time of the year, according to BART Board President Tom Radulovich:

“Our first pilot offered us great insight, but Fridays in August tend to be slow, and another round of testing and customer feedback is required before permanent changes to our bike access policy are considered.”

BART hasn’t always taken kindly to bikes, garnering complaints from riders and advocates. Its Bike Plan now seeks to encourage riders to bike to stations as opposed to driving, which is what prompted its proposal to eliminate bike restrictions.

The biking community in the Bay sees this as a win, as the first test brought out a slew of riders from beginners to experts, according to SF Bike Coalition Executive Director Leah Shahum:

“We heard from countless bike riders on both sides of the Bay that the August pilot opened up regional commuting by bike for both experienced bike riders and those wanting to give it a try for the first time.”