Caltrain to board bicyclists first in pilot

Caltrain bicyclists will be allowed first access to bike cars beginning Monday in a five-week pilot program to improve efficiency, Caltrain officials said.

The Mountain View, Palo Alto and Redwood City stations will test the system. The agency has found that 66 percent of delays result from issues with passengers, and a majority of those issues involve bike boarding.

Bike issues caused 1,352 minutes of delays in December 2017, the agency said. Caltrain staff will open up entrance access to bicycle owners and make sure they don’t have to navigate through crowds.

The agency’s Bicycle Advisory Committee Chair Dan Provence said trains carry 6,000 people with bikes every weekday.

Provence said:

“A system that allows for faster and easier bike boarding will greatly benefit everyone who rides Caltrain, which in turn benefits every commuter on the Peninsula.”