Bikes on trains: Conductors perspective

Ive looked through a few of the topics on this matter and thought I'd give my 2c from a different viewpoint, that toolbag from the kingdom of jerk off, a Metra conductor. Have 15 years in and it was oh so nice for the first 9 not to have to deal with this but as we all know, that ended a few years back and the geniuses at Metra who came with the plan as usual half assed it and left us , the operating employee, holding the bag for it. While they are at home every weekend, they leave it to us to enforce the policy, rules and regs that go along with being able to bring bikes on board, a policy that  to this day many riders have zero clue about the proper way of doing. Of course the people who read this forum dont fall into this category at all, you are all respectful and abide by what the conductor says every time you ride Im sure. Bikes in general are a pain to have on the train, whether or not there is room for them. To this day, my estimate is that 60% of the people STILL get on without a way to secure their bike to the bottom rail like theyre supposed to, then want to fight with me about letting them ride anyway. Main reason we are such sticklers for this? If for some reason that bike is unsecured and something happens where the train moves suddenly, derails, goes through a crossover, etc and it breaks loose and hits little Tommy sitting with his Mom across the aisle and hurts him, management and Tommys Mom arent going to come after you the bike rider. Nope, theyre going to come after me, the conductor and first thing theyre going to ask / tell me is why didnt you make sure those bikes were tied down? Boom, Im out of a job when Tommys Mom sues and Im not putting my families future at risk because some doofus doesnt carry around a bungee or chain. Next, relinquishing your seat or being asked to leave the train when the train becomes too crowded IS a possibility and a risk you take when you bring your bike on board. Ive had so many arguments over this its not even funny. People seem to think once theyre on, thats it and they cant be asked to leave when we need the space. Sorry, but we can do that and Im not making a family of 5 stand up for 30 plus miles just so you can bring your bike on. Next up, reaching max capacity . Certain trains can take up to 15 bikes but we dont have to take that many. If the bikes that are on board are clogging the aisle making walking by them unsafe, Im going to cut off the bikes right there and no more will be allowed to board. So when you try to get on halfway down the line and I tell you we're full, its my decision and its final. I usually get the "cmon man you can take 1 more" stance and Im not going to compromise the safety of the other passengers no matter how much people beg and plead. Youve all seen how crowded those trains are especially on weekends, and when I have to move 4 people from their seats when you get on 1 stop out of Ogilve / Union so you can bring your bike on, its a pain, I dont like my job to be a pain, I like it to run smooth. Bikes in general cause the train not to run so smooth because of all the baggage that goes along with it. Just keep that in mind next time you think the conductor is being a jerk to some rider about their bike. NONE and I mean none of the conductors I know like having them on board m we are being forced to do it because some dopes at the top thought it would be a good idea and forced it on us without really creating a way to make it palatable for us and for you the rider. For that I dont fault you I fault them but they leave us to clean up the mess . Thanks for reading, Flame away.

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Permalink Reply by Steve Cohen on July 12, 2013 at 1:28am

Here's my one beef and it's not about the conductors so much as it is about Metra.  A couple of years ago a friend and I were going to take the Metra from Evanston up to Kenosha with our bikes and ride back.,  Ah but you see, Taste of Chicago was going on and a lot of people were taking the trains IN THE OTHER DIRECTION!  No matter, there was a blanket policy in effect that no bikes were allowed while the Taste was going on and so our trip had to be aborted.  The conductor was just enforcing the rules.  But what sense did that rule make?  Doesn't the Metra Board of Directors have a clue?

Permalink Reply by igz on July 12, 2013 at 1:29am
our.conductors will have them moved. they have even moved strollers, asked that they be folded down and stowed between seets, where it fit perfectly

Brandon Stein said:

I'd just like to add that far too often there's some guy with a beer just chilling in the area reserved for bikes.  And as they pile up he'll continue to sit there drinking and the conductor won't ask him to move.  There are plenty of other seats that the individual could be politely asked to move into, but instead cyclists have to jumble bikes together, out of order from when the owners will get off.  Then everyone has to get up and play musical chairs with the bikes so someone can retrieve their bike and get off the train.  Obviously our beer drinking friend isn't going to see this post on the Chainlink, but I think it would be wise for conductors to ask individuals such as these to keep that area clear for bikes if there are  reasonable number of seats where they could otherwise sit.

Permalink Reply by Steve Cohen on July 12, 2013 at 1:33am

Granted that the Metra program is poorly conceived.  What would a well-conceived bike program for Metra look like?

I was just out in Portland, OR last month (bike heaven).  They seem to have an answer for all these problems though it's hard to see how some of their solutions could be retrofitted to existing Metra cars.

Permalink Reply by Julie Aberman (Hochstadter) on July 12, 2013 at 2:10am

I do that as well. Or even a sweatshirt. It may not be perfect, but it does secure it. 

Nick W 7.0 mi. said:

If you have a spare tube, you can unfurl it and use that as a make-shift bungee to secure your bike. Done it several times. Just hook it around the seatpost, through the back wheel, down tube and seat rail. Voila!

Haddon said:

For a bit I lived in the South Suburbs and biked to a night shift job from downtown and never had a problem though the hours I went the trains were thinly occupied.

As I have never heard a single bad Metra bike story I honestly think there will be a shortage of flaming here. While we are at it what covers "properly attached?"  I used a cable lock but will a bungee cord do it? But there was something about not locking it?  (in case the bike needed to be moved in an emergency) 

Could you enlighten us if you would please. Thanks

Permalink Reply by Glenn on July 12, 2013 at 2:11am

Thanks for posting Steve. I have been taking various metra lines for over a decade now; taking a bike with for close to half of those rides. I would agree though, proper planning for the program is lacking. On top of that the world is crowded with people who never make the effort to learn the rules and guide lines of, well, any thing really. Usually they are the same people who feel entitled to just about everything.

Once though i do remember making the grave mistake of bringing my bike onto the UP-N line going into the city around the time an event ended at Ravinia... Definitely felt like a royal jerk & wont be making that mistake again. I guess this just shows proper planning is also on the riders part as well. Metra can't do everything for you after all. Over all though my bike has never seemed to cause any issues with anyone finding a good place to sit or move. I guess there was the time I had a drunk guy messing with it but I think that was more of a him issue and not so much a bicycle issue.

Hopefully though some great enlightenment will push Metra to rethink the program and come back with something a little more thought out(maybe around the same time as better funding in general). Who knows, maybe this random explosion of enlightenment will help people to read and follow the rules/guidelines without any issues.

Permalink Reply by tex on July 12, 2013 at 2:36am
I live in the faaaar north suburbs(Antioch....go ahead and find it on a map)I take the train to Chicago only for recreation. If I can take my bike with me it is preffered.It took me a few rejections to learn to check for "no bike days" and have a back up plan for when the train is full. It is nice to hear this side of the story. I reccomend any other recreation commuters like me. Have a back up plan. Usually mine is to lock up at the suburb station and deal with a hoof/bus/or cab route when I get off the train. I do wish there was a way to guarantee my bike on the train. Even if I had to pay more.
Permalink Reply by Zidaane on July 12, 2013 at 2:48am

You either like your job or you don't. If you find yourself continually annoyed by your management, your customers or any type of change, then you might need to seek some other occupation.

The majority of conductors I've dealt with seem really happy with the job. 

Permalink Reply by Rock on July 12, 2013 at 2:56am

I bike and commute on the UP North Line from RP to Lake Bluff every day, unless there are black out days which infuriate me. I have never once had any problems with the conductors on that train or being permitted to bring my bike on board. They are friendly and recognize me. They know many of the riders and when first timers come on they will often ask where they are getting off so bikes can be stacked accordingly or so the new rider is aware which bikes are getting off where. I find this to be good "customer service." Regular cyclists will often help newbies if they see they need help or do not have a way to tie down their bike. On another note: I do not understand some of the reasons behind NO bikes on out bound trains at 6-7am because of a parade or the taste (nobody is going that way to attend these events) but I guess it is just easier for the people making decisions to just say no and be done with it. Thanks to the conductor for sharing. Maybe one day Metra will get on board, stop giving ousted execs huge payouts and buy train cars specifically for bikes. They exist and have been very successful. Plus I'd rather sit in a train car with fellow cyclists. Who wouldn't?

Permalink Reply by Greg Valent on July 12, 2013 at 2:57am

I wasn't aware that my 'Metracycle' trips to kenosha/Milwaukee had become popular. I haven't done one in a few years, but, I've been telling people about the concept longer than that. I won't go into detail due to fear of losing my spot on the train.

Jennifer on the lake said:

OK, here is this passenger's perspective. I was the girl with the blue bike who got on at Winthrop Harbor last Sunday evening, and I agree, that was a hot mess. But it was nothing at all like the disaster when I went outbound from Ogilvie on Saturday evening. I didn't anticipate that there would be a huge concert at Ravinia, and that everyone in the world gets on at Clybourn and Ravenswood these days---but I should have, and I'm sorry. On the other hand, it's not my job as a passenger to understand the nuances of Metra ridership. That's the conductor's job. If the bikes were going to be a problem further down the line on that particular train due to the Ravinia concert, then we should have been denied boarding at Ogilvie. I was fully prepared to disembark in order to accommodate all the lawn chairs and coolers, and indeed I was told to move to a different car when a woman in a power chair arrived at the first car I was on. But I was never told to leave the train, so I didn't. Maybe the conductors figured that getting all the bikes disentangled and off the train amidst all the lawn chairs and coolers that were already clogging the aisles and vestibules by Ravenswood was more trouble than it was worth.

 

Now, about Sunday. First, I assure you that some of us are just as irritated as you are by the passengers who don't know how to stow their bikes properly. When I got on at Winthrop Harbor, there were already four or five bikes in that car just laying there in a haphazard pile that threatened to overflow into the aisle, and my first thought was, "Well poopy, I guess I'm not going home tonight after all." I bungeed my bike to that tangled mess as best as I could, took a seat on the upper level where I could spend the entire ride watching it, and prepared myself for the possibility that I would be asked to leave at Zion. Nope, at Zion yet another passenger with a bike got on our car and added his bike to the pile, which at that point did overflow into the aisle, but I don't think the conductor made any comment about it. Now, I know it's not your job to help passengers secure their bikes, and if there are still people who don't understand that they need to bring a bungee cord with them (I for one still don't see how this is the case all these years after the pilot program, but alas, it is), then there's not a whole lot you can do about it. But if a couple of passengers get on board at a terminal station and think the correct way to secure their bikes is to lay them on their sides and U-lock the top tubes together to the seat rail, then they need to be set straight by the person who's job it is to conduct the passengers on board. Otherwise they are going to do it again, and the problem will continue.

 

Second, at Wilmette, from my perspective on the train, what I saw was a half-dozen or people with bikes on the platform and a conductor who got off and barked "No more bikes!" There was no further explanation or customer service skills that I could see or hear. Granted, I was on the train instead of on the platform, so I don't know whether or not the conductor then proceeded to to make it politely and explicitly clear to them that both ADA cars were already at capacity, but if I had been on the platform and seen what I'd seen from the train, you'd better believe that within an hour I'd be right here on the Chainlink forum griping about the rude Metra conductors who deny bikes on board for no reason. OK, maybe those passengers should have known better than to try to board the only train out of Kenosha on Sunday evening at Wilmette, given that everybody's favorite pastime these days is to organize weekend multimode trips to Milwaukee with their 12 best friends---but again, it's not the passengers' job to know that. It's their job to know the rules. It's the conductors' job to clearly communicate when their discretion supersedes those rules. What I saw was not example of clear communication. Not being told at Zion that those of us on our car needed to get together and somehow organize our bikes properly before the train went any farther was not clear communication. Not being told "Hey, there's a concert at Ravinia and we expect more people to board at the next several stops, so I'm afraid we can't let you on board this train" is not clear communication. Passive-aggressive rants on the Chainlink forum after the fact is not clear communication.

 

Third, I'll hazard a guess that part of the reason your job was so wonderful for 9 years was that the ridership simply much lower back then. I have a haunch that if the passenger numbers were still what they were in 2005 when the pilot program launched (I just Googled to confirm my memory and found this, which should give everyone a good chuckle), there would be far fewer problems.

So, those are my 12 cents.

Permalink Reply by Jim Shaw on July 12, 2013 at 3:04am

The real issue is not whether the conductors like the bikes on the trains or not. To me, the real issue is, do we as a society want to empower, promote the use of sustainable, environmentally friendly, healthy modes of transportation, or not? If we as a society want to do that, then we may have to put up with some inconvience, expense, etc. to make that happen.

I've had mixed experiences with conductors when bringing my bike on Metra. I think the approach expressed by Steve is probably why I do it rarely. We all confront this kind of issue in different arenas. Rules may allow something, but if the people in charge don't like it, they can find ways to make it feel undesirable or unpleasant. Blackout dates (including secret ones) and the possibility of being tossed off the train in the middle of an unfamiliar neighborhood, maybe late, mamke it an unreliable mode of transportation.

 

My view is that allowing bikes on trains is a VERY GOOD THING for me, society, the environment, the world! It's just a plain old good idea. If that requires some inconvenience for conductors or passengers, it's not really that big of a deal. Find a way to accomodate the bikes, more bikes, not fewer. Because it is a good idea!

 

I'm from LA, as car centered a place as you can get. But they allow all bikes, on all trains, at all times! (This is more the CTA like system, bvut the issues are the same). It can be a bit of a mess, even though the cars seem to have been designed to allow bikes to get on and off and stow easily. They don't even have to be secured (not sure that's a good thing...). It seems to be working really well. There are inconveniences, but people seem open to accomdating something  they see as a good idea!

 

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on July 12, 2013 at 3:25am

+1

Jim Shaw said:

... the real issue is, do we as a society want to empower, promote the use of sustainable, environmentally friendly, healthy modes of transportation, or not?

Permalink Reply by bobweiser on July 12, 2013 at 3:47am

thanks to whoever included a link to this in the weekly chainlink email.

what i like is the ideas about how things could be better. i lead rides that take advantage of the metra, and i'm planning from now on to (1) check to see if it's a blackout date and (2) include a link in the description to metra's Bikes on Trains page.

what if chainlink had a Bikes on Trains page?

i applaud the metra management for deciding to allow bikes on trains. even though it hasn't always been smooth sailing since. i wonder if they would be open to recommendations from a committee that included representatives from a range of stakeholders. there's conductors, commuters, recreational riders, and i guess passengers. anybody else?

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