Metra allows bikes on all trains, makes COVID-era policy permanent

The commuter rail agency said it saw a booming number of bicycles and scooters brought aboard. Metra also plans to install racks on dozens more cars.

Metra on Wednesday made permanent a pandemic-era policy of allowing bicycles on all trains, even during rush periods and implemented a passenger code of conduct that can be enforced with suspensions.

The commuter rail agency said it enshrined the bike policy after seeing a booming number of bicycles and scooters brought aboard. Metra also plans to install racks on dozens more cars.

Bikes have been allowed in the accessible seating areas of Metra trains during non-rush periods since 2005. The agency relaxed its rules when ridership plummeted during the COVID-19 lockdown, allowing bikes on all trains regardless of the time of day.
An example of a bike rack on a Metra train. The commuter rail agency said it’s adding similar racks to 50 more train cars.

The number of people bringing bikes on trains is higher than before COVID-19. Last year, 260,000 riders brought bikes on trains, the highest annual number ever, Metra said in a news release.

To accommodate the increase in cyclists using trains, Metra said it’s adding bike racks to 50 train cars. The new racks can hold two to four bikes and can also be used to store e-scooters. Train cars with racks will be identified with an exterior bike logo.

Bikes can still be stored on the ADA section of rail cars. The creation of more bike-only rack space is meant to ease the usage of those ADA spaces, which are prioritized for passengers with disabilities.

Metra said it changed its bike policy after bicycle advocates lobbied its board.

https://chicago.suntimes.com/2024/1/17/24041839/metra-bicycle-train...