Managing MAXpectations
Posted by: CarlSep 08 2009, 12:50 pm
Photo courtesy of WNET.ORG/Tim Tyler
Bikes and mass-transit make a great combination, especially in the Portland Metro area where TriMet provides space for bikes on all their buses and trains for free. Metro-area recreational cyclists make the most of this privilege by using MAX to get them past the West Hills and urban roads for their weekend rides and by putting their bikes on buses when they break down. Some commuters also use TriMet to get them, and their bikes, to and from work every day.
With the Bike Commute Challenge underway, many people are trying different ways of getting to and from work, including putting their bikes on MAX. Being able to pair a MAX trip with a bike trip is indispensable to many people and is an integral part of this region's mobility choices.
But we don't want to make you late for work, so we will now pause for a reality check: it might not be wise to count on a bike spot on MAX at certain times and certain stations.
As bicycling becomes increasingly popular, people catching MAX are no longer guaranteed a place for their bicycle, particularly during rush hour. This can be frustrating, but it's certainly not surprising. A quick look at the two bike-friendly cities transportation geeks are always talking about, Copenhagen and Amsterdam, reveals that neither city allows bikes on all their trains and buses and both cities charge extra to take a bike on board. This tells us that the Metro-area is lucky to have such accessible bike-transit options, particularly with our spread-out employment areas in Washington County, which are (unlike in Amsterdam and Copenhagen) too far to walk and not necessarily connected by transit to MAX stations.
Incremental increases to the bike capacity of MAX trains have been made in the past (and recently the same was accomplished on WES) but with MAX trains packed tight every rush hour, adding space for bikes would mean subtracting space for passengers, and TriMet cannot justify decreasing the number of people moved by each MAX train.
The BTA has been asking TriMet to improve bike parking options at transit stations, to relieve some of the pressure on the system and free up space for those people who absolutely need their bike at both ends of their MAX trip, and TriMet has responded with new bike parking investments. In the future, better bike trail connections (to eliminate barriers), additional secure bike parking, and corporate or rental bike fleets may also become part of the solution.
But in the meantime, fear not! Here are some tips:
Make sure you really need to take your bike on the train.
-Could you walk or take a bus on either end of the train ride?
-Some employers offer free shuttles to MAX stations. Ask your employer.
-Some people who need bikes on either end of their MAX journey keep a bike at each end and make use of bike lockers.
Consider a less conventional schedule.
-Taking a bike to a Monday through Friday 9:00-to-5:00 job in Beaverton on MAX is nearly impossible. 7:00-3:00 on the other hand? That would be quite a bit easier.
Chose your station wisely.
-If you are headed west of Downtown, don't try to get on at the last downtown stop. Getting on earlier at, say, Skidmore Fountain or Pioneer Square may get you a place that would've been already taken further down the line.
Know where bikes can go.
-MAX trains are two cars long. Most cars have four bike hooks per train and four auxiliary spaces.
-It is okay to ask people to move out from under hooks.
-Auxiliary spaces require seats to be flipped up. This area is reserved for seniors and people with disabilities but, practically-speaking, asking anyone to move out of these seats, elderly, disabled, or otherwise, probably won't be well-received and isn't recommended.
-Older trains have high floors and stairs up into the passenger compartment. Bikes ARE allowed on these trains at the front and rear entryways and the open areas as marked for a total of six spaces per car. Because people don't like lifting their bikes up stairs (and some people don't know bikes can go on these cars) these spaces are frequently the last to go. Unfortunately, it is harder to judge whether or not these cars have all their bike spaces taken without boarding them.
Think about where you're standing on the platform.
-If you are standing next to three other bikers, you should probably consider a different spot.
-Standing on the far end of the platform will make it difficult to see what spaces are available. Consider standing in the middle or near end so that you can look for spaces as trains pull up to the platform.
Think out of the box.
-"Luggage-sized" bikes are welcome on MAX and they don't have to go in a designated area. You might consider buing a folding bike if you MUST get your bike on a train during busy times.
Be nice. Be realistic.
-The Bike Commute Challenge is a competition. Getting a hook on a MAX train shouldn't be. From the guy standing under the bike hook to the woman who arrived with her bike on the platform before you, remember that these are just folks trying to get to work, just like you. Be nice.
-Remember how lucky we are to be able to take bikes on all buses and trains for free. Be realistic about your expectations for frequent use of this privilege.
Is "Bikes and Transit" a hot issue for you? Speak up about it at our upcoming member forum.
Attempting to include one's bike in the commuting pipeline during peak traffic hours, for me, has proven futile. Often the bike spaces are taken and even when they are not people are standing in the bike spaces playing mobile video games or texting. When you attempt to hang your bike, they stare at you with mixed envy and disdain, as if they're thinking, "how dare he hang his bike here; this is for humans only, not bikes." I quickly found that bringing my bike on the Max would only make sense during low-traffic hours and whenever I needed the bike for an extra-long commute. In summary, if you want to bring your bike onto the Max, be prepared for strange looks and cramped space.
There is a way to bring your bike aboard MAX anytime without strange looks: Get a bike that folds and bag it.
Folding bikes have come a long way and there are a variety that are small, light and economical. For example…
BigFish
The new folder from Bigfish has the geometry of a full size bike but folds for storage or transport to a third the size.
http://ridethisbike.com/products/Bigfish/Bigfish-folding-bike.htm
EZ Pack
For short rides to/from MAX, the EZ Pack is a 23 lb 1 spd aluminum folding bike that costs just $159.
http://ridethisbike.com/products/Sdwndr/E-Z-Pack-folding-bike.htm
No matter which folding bike you get, bring it aboard MAX in a carry bag and no one will even know you have a bike in there.
By the way, the Bigfish is distributed across the USA from Portland.
Larry
I must say that in my experience, I have never been given strange looks, or met any resistance when bringing my bike aboard MAX. Most people realize that there are bike specific areas and will gladly move aside when a bike comes onboard.
Of course, I never try to bring my bike onto a crowded train where I am pushing it through the pack, but if room is available for commuters to step aside, they very courteously do so.
I bring my bike onboard for daily commuting now since the bike lockers at Millikan Way are all used, and when using the bike racks there, my bike was stripped down last month. More lockers would be a welcome site.
Colin,
Stripped? Sounds like meth heads. Pro's can defeat any lock in seconds.
I brought my bike on MAX to work all summer with no problems. I caught the 4:00 train that wasn't too full. Since they've added the new lines, blue trains to Hillsboro have been far apart, really packed and I've waited every day I rode for at least 45 minutes to get a train. I gave up riding my bike this week.
The article mentions that max trains are two cars long. This has not been true for the Yellow line. Unless something has changed recently, Trimet seems to alternate between one and two cars during rush hour. Besides limited space for bikes, there's not much room for people on the single train at rush hour.