Final Bike Car Design Chosen for Caltrain Electrification

Jun 12

Thank you so much to all of you who responded to our action alert by emailing the Caltrain Board or showing up at the meeting last Thursday, June 6. The Caltrain Board unanimously approved the staff recommendation for two bike cars with seven seats and 36 bike spaces per bike car in electrified train sets. While SVBC, SF Bicycle Coalition, and eighteen other speakers spoke strongly in favor of more than two bike cars for better security, the Board ultimately decided not to stray from the staff recommendation. We’re disappointed with this direction and its potential ramifications on theft risk, crowding, and boarding times.We do thank the Caltrain Board members who particularly called out the need for technology-based solutions for on-board bike security and directed staff and the security task force to focus on this issue. SVBC will continue to push for innovative security features to keep your bikes safe on future trains.We were also happy with the unanimous Board support for better and secure bike parking at every station and corridor-wide bike share, all to be implemented before electrification happens in 2022. We agree with the Board that these things will give the public more options to bike to Caltrain. SVBC will continue working with staff on implementing these goals before electric trains hit the rails.One of SVBC's priorities is making Bikes + Transit work for everyone. That's why we are focused on a three-pronged solution:

Space for Bikes: Will I get “bumped” and not get a space on the train with my bike?
Theft: Is my bike going to get stolen on board or if I lock it up at a transit station?
First and Last Mile Connections: How do I get to and from the train?

While this meeting covered all three of those categories, the decision on on-board space was not what we hoped for. SVBC will keep working to ensure that Caltrain addresses the concerns of people using bikes with the system.