Rail News: Passenger Rail
New Jersey Transit to make room for more bicycles on trains

New Jersey Transit has designated “bike-friendly” trains on weekends and other improvements in support of the transportation needs of the area’s cycling enthusiasts.

Effective Aug. 11, all weekend trains on the Raritan Valley and Atlantic City lines and all rail service to and from Hoboken Terminal will provide capacity for up to 12 bicycles per train, NJ Transit officials said in a prepared statement.

Current policy allows for bicycle access on open rail cars, which means that if four cars of a six-car train are open to riders, that train can accommodate only eight bicycles.

Under the new policy, train-crew members will be able to open unused rail cars on designated bike trains as needed to provide additional capacity for cyclists.

“By implementing designated bike trains on weekends on most of our rail lines, in addition to the regular weekend trains, we are providing capacity for up to 7,200 bicycles on Saturdays and Sundays combined,” said NJ Transit Chairman James Simpson in a prepared statement.