Taking the B(ike) Train

OCTOBER 19, 2013

INSTITUTE FOR TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH AND EDUCATION

TRAVELING WITH BIKES ON NCDOT PIEDMONT TRAINS

KRISTY JACKSON

AUTHOR “NORTH CAROLINA BY RAIL” ISBN 978-1-105-57610-2

DR. DAVID ROBINSON

2

NCDOT Piedmont Passenger Train Service

DAILY SERVICE BETWEEN RALEIGH & CHARLOTTE

9 STATIONS INCLUDING RALEIGH AND CHARLOTTE

2 TRAINS WITH BIKE RACKS IN EACH DIRECTION

5 BIKE RACKS ON BOARD (IN BAGGAGE CAR) EACH TRAIN

NO CHARGE FOR BIKES

3

NC Piedmont Passenger Train Service

Stations Served

4

5

NCDOT Piedmont Passenger Train Service

RGH CYN DNC BNC GRO HPT SAL KAN CLT

Raleigh (RGH) N Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y

Cary (CYN) N N Y Y Y Y Y Y Y

Durham (DNC) N N N Y Y Y Y Y Y

Burlington (BNC) N N N N Y Y Y Y Y

Greensboro (GRO) N N N N N Y Y Y Y

High Point (HPT) N N N N N N Y Y Y

Salisbury (SAL) N N N N N N N Y Y

Kannapolis (KAN) N N N N N N N N N

Charlotte (CLT) N N N N N N N N N 6

City pairs with 3 hours or more between same day arrival and return times

Ori

gin

Stat

ion

Dest inat ion Stat ion

Suitability of Train Pairs for Bicycling Day Trips Minimum of 3 hours in destination city required. 7

LIMITED

YES

NO

LIMITED

73 75

74

76

8

699 Bicycles Carried

9

Average Annual Growth Rate2008-12 = 80%

16% over

2011/12 31% over

2010/11

45% over

2009/10

90% over

2008/09

x =1 x=2 x=3 x=4 x=5

10

August 12 – July 13

11

Only on 34 days during the year were more than 5 bikes carried

on all four trains.

August 12 – July 13

Bikes are carried daily.

STATISTICS FOR AUGUST 2012 – JULY 2013

NCDOT Piedmont Passenger Train Service

12

Bikes

Avg Weekday 1.6

Avg Weekend Day 2.7

Average Day 1.9

Lowest Month – January ’13 25

Highest Month – September ‘12 107

13

5 BICYCLES ON AT CARY STATION TO CHARLOTTE (CONSUMES TRAIN BICYCLE CAPACITY)

Train # 73 RGH-CLT

5 bikes

Example -- Minimum Use

14

5 BICYCLES ON & 5 OFF AT EACH STATION

Train # 73 RGH-CLT 40 bikes Example – Maximum Use

VARYING ONS & OFFS AT EACH STATION

15

Train # 73 RGH-CLT 14 bikes Example – Balanced Demand

The Future? Can the annual historical trend continue into 2013-14?

y = 134.9 x 6 + 45.1 = 855

Quite possibly, since this is only 2.3 bikes/day on average (compared to 1.9 now); and NCDOT and local areas are aggressively promoting bikes on trains, local bike routes and other attractions.

Big increase should come when 3rd and 4th trains are added in a few years, providing more bike rack capacity, as well as more departures and arrivals suitable for day trips.

16

Take Your Bike On Board

17

Make an advanced ticket reservation and “add bike to trip”

If two are more persons are traveling under the same reservation, select the # of bicycles from the drop-down menu

Pay for your ticket, bicycle travels for free

www.amtrak.com

Take Your Bike On Board Remove loaded saddlebags (if present). No need to box your bike (many

Amtrak stations outside of NC require this).

Inform ticket agent or station attendant at least 20 minutes prior to departure that you will board with your bike.

Complete a baggage tag and tag your bike on the handlebars (obtained from the ticket agent)

Roll bike to the baggage loading area and stay with it.

Hand the bicycle up to the conductor at the baggage car door when the train arrives, quickly walk down to the seating cars and board.

At your destination, reclaim your bike at the baggage car door.

18

www.bytrain.org/passenger/bikesonboard.html

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

Thank You! QUESTIONS? FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

KRISTY JACKSON KNJACKSO@NCSU.EDU / (919) 515-8771

INSTITUTE FOR TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH & EDUCATION

DAVID ROBINSON

DROBINSON@RESTORATIONSYSTEMS.COM

26

Appreciation is extended to NCDOT Rail Division and Amtrak for supplying the bicycle usage data.