BILL ANALYSIS AB 652 Page 1 CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS AB 652 (Skinner) As Amended August 24, 2009 Majority vote ----------------------------------------------------------------- |ASSEMBLY: |78-1 |(May 11, 2009) |SENATE: |36-0 |(August 31, | | | | | | |2009) | ----------------------------------------------------------------- Original Committee Reference: TRANS . SUMMARY : Extends the length of a public bus owned and operated by the Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District (AC Transit), by four inches, for a bike rack mounted on the front of it. The additional length would allow for the installation of 40-inch bike racks on AC Transit buses so that three bikes, instead of two, can be loaded and transported in the front of the buses. The Senate amendments : 1)Requires AC Transit, prior to installing a folding device on a bus that is 45 feet in length, to establish a route review committee, as specified, in order to determine, by unanimous vote, which proposed bus routes are suitable for the safe operation of the bus retrofitted with a front-mounted bicycle rack. 2)Establishes the membership of the route review committee, including a non-voting member of the bicycle community. 3)States the intent of the Legislature that the field review include consultation with traffic engineers from affected public agencies that have jurisdiction over segments of the route or routes under review, to ensure coordination with all affected state and local public road agencies that may potentially be impacted from the operation of the front-extended bus. 4)Requires that substantive changes or additions to already approved routes be subject to review and certification prior to approval by the route review committee. EXISTING LAW : AB 652 Page 2 1)Authorizes a public agency to operate a bus on the interstate highways that exceeds 45 feet in length if the excess length is caused by a folding device attached to the front of the bus that is designed and used exclusively for transporting bicycles; and, if its operation is on a route approved by a specific route review committee. 2)Imposes a 40-foot limitation on the length of vehicles that may be operated on the highways, with specified exemptions. Exempts from this limitation an articulated bus or trolley and a bus, except a school bus, that is operated by a public agency or passenger stage corporation that is used in a transit system if it is equipped with a folding device attached to the front of the vehicle that is designed and used exclusively for transporting bicycles, does not materially affect efficiency or visibility of vehicle safety equipment, and does not extend more than 36 inches from the front of the body of the bus or trolley when fully deployed. In addition, existing law prohibits a bicycle that is transported on the above described device from having the bicycle handlebars extend more than 42 inches from the front of the vehicle. For a bus operated by a public agency and equipped with a folding device attached to the front of the bus that is designed and used exclusively for transporting bicycles, the total length of the bus, including the folding device or load, is not to exceed 48.5 feet. AS PASSED BY THE ASSEMBLY , this bill: 1)Authorized a folding device that extends not more than 40 inches from the front body of an AC Transit bus, when the folding device is fully deployed, to permit the transportation of a bicycle with handlebars that extend not more than 46 inches from the front of the vehicle. 2)Restricted the provisions of this bill to only AC Transit. 3)Required AC Transit, if any of its buses has a folding device installed, to submit a report to both the Senate and Assembly Transportation Committees of the Legislature on or before December 31, 2014, including information that summarizes any accidents where the folding device was a factor and also summarizes the mobility improvements that the folding devices provide. FISCAL EFFECT : No state fiscal effect. AB 652 Page 3 COMMENTS : According to the author, "The California Vehicle Code limits the length of vehicles that may be operated on highways, including but not limited to mass transit busses. Current transit operators, such as Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District (AC Transit), fit their buses with bicycle racks in order to facilitate bicycle commuters. Current bicycle racks can carry up to two bicycles. Based on increased demand, however, transit operators would like to upgrade to a 3-bicycle rack. The 3-bicycle rack would, when in use, cause the total length of the bus to exceed the current length limit." Writing in support of this bill, the California Transit Association notes that "transit users often participate in 'mode-sharing,' meaning that their entire trip may consist of using more than one mode of transportation, such as using transit for part of their trip and walking and/or bicycling for the remaining part. In California, transit is more accessible to many people through mode sharing. Therefore, the ability for a transit bus to provide a place to safely store a bicycle during a passenger's transit trip is essential to many users. California's transit agencies seek always to remain in compliance with California law while still serving their communities as best as possible. Many transit systems would currently benefit from the use of three-position bike racks which attach to the transit bus to help accommodate more bike-riding transit users. This bill would make it possible for transit agencies to incorporate these bike racks into their bus service without leading them to be out-of compliance with current law which regulates total bus length." Existing law establishes maximum length, width, height, and weight limits for a variety of vehicles that are authorized to operate on the state's roadways. These limitations have been carefully considered by the Legislature and the pertinent traffic safety and enforcement agencies to promote and ensure public safety and the efficient movement of traffic. The length of a vehicle is one of the most important safety factors that can significantly affect road performance because the longer the length of the vehicle the more difficult it is for the operator to negotiate turns, a condition commonly known as "off-tracking," without encroaching into adjacent traffic lanes and damaging street curbs and other road fixtures and possibly compromising the safety of any passengers and other motorists. The increase that this bill would permit in overall length may AB 652 Page 4 result in an increased risk to the public because the turning radius of these vehicles is already pushing the limits of street and road design throughout the state. Furthermore, it should be noted that due to the common use of these buses in highly populated areas with a high amount of vehicle and foot traffic, the added length (four inches) from the bicycle racks could cause the increase in collisions with vehicles and pedestrians. Analysis Prepared by : Ed Imai / TRANS. / (916) 319-2093 FN: 0002431