BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 2488
Page 1
Date of Hearing: April 23, 2012
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION
Bonnie Lowenthal, Chair
AB 2488 (Williams) - As Amended: April 12, 2012
SUBJECT : Public transit bus limitation: bicycle racks
SUMMARY : Extends the allowable length of a public bus owned and
operated by the Gold Coast Transit (Gold Coast), by four inches,
for a bike rack mounted on the front of it. The additional
length would allow for the use of bike racks that carry three
bikes. Specifically, this bill:
1)Authorizes a folding device that extends not more than 40
inches from the front body of a Gold Coast 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)Restricts the provisions of this bill to only Gold Coast.
3)Requires Gold Coast, 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, 2017, including a summary of any vehicular or
traffic accidents where the folding device was a factor and
also describing the mobility improvements that the folding
devices provide.
4)Requires, for 45 foot buses, the establishment of a route
review committee, as specified, to determine what routes are
suitable for the safe operation of a 45-foot bus that is
equipped with an extended front-mounted bicycle rack.
EXISTING LAW :
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
AB 2488
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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.
3)Authorizes the Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District to
install folding devices attached to the front of its buses
that are designed and used exclusively for transporting
bicycles as long as those devices meet certain requirements,
including, but not limited to, extending not more than 40
inches from the front of the bus when fully deployed, and that
the handlebars of the bicycles being transported extend not
more than 46 inches from the front of the bus. If
Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District installs the bicycle
racks, the bill would require them to report to transportation
committees of the Legislature on or before December 31, 2014,
regarding safety issues and mobility improvements. Requires a
route review committee for deployment of extended bike racks
of buses 45' or greater.
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown
COMMENTS : 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
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it is for the operator to negotiate turns without encroaching
into adjacent traffic lanes (a condition commonly known as
"off-tracking") 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 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.
According to the author, "Transit operators, such as Gold Coast,
fit their buses with bicycle racks in order to facilitate
bicycle commuters. Existing authorized bicycle racks can carry
up to two bicycles. Based on increased demand, however, Gold
Coast 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. According to Gold
Coast, bicyclists frequently have to leave their bikes behind
because the 2-bike racks fill up quickly. There is a clear need
for their transit buses to provide additional safe storage for a
bicycle during a passenger's transit trip. This bill would make
addressing that demand possible."
Writing in support of this bill, the Ventura County
Transportation Commission contends that "The Southern California
Association of Governments has estimated that bicycling in the
six-county region has increased approximately 50% since 2005.
There certainly has been significant bicycle usage in the Gold
Coast Transit service area, and the existing bike racks on Gold
Coast Transit buses are often full since they can only hold two
bikes. Unfortunately, the frequent unavailability of empty bike
racks can be a significant deterrent to the combined use of
buses and bikes for a trip, since potential riders generally
need reasonable certainty of the availability of a bike rack if
they are going to wait with their bike for a bus. The lack of
bike rack availability has been a frequent complaint of Gold
Coast Transit's patrons."
Whatever the case, exploring all options to facilitate the use
of bicycles should be encouraged whether the use is for long
recreational rides, employment commutes, or bus/bike linkages.
AB 2488
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However, there is an ongoing pilot program established for the
Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District, authorizing it to deploy
a three-bike back on their buses. The pilot program requires
the development of a report by December 31, 2014, providing
information to the Legislature on the bus accidents involving
the bike racks and any recommendations for mobility
improvements. Would it be prudent to wait until the pilot study
is submitted before allowing another entity to add length to the
front of their buses?
Related bill : AB 652 (Skinner) Chapter 369, Statutes of 2009, a
similar bill that allows the Alameda-Contra Costa Transit
District to install extended three-bike carriers on the front of
their buses.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
Channel Islands Bicycle Club
Gold Coast Transit District
Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition
Ventura County Board of Supervisors
Ventura County Transportation Authority
West Hollywood Bicycle Coalition
Opposition
None on file
Analysis Prepared by : Ed Imai / TRANS. / (916) 319-2093