BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 2707
Page 1
Date of Hearing: April 28, 2014
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION
Bonnie Lowenthal, Chair
AB 2707 (Chau) - As Amended: April 21, 2014
SUBJECT : Vehicles: length limitations: buses: bicycle
transportation devices.
SUMMARY : Authorizes transit buses of no more than 40 feet in
length to be equipped with a front-mounted bicycle rack that
extends up to 40 inches from the front body of the bus when
fully deployed rather than the 36 inches allowed under current
law, and limits the handlebars of a bicycle that is being
transported on such a rack from extending more than 46 inches
from the front of the bus rather than the 42 inches under
current law.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Generally limits the length of a bus to 45 feet. A public
transit operator may equip its buses of any length with bike
racks that extend up to 36 inches out from the front of its
buses and that may be loaded such that the bike handlebars
extend up to 42 inches in front of the bus. In no case can
the total length of the bus, the bike rack, and bikes be
greater than 48.5 feet.
2)Requires a transit agency to establish a route review
committee if it wants to operate 45-foot buses with
front-mounted bike racks. The route review committee must
conduct a field review of routes where the buses would travel
and consult traffic engineers from the public agencies with
jurisdiction over the roads that the bus routes follow. Only
when a route review committee determines by unanimous vote
that 45-foot buses with front bike racks can operate safely on
the selected routes may the public transit agency then operate
such buses on those routes. The route review committee must
be comprised of:
a) A representative of the transit agency appointed by the
general manager of that agency;
b) A traffic engineer from the public agency that has
jurisdiction over the largest proportion of the transit
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agency's bus routes; and,
c) A representative of the bus drivers chosen by the labor
organization representing the bus drivers.
3)Authorizes the Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District (AC
Transit), the Sacramento Regional Transit District (SacRT),
and Gold Coast Transit to install 40-inch bike racks on the
front of their buses, with approval needed from a route review
committee for installation on 45-foot buses. All three
transit districts must report back to the Legislature about
any incidents related to the larger racks and mobility
improvements related to the racks, AC Transit by the end of
2014, Gold Coast by the end of 2017, and SacRT by the end of
2018.
FISCAL EFFECT : None
COMMENTS :
In recent years, transit agencies around the state have seen
increased ridership from bicyclists who wish to use transit for
some portion of their trip. Current law authorizes transit
buses to be equipped with front-mounted bicycle racks, but
limits them to extending 36 inches from the front body of the
bus when fully deployed. Bike racks meeting the 36-inch limit
are typically only large enough to accommodate two bikes.
In 2009, AC Transit sponsored successful legislation to allow
the district to install 40-inch front-mounted bike racks, large
enough to accommodate three bikes, to address growing demand.
The legislation required the district to establish a route
review committee before installing any of the longer racks on
45-foot buses, but required no route review for installation on
shorter buses. The legislation required AC Transit to report
back to the Legislature by the end of this year on any incidents
where the size of the bike racks was a factor and on the
mobility improvements that the racks provide. Since the bill
was enacted, the district has installed 40-inch bike racks on
about 50 of its 40-foot buses. Although it has not yet
submitted its report to the Legislature, the district indicates
that the longer racks have not been a safety issue and have been
helpful in accommodating its growing ridership.
Subsequent to the AC Transit legislation, the Legislature gave
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similar authority to install 40-inch bike racks to two
additional transit agencies: Gold Coast Transit in Ventura
County and Sac RT. Last spring, Gold Coast installed three
larger bike racks on its buses, all of which are 40 feet long or
less. It is required to report back to the Legislature by the
end of 2017 on any incidents where the size of the bike racks
was a factor and on mobility improvements related to the racks.
SacRT has not yet installed any of the longer bike racks but
will be doing so soon and plans to install them only on 40-foot
buses. SacRT is required to report back to the Legislature about
any incidents and mobility improvements by the end of 2018.
AB 2707 authorizes the installation of 40-inch front-mounted
bike racks on any transit bus that is no more than 40 feet in
length. Given the growing number of transit agencies, including
the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit District (Metro) and the
North County District, that are seeking to install longer racks
to accommodate growing demand from bicyclists and evidence from
AC Transit that the racks have not been a safety issue on
40-foot buses, the author believes it makes sense to provide
statewide authorization rather than having each transit agency
pursue its own special legislation. The bill does not address
buses longer than 40 feet. If a transit agency wanted to pursue
installing bike racks longer than 36 inches on a 45-foot bus, it
would still need to seek special legislation.
Arguments in support : According to the sponsor, Metro,
ridership on public buses for the Los Angeles County
Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LA Metro) increased from
360 million to 363 million trips between 2012 and 2013.
Moreover, transit riders are increasingly using bicycles to
access transit and the use of a bike rack that can accommodate
three bicycles is necessary to accommodate that growth.
Arguments in opposition : The United Transportation Union, which
represents Metro's drivers, argues that to extend the current 36
inch limitation for a front-mounted bike rack would jeopardize
public safety and decrease traffic safety, especially given the
already chaotic traffic conditions in the greater Los Angeles
basin.
Related legislation : AB 1684 (Chávez) authorizes the North
County Transit District to install bike racks on its buses that
extend 43 inches from the front body of the bus, with a route
review committee required for installation on any buses
AB 2707
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exceeding 40 feet in length.
Previous legislation : AB 652 (Skinner), Chapter 369, Statutes
of 2009, gave AC Transit authority to install 40-inch bike racks
on its buses, but only pursuant to a vote of a route review
committee on any 45-foot buses.
AB 2488 (Williams), Chapter 376, Statutes of 2012, gave the same
authority to Gold Coast Transit in Ventura County.
AB 206 (Dickinson), Chapter 95, Statutes of 2013 gave the same
authority to SacRT.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
(sponsor)
Opposition
United Transportation Union
Analysis Prepared by : Anya Lawler / TRANS. / (916) 319-2093