Metrolinx offers new solution for food delivery bikes clogging up GO trains in Toronto
Some Toronto commuters have found their journey into and out of the downtown core more crowded than ever lately thanks to hordes of food delivery couriers that are taking over GO Trains with their bicycles and ebikes during peak times.
Residents have been complaining about the worsening issue for weeks, taking to social media to express their exasperation, share photos of crammed trains, and identify the trend as a huge safety concern that goes against the transit agency's own bike rules.
Now, it seems, Metrolinx is finally taking action to clear the air (and its vehicles).
I can attest to this as I commute often enough from Kitchener to Toronto and there are so many bike couriers travelling and they block the entrance and exits on all the train cars with their bikes, it makes it quite difficult to get on and off the train... 1 of 2
— BarbieGirl (@TweetyTea19) February 13, 2024
Global News confirmed Friday that the regional transit authority is adding new train cars to its fleet that will be dedicated just to bikes, with a total of eight refurbished carriers on the way.
The cars will also have special fire retardant properties in light of the ebike fire that erupted on a TTC subway train earlier this year, though Metrolinx is still going to ban certain types of ebikes — which are the wheels of choice for many food delivery workers — from its GO Trains.
Dangerous ebike battery incidents aside, riders have felt uncomfortably blocked in on trains where the sheer number of Uber Eats gig workers commuting into and out of the city with their bikes end up blocking exit points.
Food delivery bike couriers clogging GO trains to Toronto have people fuming https://t.co/UdeH6rHKbE
— blogTO (@blogTO) January 29, 2024
"Can you please explain how we're all supposed to evacuate this car on the Kitchener Line if a fire or emergency happens? Bikes everywhere and people are trapped in the middle of the coach," one person asked Go Transit on X last month.
"This train has 6 coaches with 12 doors, and 10 of those doors were blocked by bikes. This is a serious safety hazard," another added, saying they were"speechless" that so many ebikes are regularly permitted on board the commuter vehicles, especially during rush hour when lines are already congested with bodies and their belongings.
"As part of its plans to address the explosion in bike ridership, Metrolinx has refurbished eight new carriages to carry bikes and equipped them with fire retardant to slow or stop the spread of flames at a cost of roughly $900,000."
— Moaz Ahmad (@yyzMYA) March 22, 2024
The new designated bike compartments are expected to hit the tracks starting in May, while GO staff continue to crack down on the growing number of bikes on the network.
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