Is the overcrowding of delivery bikes making commuter trains in this city unsafe?

Metrolinx, the regional transportation agency in the Greater Toronto Area, is facing criticism following the circulation of social media photos showing GO Transit train cars packed with bicycles used for food delivery on the route to downtown Toronto. This issue, which has garnered attention from commuters traveling into Toronto from various suburban areas, highlights a potential safety concern that could extend to other major cities across North America.

Reports from passengers traveling on GO trains into downtown Toronto have highlighted the growing trend of bicycle food couriers overwhelming train cars designated for bikes, creating potential safety hazards. This problem is particularly noticeable on the Kitchener line, where overcrowding has raised questions about emergency evacuation procedures and passenger safety.

One commuter shared photos of the crowded conditions on a February 2nd journey, illustrating how the bike carriage was packed upon arrival at Union Station at 10:30 am. Concerns about the obstruction of exits due to the abundance of bikes have been voiced, prompting questions about how passengers would evacuate in case of a fire or other emergencies.

@GOtransit 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 pic.twitter.com/UZpUHOhmIk

— WB62 (@WBMetro62) February 10, 2024

This situation has sparked discussions about the need for better accommodation for bicycle food couriers without inconveniencing other passengers or compromising safety. The issue extends beyond designated bike cars, with reports indicating similarly packed conditions in regular seating areas along the same train line.

Of course, food delivery drivers, especially those on bicycles instead of cars, are deserving of accommodation as they are simply commuting to downtown Toronto to work just like everyone else, as one person commented. Isn’t this what we want? Bicyclists heading downtown via train to work delivering your food via a bicycle instead of a polluting car? That’s not even considering, food delivery drivers do not make a satisfactory wage and living in Toronto is impossible unaffordable.

Extra train cars are being added, and anything else that Metrolinx can do, they should. Why not garages for bicycle storage at Union Station or another train hub that would allow drivers to leave bikes and just commute themselves?

Metrolinx has long-established rules regarding bringing bicycles onto trains, restricting them during weekday rush hour service in the peak direction. However, despite these regulations, overcrowding issues persist, as evidenced by the photos shared on social media. And something has likely got to give.

Metrolinx acknowledges that this problem has been ongoing since early 2023 and has implemented measures to address it, although whether it is working remains to be seen.

“We have taken numerous steps to respond to this, including deploying all of our dedicated bike coaches to Kitchener line trips, adding scheduled trains on the Kitchener line to accommodate additional passenger and bike capacity, ensuring additional staff are on platforms to manage safety and disperse bikes evenly across our trains and running an education campaign for bike customers,” Metrolinx stated, via email. 

This issue in Toronto underscores a potential challenge faced by other large city centers across North America where the popularity of food delivery by bicycle continues to grow.