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agency's "tourism/commuter routes allow for more bag- at peak hours. However, implementing restrictions would be
gage/skis," and another notes that vehicles with "under-floor very, very difficult and also counterproductive in a system
storage can accommodate more." NJ Transit's routes with which serves two airports."
a designated luggage rack allow passengers to bring larger
items on their vehicles that serve airports.
Driver Assistance
Figure 47 shows that many agencies have policies in place
enabling driver flexibility in assisting passengers with lug-
gage. The only agency that requires its drivers to provide
assistance is NJ Transit. MiamiDade commented that the
"operator has flexibility to provide any requested assistance FIGURE 49 How effective do you think the agency's policy
if he/she deems it safe and not against policy." Of the 11 agen- regarding luggage, grocery carts, and parcels is (n =18)?
cies enabling drivers to provide assistance when requested,
eight (73%) allow drivers to extend the ramp or use the bus Only one agency out of 40 respondents reported that it
lift, eight (73%) allow drivers to get out of their seat and had considered amending its luggage, grocery cart, and par-
help carry luggage and other items on or off the bus, and six cel policy. It offered a thorough explanation of the process: it
(55%) allow drivers to get out of their seat and provide assis- attempted to "limit the number of bags on paratransit vehi-
tance with storing luggage on the bus (Figure 48). cles; [the] problem is some grocery bags are so flimsy, it's
hard to limit them--you penalize the rider when the grocery
only puts one or two things in the bags--and it costs the
agency more to transport a person twice."
ONE AGENCY'S EXPERIENCE: ROADRUNNER
TRANSIT, LAS CRUCES, NEW MEXICO--A DIFFERENT
WAY TO DEFINE LARGE ITEMS
FIGURE 47 Luggage, grocery carts, and parcels: Which of the
following is true about bus drivers (n = 23)? Many of the agencies surveyed have limits on the number
of items that may be brought on board trains and buses, but
one agency described a policy that quantifies and compares
allowable items, defining them in terms of paper grocery
bags, of which passengers are allowed to carry four on regu-
lar buses or paratransit vehicles. Las Cruces RoadRUNNER
Transit implemented the policy systemwide based on the
policy it originally developed for its paratransit vehicles.
FIGURE 48 Luggage, grocery carts, and parcels: Which of the According to the transit administrator (M. Bartholomew,
following types of assistance may operators provide (buses) Las Cruces RoadRUNNER Transit, Apr. 12, 2010), before
(n = 12)? 2005 RoadRUNNER Transit "never had any specific state-
ments with regard to what was allowed on buses" and now
Luggage, Grocery Carts, and Parcels Policy that it does, the "policy works pretty well." Bartholomew
Effectiveness said, "Originally, it was unlimited with regard to what peo-
ple could bring on buses. We had people bringing 25 bags of
Figure 49 shows 11 of 18 agencies (61%) rated their lug- groceries, 60-lb bags of dog food, lawnmowers--all kinds of
gage, grocery cart, and parcel policy as "effective" or "very things." Because of concerns about safety and delays, as well
effective" (4 or 5). The one agency that gave itself a low as passenger expectations for driver assistance, RoadRUN-
score noted that its "drivers are inconsistent with enforce- NER Transit did an initial survey to see what other agencies
ment." One agency provided an explanation of its moderate were doing, and discovered "most of them required that you
score--an apparent disconnect between policy and practice: keep your belongings on your lap or on your seat."
"The service provide[s] transport to grocery stores and other
major retailer[s] but the service does not allow bulk items on The agency first implemented its policy on paratransit,
board." Another acknowledged the difficulties surrounding because most of the problems it faced with regard to large num-
luggage restrictions in large urban systems: the policy "gen- bers of items were on its paratransit service. The problem was
erally works well although luggage is sometimes a problem not as widespread on the fixed route buses, though the transit
