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SamTrans > General Information > Miscellaneous > History

About the San Mateo County Transit District

For many people, the red and blue SamTrans logo symbolizes outstanding bus service — something in which SamTrans continues to take great pride. Over the past 27 years, the logo has come to represent much more. The transit district has grown from a bus company to an umbrella agency administering a large, multimodal public transportation system.

The San Mateo County Transit District manages the SamTrans fixed-route bus and Redi-Wheels paratransit services; administers the Caltrain rail service which is governed by the Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board; operates a shuttle program; and has partnered with BART to develop and operate the BART-SFO extension to the new Millbrae Intermodal Station.

The transit district also manages the San Mateo County Transportation Authority, the agency formed to administer the proceeds of a countywide half-cent sales tax. Measure A, which was approved by voters in 1988, provides capital funds for Caltrain, grade separation projects, and street and highway improvement projects. It also provides funding for Redi-Wheels, the county’s paratransit service.

Transit District History
SamTrans fixed-route bus service began July 1, 1976 with the consolidation of 11 different city bus systems throughout the county. In mid-1977, SamTrans inaugurated its mainline service from Palo Alto to San Francisco.

SamTrans currently operates service on 54 routes and continues to make service and fleet improvements. In 2002, SamTrans introduced 55 new, ultra-low emissions articulated buses into its fleet, and began the advanced communication system project which installed GPS and next-stop announcements in every bus. During the next year, SamTrans will purchase new low-floor buses and begin express service from East Palo Alto to the Millbrae Intermodal Station.

Also in 1977, the district initiated service for persons with mobility impairments through its Redi-Wheels program. Redi-Wheels ridership has grown dramatically as the San Mateo County population ages, and the service regularly provides more than 1,000 trips in a day.

In 1988, San Mateo County residents passed Measure A, the half-cent transportation sales tax. The transportation authority was created to oversee Measure A projects and manage the funds collected. The TA has leveraged tax revenues and more than $1 billion dollars will be invested in countywide transportation projects by the time the measure expires in 2008. The TA has named the transit district its managing agency.

In the late 1980s, the transit district board of directors committed to extending BART to San Mateo County. As BART’s local partner, the district has contributed more than $171 million to bring BART into the county. The district also contributed $86 million in capital funding to the BART system.

The Colma BART Station opened in 1996, and 2003 marks the completion of the BART-SFO Extension. Four new BART stations in San Mateo County including South San Francisco, San Bruno, the Millbrae Intermodal Station and SFO, will complete a pivotal Bay Area rail link featuring the only cross platform (Caltrain/BART) rail-to-rail link west of the Mississippi. The transit district is responsible for the extension’s operating costs, which will be offset by fare revenues from passengers entering or exiting at extension stations.

In 1991, the transit district expanded its operations by participating in the purchase of the Caltrain right of way from San Francisco to San Jose. Caltrain now operates 76 trains each weekday, including frequent commute-hour service and half-hourly service during the mid-day.

Caltrain is governed by the three-county Peninsula Joint Powers Board which is comprised of representatives from San Francisco, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. The JPB has named the transit district its managing agency.

Caltrain is undertaking the largest rail upgrade in its 140-year history. Dubbed CTX, the 22-month project will result in a safer, more modern rail system. The project, which is on track for mid-2004 completion, includes a centralized traffic control system, passing tracks in three locations to accommodate the new Baby Bullet express service, and rebuilt Lawrence and Bayshore stations.

The shuttle program, which was introduced in 1992, continues to provide a vital link between Caltrain and BART stations and workplace destinations. More than 40 free shuttles provide transportation for an average of 8,000 weekday commuters, with a 99 percent on-time performance rate.

Over the past 27 years, the transit district has become the face of multimodal public transportation services. The district is on the threshold of historic partnerships, expanded service, and technical innovations calculated to attract thousands of new patrons to buses, trains and shuttles throughout the Peninsula and coastside. A timeline of events moving the agency through this charted course is listed below.

2007

  • Named Employer of the Year by Northern California Chapter of the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials.
  • Extended service on Coastside Routes 14 and 110, as part of a grant-funded pilot program.
  • Released rider guide on How to Ride the Bus.
  • Expanded coastside service on Routes 14 and 17 through a two-year pilot program funded by grant monies.
  • Won “Gold Star Web Award” from More Riders Magazine for user-friendly Caltrain Web site.
  • Awarded $2 million in federal grant money to local cities for Grand Boulevard projects.
  • Achieved record ridership on Caltrain – nearly 11 million annual riders.
  • Received local and federal awards for Caltrain ridership successes from SAMCEDA and FTA.
  • Terminated contract with BART for operation of SM County service.

2006

  • Celebrated 30 years as a transit district on July 1. A range of commemorative activities took place through December, including producing a commemorative pass-holder, commemorative bookmarks with photos of buses through the years, and an essay contest to gather people’s recollections over three decades of SamTrans service.
  • Ran SamTrans’ first Holiday Bus, wrapped in a festive and colorful holiday design.
  • Provided extra service to help alleviate traffic issues with the collapse of Devil’s Slide in Pacifica.

2005

  • Sponsored a county-wide art contest for local students. Nine winning entries were displayed inside SamTrans buses.
  • Marked the 50th anniversary of Rosa Parks’ act of civil disobedience by reserving the front seat of all SamTrans buses in her honor on Dec. 1.
  • Increased fares to help offset rising costs from escalating fuel prices and increased costs for medical insurance. Local fares were increased to $1.50.

2004

  • Received a First Place AdWheel Award from the American Public Transportation Association for its ad campaign to boost bus token sales.
  • Adjusted 14 routes to reduce costs and bring service into better alignment with demand. Four low-performing routes were eliminated. The service reduction saved the district about $1.4 million in annual operating costs.

2003

  • Began operating BART service to the new South San Francisco, San Bruno, SFO and Millbrae stations.
  • Repowered 137 Gillig buses to lower their emissions and extend their service life.
  • Introduced 60 new low-floor buses into service.

2002

  • Purchased 55 new articulated buses, replacing buses up to 17 years old.
  • Established the district’s first full-time Transit Police staff through a contract with the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Department.

2001

  • Introduced free community shuttles to employment and shopping centers.
  • Offered overnight service for the first time.

2000

  • Participated in test of collision-avoidance warning system.
  • Co-hosted countywide Transportation Summit.
  • Started a new Coastside shuttle: Route 17.

1999

  • Renamed all routes and added color-coding.
  • Altered the entire bus system to make it more efficient, adding service to meet the greatest demand.

1998

  • Adopted Bus Improvement Plan, a five-year blueprint for improving bus service.
  • Earned the Peninsula Emergency Services Association’s James V. Fitzgerald Award for an outstanding emergency service program.

1997

  • Inaugurated a successful shuttle program between rail stations and major employment centers.
  • Broke ground for the BART extension to San Francisco International Airport. SamTrans is a partner in the project.

1996

  • Opened the Colma BART Station/SamTrans Transit Center.
  • Modified bus service to improve system efficiency by reducing or eliminating service that does not meet minimum performance levels.

1995

  • Set a 49ers service ridership record to a single game: 10,566.
  • Approved exterior bus advertising.
  • Opened the Redwood City Transit Center.

1994

  • Implemented an express route between the Daly City BART Station and the San Francisco International Airport.
  • Worked with neighboring transit agencies to transport more than 174,000 soccer fans to the World Cup Soccer tournament held at Stanford Stadium.

1993

  • Shuttle Purchased 133 new replacement buses, making SamTrans’ bus fleet fully wheelchair accessible.
  • Continued expansion of the Redi-Wheels program with the purchase of 19 new replacement buses and expanded service hours.

1992

  • Paid $90 million to the Bay Area Rapid Transit District as part of a capital contribution to the BART system.
  • Began construction of the Colma BART Station. SamTrans provided approximately 25 percent of the capital costs for the station.

1991

  • Purchased the Caltrain right of way with the Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board. The purchase was made possible through the approval of $124 million in Proposition 116 rail bonds by the California Transportation Commission. The JPB made up the balance of the $219.6 million total purchase price with the assistance of the San Mateo County Transportation Authority.

1990

  • Paid a $10 million equity payment to BART as part of the agreement to extend the system into San Mateo County.

1989

  • Opened the district’s largest park and ride lot (814 spaces) in Colma.
  • Initiated extra buses on its mainline and transbay routes after the Loma Prieta earthquake.

1988

  • The San Mateo County Transportation Authority is formed to administer the county’s Measure A half-cent sales tax revenues.
  • Received voter approval for Measure A funds which were earmarked for upgrades and extension of Caltrain, improvements to local streets and highways and the creation of a paratransit trust fund to improve transportation for county residents with disabilities. These projects are administered by the transit district under an agreement with the Transportation Authority.

1986

  • Introduced seven new monthly unlimited-ride passes.

1978

  • SamTrans' History Formed unique fare stabilization plan for Southern Pacific rail riders. This plan ultimately led to SamTrans joining Caltrans, Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority and San Francisco Muni in a long-term agreement with Southern Pacific for Caltrain commuter rail service.
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