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SamTrans > News Archive - 2003 > SamTrans "Low-Riders" Hit the Streets
SamTrans "Low-Riders" Hit the Streets
The San Mateo County Transit District new low-floor buses are now cruising the
streets of North San Mateo County along Route 120.
SamTrans purchased 60 new low-floor Gillig buses earlier this year to begin replacing
its fleet of aging 1990 Gilligs.
Low-floor buses help to speed up dwell times at bus stops by making it easier for
passengers to board and exit the buses. The low-floor on these buses means that
riders no longer have to climb two or three stairs to board the bus but can simply
step on.
Decreasing dwell time is a critical factor in improving on-time performance. That's
one of the reasons that Route 120 was chosen as a pilot route for the new buses. The
120, which serves riders in Daly City and Colma BART stations, carries greater
passenger volume per revenue mile (the metric SamTrans uses to measure ridership)
than some of SamTrans' routes traveling along El Camino Real.
Route 120 also offers some challenging terrain to really put these new buses through
their paces.
The new buses also feature electric engine starters as opposed to the current air
starters found on older models, and rear "yield" signs to facilitate merging on
congested roads.
The rear yield sign also will be featured on SamTrans' new Regional Express Buses,
which will serve an express route between East Palo Alto, Redwood Shores and the
Millbrae Intermodal Station.
The sign is intended to help decrease the number of preventable accidents by
announcing the bus operator's intention to rejoin traffic through the activation of
the sign. The light flashes when the left turn signal is activated.
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