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SamTrans > News Archive > SamTrans Meetings Scheduled May 27 on Service Cuts
SamTrans Meetings Scheduled May 27 on Service Cuts
SamTrans will hold four public meetings on May 27 to receive comment about proposed
bus service modifications to address the fiscal challenges the district confronts
because of the prolonged economic downturn.
The public meetings will begin at 7 p.m. and be held at the following locations:
- South San Francisco Municipal Services Building, Betty Weber Room, 33 Arroyo
Drive
- SamTrans Administrative Office Auditorium, 1250 San Carlos Ave., San Carlos
- Menlo Park City Council Chambers, 701 Laurel St.
- Cunha Intermediate School, Multi-use Room, Kelly and Church streets, Half Moon
Bay.
Faced with lower ridership and revenue, the board has scheduled a June 9 public
hearing to consider adjustments to reduce costs and bring service levels into better
alignment with demand. The hearing will be held at 3 p.m. at the SamTrans
headquarters, 1250 San Carlos Ave. in San Carlos.
The proposed changes will affect 14 routes and would go into effect in August. Four
routes are proposed for elimination while most would offer fewer trips. The service
reduction would affect an estimated 376 riders and save about $1.4 million in annual
operating costs.
Route 15 on the south Coastside, would be eliminated, as would Routes 34 and 44 in
Brisbane and San Bruno, respectively, and 261 in San Carlos. Combined, all four routes
carry 120 riders on an average weekday. In San Carlos, duplicate free service is
offered by the S.C.O.O.T. shuttle.
Frequencies would be reduced for Routes DX, FX and KX express service to San Francisco
and for local routes 120 and 121 (Daly City) and 342, a Millbrae route which serves
the BART station. SamTrans also would eliminate some tripper (extra capacity) buses
for select Route 390 and 391 schedules.
Two late-night routes - 297 and 397 connecting Redwood City and East Palo Alto to San
Francisco International Airport - would go onto probationary status pending successful
efforts to seek supplemental funding from the airport.
SamTrans' strategy for addressing its budgetary challenges also includes the
elimination of 47 of 779 positions. Weekday bus ridership has dropped from nearly
70,000 over the past decade to about 48,000, and the district has been forced to make
the tough choice to shrink staff levels due to the smaller demand.
The staff reductions are expected to result in a savings of approximately $1.8 million.
Although SamTrans is proposing to reduce service, the district has received a grant to
operate a new express bus from East Palo Alto and Redwood Shores to the Millbrae
International Station.
Comments on the bus service changes can be made at the public meetings or by calling
1-800-660-4287 (or TDD only 650-508-6448). Written comment can also be sent through
e-mail to changes04@samtrans.com or to
Service Changes, SamTrans Administrative Office, P.O. Box 3006, San Carlos, CA 94070-
1306.
5/13/04
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