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SamTrans > News Archive > SamTrans to Hold Public Hearing on Service Cuts
SamTrans to Hold Public Hearing on Service Cuts
Faced with lower ridership and revenue, SamTrans will hold a public hearing on June 9
to receive public comment on proposed adjustments to
reduce costs by bringing service levels into better alignment with demand. The hearing
will be held at 3 p.m. at 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 on express Routes DX, FX and KX and 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 included 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
Intermodal Station.
The public had the opportunity to comment on the proposed changes at four community
meetings held in late May at locations throughout the county. Comments also can be
made at the public hearing or by calling 1-800-660-4287 (or TDD only 650-508-6448).
Written comment also can 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.
5/27/04
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