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SamTrans > News Archive > Hearing Set to Weigh Weekend Closure of Two BART Stations
Hearing Set to Weigh Weekend Closure of Two BART Stations
The SamTrans board will hold a public hearing Aug. 10 to consider suspending service to
the South San Francisco and San Bruno BART stations on weekends to reduce operating
costs.
The board also will consider a staff proposal to eliminate a $1 subsidy on certain trips
to and from San Francisco International Airport, which SamTrans has been absorbing to
keep the ticket price down.
Under the proposal, passengers themselves traveling from within San Mateo County to or
from SFO would pay the full fare charged by BART.
The hearing will be held at 2 p.m. at the San Mateo County Transit District offices,
1250 San Carlos Ave., San Carlos.
The weekend service suspension at the two stations would take effect Sept. 12, and
elimination of SamTrans' $1 surcharge subsidy on Jan. 1, 2006.
The BART board has already approved a 3.7 percent fare increase and a systemwide 10-cent
increase in the surcharge, which also goes into effect Jan. 1, for a net surcharge
increase of $1.14 to San Mateo County riders going to or from SFO.
SamTrans is responsible for the net operating cost of the BART/SFO line, which opened
between Colma and SFO and Millbrae in June 2003. Ridership and revenue have fallen
short of projection, and $8 million is the amount SamTrans is to contribute to close the
gap for the 2005 fiscal year.
SamTrans has budgeted $10 million for the 2006 fiscal year, which began July 1. The
proposal to suspend weekend service will save about $1.1 million annually, and the
elimination of the subsidy for airport trips, plus the BART 10-cent local surcharge
increase, is projected to increase annual revenue by another $1 million.
Of the four BART extension stations, the South San Francisco and San Bruno stations have
the lowest weekend ridership, at 1,200 and 1,300 respectively per day. San Bruno
passengers would likely use the Millbrae station, and South San Francisco riders the
Colma station.
Extension ridership overall has been steadily increasing but still falls short of
projection. Average weekday ridership in June was 29,139 per day, compared to 27,326
last year.
Despite the overall upward trend, SamTrans needs to look for ways to contain costs and
increase revenue to reduce and eliminate the subsidy by fiscal year 2008, consistent
with the district's plans.
Among the other cost-saving measures SamTrans has proposed to BART is the routing of
only Dublin/Pleasanton trains to SFO and Millbrae instead of trains from other lines.
This is because of a formula for the operating subsidy, which is based on the number of
car miles, and shorter trains are used on the Dublin line. BART estimates that this
change, which will occur Sept. 12, will save $3.6 million a year.
As a result, the frequency during the commute-period would be the same as it is during
much of the day, which is every 15 minutes, instead of every seven or eight.
In addition to providing comments at the public hearing, the public can send written
comments by 5 p.m. Aug. 9 to board secretary, San Mateo County Transit District, 1250
San Carlos Ave., San Carlos, CA 94070. Comments also can be made by calling SamTrans
Customer Service Center at 1.800.660.4287 (TTY only 650.508.6448).
7/25/05
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