Contact: Jonah Weinberg, 650-508-6238

In an effort to help older adults stay mobile and active, SamTrans will take a group of seniors to the mall this Friday, March 10. This trip is intended to help demystify the transit system, and show participants how simple it is for them to get out and about.

The goal of these field trips is to make it possible for seniors who can no longer drive, to be able to remain mobile and independent. “When a senior becomes unable to drive, it can pose a serious obstacle to getting out of the house,” said SamTrans Sales and Promotions Supervisor Penny Bertrand, who coordinates this outreach project. “Trips likes these can show seniors that they don’t have to rely on family or neighbors to get out and do things. SamTrans is there for them, and it’s not hard to use.”

This field trip will take a group from the San Bruno Senior Center to the Shops at Tanforan. Seniors will ride a bus that follows the regular Route 141, and during the ride they will receive travel training and information about the SamTrans system. The bus will let the group out at the San Bruno BART station, from where they will walk to the adjacent mall. The seniors will have an opportunity to do some shopping before they re-board the bus back to the senior center. The trip will last approximately three hours.

This is the second senior field trip SamTrans has hosted. The first trip took place last October as part of the annual Communities in Motion event. Seniors from the San Mateo Senior Center were invited to take the bus to a movie theater in downtown San Mateo. Before the trip, the seniors received an overview of how to ride the bus, with the use of fare collection machines, using route schedules and how to request stops.

“Our county’s population is aging,” said Bertrand. “Residents need to know that they have more options than driving when it comes to getting around. SamTrans is here to offer a safe, clean and reliable service.”

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Editor’s Note: Journalists are welcome to attend this event. Buses will leave the San Bruno Senior Center at 11am and are expected to reach Tanforan by 11:30am. Seniors will leave Tanforan at 2pm. To accompany this group, contact 650-508-6238.

03/08/06 - jbw