Students may not be thrilled about the return of school later this month, but they can at least take solace in the creation of four new SamTrans bus routes designed to make their daily travel easier. This past Monday, SamTrans launched Routes 18, 56, 61 and 81, all of which will serve local schools on the Peninsula. The scheduling of the new lines will coincide with the opening and closing bell times at schools, so students will be able to arrive in time for the start of classes, and leave shortly after their studies end. Parents can rest easy knowing that their kids will have a reliable, safe, and efficient way to get to and from school every day. Route 18 will operate on the Coastside, traveling between Half Moon Bay and Granada, and serving students at Cunha Intermediate School and Half Moon Bay High School. In San Mateo, Route 56 was established to cater to students at Aragon High School and the College of San Mateo. It will also make stops at the Highlands Recreation Center, a local community facility that features after-school programs for students. Route 61 will operate primarily in San Carlos, carrying students traveling to Tierra Linda Middle School and Carlmont High School. The new line will depart daily in the morning from the San Carlos Caltrain Station, allowing students traveling from other communities in the Peninsula to make the connection for the last leg of their school trip. Finally, Route 81 will serve the communities of Menlo Park and Palo Alto. The bus was established to carry students attending Menlo-Atherton High School. SamTrans currently operates 40 bus lines that primarily serve local schools. These lines do not operate during the weekends and other times when school is not in session. The four new bus lines introduced on August 8 were part of SamTrans’ regularly-scheduled service adjustments. Three times a year, SamTrans adjusts its scheduling and service operations to take into account changing traffic impacts, travel patterns and bus operator availability. The adjustments help SamTrans improve on-time performance standards and make the bus system run more smoothly. Complete details of the scheduling and service changes are available here. Additional documents detailing the new changes have been distributed onboard buses and at scheduled outlets.
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About SamTrans: SamTrans operates 76 routes throughout San Mateo County. Funded in part by a half-cent sales tax, the San Mateo County Transit District also provides administrative support for Caltrain and the San Mateo County Transportation Authority. SamTrans has provided bus service to San Mateo County customers since 1976. Like us on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/samtrans or and follow us on Twitter @SamTrans_News. Will Reisman Public Relations Specialist Caltrain/SamTrans/SMCTA O: (650) 508-7704 M: 415-420-0905 @WillReisman