Residents Air Frustrations with County Public Transportation

Residents from across the Peninsula came to Redwood City on Wednesday night to provide their perspective to SamTrans about how the transportation agency can improve its service.

The San Mateo County Transit District and the San Mateo City/County Association of Governments hosted the event at the in order to receive input from low-income residents.

Nearly 30 residents shared their frustrations with bus, train and shuttle service throughout the area and compiled their comments in a group discussion, which facilitators said would be considered in order to improve the transit system.

Many in attendance requested there be more coordination between county transportation services such as CalTrain and the SamTrans buses. Some wished that a single fare could be transferred between both services.

One East Palo Alto resident who attends said she wishes that SamTrans would provide transfers to customers who pay for a fare, because she currently she is forced to pay a new fee each time she gets on a bus.

She said she pays $8 a day round trip, to and from school, which is a financial strain.

Angel Webster, another East Palo Alto resident, said she too wished the local transportation agencies catered service more to college students.

Webster, a student at the College of San Mateo, said she wished there was a discount available for older students. SamTrans offers discounts for high school students up to the age of 17, but she requested the agency consider offering cheaper rates to older students as well.

She also said she'd like to see real-time arrival and departure info posted at the bus stops, similar to what is provided at Muni stops in San Francisco. SamTrans offers a phone line in which riders can call to receive updates on when the bus may arrive, but Webster said it is not always accurate and can be inconvenient.

A larger bus is necessary late at night when the last classes get out at College of San Mateo because the final departing bus from the campus can be crowded with all the students, as well as other riders, said Webster.

She suggested that the transportation agency send another bus, or at least a large bus, for that last trip because riders are often jam-packed together.

A contingency of Spanish speaking residents attended the meeting as well, and through a translator, told SamTrans employees that it would be easier for them to utilize the service if transportation schedules were available in Spanish on the trains and buses, and at the stops.

SamTrans patron Douglas Nichols suggested the agency utilize more shuttles in order to increase the service efficiency. He said that residents in more isolated areas of San Mateo County would benefit from a shuttle that would provide transportation from their neighborhood to central bus routes.

That too would allow the bus to run routes nearer more populous areas, that would serve more people on a more regular basis, said Douglas.

Douglas too said that he'd like to see SamTrans decrease fares, but also admitted he doubted he would see that  be implemented due to the financial struggles the the transportation agency is currently facing.

But not all those in attendance complained about service or made suggestions for improvements. Some gave thanks for the quality of transportation that the agencies provide locally.

"The buses are clean, they generally run on time and the drivers are nice," said Alan Ogilvie. "Compared to what is offered in other cities, like San Francisco, this is night and day."