The SamTrans system provides fundamental transportation services to the Bay Area in the form of trains, accessible services for the disabled, and buses. In an attempt to improve and simplify service, several SamTrans bus routes and schedules are being modified effective Jan. 21.
“The merged routes should offer similar coverage in a more efficient manner,” said SamTrans public affairs specialist Dan Lieberman. “Other service changes are to meet specialized needs, eliminate underperforming service, and promote better on-time performance.”
Several bus routes bring Bay Area students to and from school.
“SamTrans offers an efficient, clean, and comfortable ride and we’re proud to continue to serve our youth riders,” Lieberman said.
One route with a schedule change is Route 61, which travels through San Carlos and stops at Carlmont.
“We look at bell times when designing schedules. When our buses aren’t able to deliver students to class on time, we hear about it and work to adjust our schedules to fix the situation,” Lieberman said.
Despite this, the schedule change to Route 61 will not allow Carlmont students to be on time for zero period, which starts at 8:00 a.m. The bus that originally left at 7:14 a.m. and arrived at Carlmont at 7:42 a.m., will now leave at 7:35 a.m. and get to Carlmont at 8:10 a.m.
Sophomore Elena Moore takes Route 61 every morning and while she usually makes it to school on time, she says the bus schedule can be inconsistent.
“It [the bus] is fairly efficient; however, it is almost always late and the stops make it take a long time to get to school,” Moore said.
Beyond San Carlos, many Carlmont students from Redwood Shores also use SamTrans to get to school.
“I live in Redwood Shores and because it’s not that close to Carlmont and there’s a lot of traffic, most Redwood Shores parents can’t drive their kids every day,” said sophomore Antara Sengupta.
Sengupta, along with other Carlmont students, takes route 60 to get to Carlmont. While no changes are currently being made to this route, Sengupta believes that there is room for improvement.
“There should be more buses because there is only one bus in Redwood Shores so it fills up really quick,” Sengupta said. “It can get extremely crowded and you have to get there early to make sure you have a seat.”
In spite of SamTrans announcements and signs, both Moore and Sengupta were unaware of any bus schedule changes.
“I’m haven’t heard anything but hopefully they can improve the bus,” Moore said.
Sengupta had similar thoughts to Moore.
“I was not aware of schedule or any changes, but I think positive things can be done to make SamTrans more efficient and user-friendly.”
According to Lieberman, these changes will grant Sengupta and Moore their requests.
To view all of the schedule changes, visit the SamTrans website.
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