By Dan Lieberman, @LiebermanTweets SamTrans is on the brink of an exciting transformation. With the passage of Measure W last year, the agency has a budget that can allow for substantive change. This change is necessary, as SamTrans’ ridership has been declining, as is the norm at bus agencies across the country, while traffic and congestion within San Mateo County have gotten worse. Considering 
this, SamTrans is undertaking a comprehensive operational analysis to look at the how the agency serves its riders today, what it should continue to do, and what it needs to change. This effort, titled Reimagine SamTrans, has three primary goals: Improving the experience of current SamTrans customers, growing new and more frequent ridership on SamTrans, and expanding SamTrans’ efficiency and effectiveness as a mobility provider. Through 2020, SamTrans staff will be conducting outreach and analyzing data in order to pinpoint the strengths and challenges in the current system. The information learned from that work will be used to create new service guidelines that will measure the quality of the service in spring of next year. From there, SamTrans will provide three alternatives to each of the 71 routes in the system and will analyze them through those guidelines to determine if they would improve the service. These changes will go to the SamTrans Board of Directors in winter of 2020, and if passed will be implemented in 2021. Reimagine SamTrans will require a great deal of input from the public, as understanding the transportation needs of our riders and our potential riders is fundamental to the project. Outreach teams will be at transit hubs, farmers markets and shopping centers to make it convenient for the public to participate. Go to www.reimaginesamtrans.com now to learn more and join the conversation.
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