This is my comment on the SamTrans Service Plan, which was released in the Fall of 2012: http://www.samtrans.com/Planning/Planning_and_Research/SamTransServicePlan.html

292 – Rather than reducing service to SF to peak hours only, an option that should be included is to cut service to SF during night hours only, and keep the midday service (and weekend daytime service). I have seen some well utilized trips to and from SF on the weekends. Some tourists from airport hotels also take the 292 to get to San Francisco.

KX – During off peak hours, KX should serve San Bruno BART north of the airport, rather than ending the route at the airport. It is rather expensive to transfer to and from BART at SFO given the $4.00 surcharge. The San Bruno location also allows riders to transfer to El Camino buses.

KX could be operated as a limited stop service along the remaining portion of El Camino (with stops every 1/2 to 1 mile). With the increase in ECR local service, the value of KX on El Camino is reduced. Running as a limited stop service would provide a service differentiation to attract riders. It would also be an initial step toward a possible BRT on El Camino.

250 – Consider making a deviation to Bridgepointe via Fashion Island, Mariners Island, Armada and Baker, either on all runs or on days and times when 251 is not running: http://goo.gl/maps/ZPI4z

251 only runs 6 days a week (the shopping center opens everyday). The line 251 alignment (even under the current plan) is still a more roundabout way to get to the shopping center, especially from points north.

275 – Consider extending 275 to Cañada College via I-280, either as a all day extension replacing 274, or keep 274 strictly during weekday peak hours (considering the longer travel time with 275) with or without extension of 275. See this for route: http://goo.gl/maps/ZPI4z

270 and 281 – These two routes should be combined into a single route (298). Individually, these two routes have a two mile gap in between. If it is filled and operated as a single route, it would greatly increase utility by allowing riders in north RWC and North Fair Oaks to travel direct to Palo Alto, and EPA riders to travel to Stanford Outpatient Center, FoodsCo, Kaiser, and K-mart directly. Because under the current plan, the 281 is supposed to operate more frequently than 270, there would be short turn trips on the 298 between Palo Alto and Onetta Harris Community Center. The through trips to Redwood City would not serve the center however (but service level to Onetta Harris would remain as it is today). See this for route: http://goo.gl/maps/ZPI4z

294 – There should be school day or peak hour trippers along Highway 1 operated as an extension of 294. It is clear that there’s not enough vehicles on line 17, nor enough capacity on line 17 buses for certain trips. If it is operated as an extension of 294, it could have a slightly different routing suitable for larger buses. I think at least one round trip to and from Pacifica (1 AM and 1 PM) is justified.

San Carlos service – Such service should include some fixed route elements during peak hours rather than a strict dial-a-ride, such as including a regular route that riders can pick up without a reservation, but can go off route up to a certain distance for people who reserved, or pick up at the train station on a regular interval without a reservation.