On Dec. 3, the SamTrans Board of Directors unanimously approved the agency’s Strategic Plan, a policy blueprint that will shape the bus agency’s direction for the next five years.
The plan, adopted by the board at its December meeting, will focus on five main goals for the next five years: increasing bus ridership by 15 percent, growing passenger fare revenue by 20 percent, reducing annual debt service by $1.5 million, improving organizational performance and managing workforce change.
The Strategic Plan also provides policy guidance for the San Mateo County Transit District, the entity that manages SamTrans, along with Caltrain and the San Mateo County Transportation Authority.
The Plan is upfront about the challenges facing SamTrans. Many of the agency’s long-term employees are reaching retirement age, leaving a potential void in institutional knowledge. While at the same time, demographic trends are forecasting future generations to rely increasingly more on public transit services. The Strategic Plan addresses how SamTrans plans on replacing its veteran employees while bracing for future ridership expansions.
After years of declining ridership levels, SamTrans has seen its customer base grow recently, with passenger trips increasing by 3.6 percent over the past nine months. This is due in large part to changes implemented under the SamTrans Service Plan, the most extensive reorganization of bus operations on the Peninsula in a generation.
The entire Strategic Plan document is available online here. The Plan was crafted following a series of public meetings and workshops at various venues throughout San Mateo County.
