The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority in northern California is considering cutting all bus service in Palo Alto other than two lines that connect to San Jose.
But instead of focusing on its stated goal of increasing ridership and revenue, the VTA would be wise to invest in transportation demand management, including tweaking its bus service based on trends in travel patterns.
What’s contributing to this? In Palo Alto, California’s most educated city, 19 percent of the population would like to use the free, city-run Palo Alto Shuttle but doesn’t know how, according to a 2015 survey.
Yes, you read that correctly. In the epicenter of Silicon Valley – home to Stanford University, Hewlett-Packard, and Tesla, and where Facebook, Google, Waze, and many others were incubated – nearly one in every five potential transit riders haven’t taken the time to learn how to ride the shuttle.
It’s not because Palo Alto residents don’t consider other transportation options. The city has an impressive ratio of households without cars and a relatively low (65 percent) commuter drive-alone rate. Further, an impressive 9 percent commute by bicycle, 6 percent walk, and 5 percent take transit (the highest in the region).
Sue Dremann of the Palo Alto Weekly reports that the interest for more transit does exist:
Fifty-three percent of those surveyed said they would be motivated to take buses if the vehicles came more often – as frequently as every five to 15 minutes.
A nearly identical number, 52 percent, said they want “bus routes that drop me closer to my destination.” And 47 percent want “routes closer to where I live,” according to the survey.
The city concluded, “Opportunities to expand the shuttle’s reach into new geographic areas and ridership markets include a focus on service,” particularly serving seniors, students, Caltrain commuters, workers at Palo Alto businesses, and residents in the southwest part of Palo Alto.
For the moment, plans for the expansion of the Palo Alto Shuttle system are on hold, pending a firming up of VTA’s plans, city officials said. Money, as always, is part of the sticking point.
TDM investment pales in comparison to the dollars required to build roadways or even to add new bus lines or transit infrastructure. Strategic outreach and education can shift significant numbers of trips from overloaded pathways to less-crowded options. It’s one of the best answers when trying to do a lot with a little.
Photo: An empty bus shelter in Palo Alto (Antti Nissinen, Flickr, Creative Commons).