Menlo shuttle service may expand Menlo shuttle service may expand (August 18, 2004)

By Rebecca Wallace
Almanac Staff Writer

Shopping and running errands without a car can be challenging in the suburbs, to say the least. But it may soon get easier for Menlo Park seniors.

The city-run shoppers' shuttle, which runs between 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on Wednesdays, is scheduled to expand to Fridays on a six-month trial basis. Sparked by increased demand, the expansion is expected to happen in early September, said Debbie Helming, who runs the service and has long had a goal of expanding it.

The shuttle picks Menlo Park seniors up at their homes and then heads to several locations: downtown Menlo Park, the Caltrain station, the library, Little House and Stanford Shopping Center. It's a free service, designed for seniors who cannot easily get to public transit.

Now the service is expected to cover more areas of Menlo Park, adding more pick-ups in the Suburban Park, Felton Gables and Willows neighborhoods, Ms. Helming said.

The bus holds 14 passengers, with one space for a wheelchair, and an average of 10 people ride it each week, Ms. Helming said. But the service's popularity has grown, and on some Wednesdays the number of requests exceeds the capacity.

"It is a safe, convenient and reliable alternative (to driving) and allows older residents to maintain their independence," Ms. Helming wrote in a staff report, adding that many bus stops are out of reach for seniors.

Having two days of operation is estimated to cost $7,072 annually, Ms. Helming said. That cost is covered by grants from the City and County Association of Governments and the Transportation Fund For Clean Air, she said.

During the trial expansion, ridership data will be collected to determine if the demand is there for a permanent second day of service.

The city also runs commuter shuttles from the Caltrain station to various business parks, as well as a midday shuttle open to the general public. The midday shuttle's stops include Safeway, Menlo Medical Clinic and Stanford Hospital.

For more information about the shuttles, call 330-6770 or go to www.menlopark.org and click on "Transportation Program" under "City Departments."

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