The Tradeoff Between Speed And Convenience

"The Caltrain schedule on the Peninsula, which emphasizes "Baby Bullet" express trains, is built around the philosophy that speed is more important than convenience. There's no question that the "reinvented" schedule emphasizing express trains has attracted new customers and has helped narrow Caltrain's shortfall from $13.5 million in 2005 to the current $5 million deficit. But other factors such as higher gas prices, more congested highways and the improved economy also account for increases in passenger counts. Ridership is up nationwide. The American Public Transportation System recently reported that Americans took more trips on local public transportation in 2006 than during any year since 1957.

At a time when people are eager to help the planet by getting out of their cars, Caltrain is failing to serve passengers who want convenience. Trains that used to come every 30 minutes during commute times now come only once an hour, weekday service has been suspended at two stations and shuttles only function during peak hours. It's impossible to travel between some points, such as Belmont and Sunnyvale, during commute times.

Eleven current and former City Council members from San Mateo County believe it is time to revisit Caltrain's schedule so that it better meets the needs of passengers and attracts more riders. It is entirely possible to add back some stops with minimal impact to express trains and provide more local service along with Baby Bullet trains."