Title
Update on San Leandro LINKS Shuttle Program
Staffreport
SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS
This report and presentation is for information only and no action is required at this time.
BACKGROUND
Since its inception in 2001, the LINKS shuttle service has served businesses throughout the West San Leandro industrial area and has provided a free transportation link between places of employment and the San Leandro BART Station. The service has demonstrated its value to the community through the overwhelmingly positive feedback from riders (90% responded that shuttle service was good to excellent), high ridership productivity, and ridership growth over the past decade. In recent years, the LINKS shuttle has provided slightly less than 200,000 rides annually.
LINKS is funded through a variety of sources including local and regional grants. A significant portion of funding (45% over the past three years) comes from a business improvement district (BID) that is formed by businesses within 1/4 mile of the shuttle route.
The LINKS shuttle service is managed by the San Leandro Transportation Management Organization (SLTMO), a non-profit entity with representation from local businesses and the City of San Leandro. In 2014, several factors have led to the SLTMO exploring options for enhancing and updating the service:
* BID Re-establishment: The current BID expires this year. Thirteen years have passed since the original route was created and the timing is right to suggest service modification and potential expansion during this renewal period.
* New growth and development in West San Leandro: Business activity is very strong in San Leandro's industrial areas. A recent influx of new businesses, the opening of the Kaiser Permanente Medical Center, and a general economic recovery warrant revisiting the LINKS alignment to ensure that the service best meets current and future needs.
* Next Generation Workplace District Initiatives: An Industrial Area Worki...
Click here for full text