Will S.C.O.O.T. Rise from the Ashes?

March 7, 2008

In Vice Mayor Bob Grassili's vision,  we might be seeing signs like these in the city again.  According to an article in the San Mateo Daily Journal, Vice Mayor Grassili would like to investigate bringing back the shuttered shuttle service.  He cites transportation to the hills and traffic problems around the San Carlos schools as the primary problems SCOOT will solve.

This is an interesting idea, and will no doubt prove controversial.  There are two questions that will need to be answered:

  • Is it really necesary?   In my admittedly unscientific opinion of the first incarnation of SCOOT, it appeared that once the initial novelty of a “free” bus ride wore off,  there were an awful lot of mostly empty buses driving around town.  I'm not sure that putting large, under-utilized buses onto Alameda is going to solve the Tierra Linda/Carlmont gridlock.  It seems that conscious effort to carpool might have a similar effect?
  • Who will pay for it?  It appears that another helping of  Mayor Brad Lewis' “vegetables” would be in order.  According to the last State of the City address, the City of San Carlos is facing a serious budget shortfall that will likely require a utility tax or other parcel assessment to solve.  Where would SCOOT fit in all of this?

Don't get me wrong — I applaud Vice Mayor Grassili for taking the initiative to solve some significant transportation issues in San Carlos.  I just believe that we need to examine any/all no-cost options before we consider bringing SCOOT back from…wherever buses go when they die.

Here's the article =>  SCOOT to Return to San Carlos?

What's your opinion on this?

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