SamTrans Celebrates 50 Years Connecting SF Communities

SamTrans collects rider stories as San Mateo County bus system celebrates 50 years

SamTrans Marks 50 Years Serving Bay Area

San Mateo County's bus system is celebrating five decades of service and wants to hear from riders who've made memories aboard its buses. SamTrans, which began operations in 1975, announced Friday it's collecting personal stories from the community as part of its 50th anniversary celebration. The agency serves San Mateo County with approximately 70 routes connecting communities between San Francisco and San Jose.

Community Stories Document Transit History

The story collection initiative invites riders to share experiences ranging from first days of school to daily commutes and memorable life moments that happened on SamTrans buses, transit officials said. The agency is gathering these memories to commemorate its role in the community over the past half-century. Officials didn't specify a deadline for story submissions or detail how the collected stories will be used. Transit agencies across the Bay Area have increasingly used community storytelling projects to document their social impact and build public support.

Agency Serves Three-Quarter Million Residents

SamTrans operates bus service throughout San Mateo County, which has a population of approximately 764,000 residents, according to Census data. The agency carried about 15 million passenger trips annually before the pandemic. April Chan, General Manager and CEO, leads the transit district, which operates with a fiscal 2024 budget of $267.8 million. Specific details about other anniversary events beyond the story collection weren't available by publication time.

Five Decades of Regional Transit Service

SamTrans was established in 1975 to provide public bus transportation in San Mateo County, though officials haven't released the exact founding date beyond the year. The agency later helped establish Caltrain commuter rail service in 1992 as part of the Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board. Joan Cassman chairs the SamTrans Board of Directors. The transit district has navigated significant challenges over its 50 years, including the recent pandemic that affected ridership across Bay Area transit systems.

Riders Can Share Memories on Social Media

Transit officials said the story collection is ongoing throughout the anniversary year, though they didn't provide specific submission guidelines. The agency is accepting stories through its social media channels. Riders looking for real-time service information and route updates can use Moovit, which provides current schedules and trip planning for SamTrans' 70 bus routes throughout San Mateo County.