106-578: SamTrans (stylized as samTrans ; officially the San Mateo County Transit District ) is a public transport agency in and around San Mateo, California , in the San Francisco Bay Area . It provides bus service throughout San Mateo County and into portions of San Francisco and Palo Alto . SamTrans also operates commuter shuttles to BART stations and community shuttles. Service is largely concentrated on
212-454: A guideway . This is an uncommon mode of transportation (excluding elevators ) due to the complexity of automation. A fully implemented system might provide most of the convenience of individual automobiles with the efficiency of public transit. The crucial innovation is that the automated vehicles carry just a few passengers, turn off the guideway to pick up passengers (permitting other PRT vehicles to continue at full speed), and drop them off to
318-543: A body of water. A foot-passenger ferry with many stops is sometimes called a water bus . Ferries form a part of the public transport systems of many waterside cities and islands, allowing direct transit between points at a capital cost much lower than bridges or tunnels, though at a lower speed. Ship connections of much larger distances (such as over long distances in water bodies like the Mediterranean Sea ) may also be called ferry services. A report published by
424-748: A corresponding Clipper card obtained from SamTrans or another Bay Area transit agency. To ride SamTrans with Clipper card, the card must be "tagged" (read) by the Clipper card reader installed at the front of the bus near the farebox. The reader checks for a SamTrans monthly pass and local-fare credits from other agencies, computes the remaining fare and (if there is one) collects it in Clipper Cash. Note that northbound passengers on route KX to San Francisco must "tag" their Clipper card twice: once when boarding within San Mateo County (which collects
530-444: A cost of $ 168m. SamTrans aims to have a diesel free bus fleet by the mid 2030s. Public transport Public transport (also known as public transportation , public transit , mass transit , or simply transit ) is a system of transport for passengers by group travel systems available for use by the general public unlike private transport , typically managed on a schedule, operated on established routes, and that may charge
636-550: A couple of Bay Area events such as San Francisco 49ers home football games and the quirky Bay to Breakers footrace in San Francisco. SamTrans reorganized its bus routes in August 1999 and adopted a new route designation system to identify service types, geographical coverage, and connections to rail services . Local routes have either two or three digits or a special designation (e.g., ECR ). For three-digit routes,
742-420: A decline in public transport usage. A number of sources attribute this trend to the rise in popularity of remote work, ride-sharing services, and car loans being relatively cheap across many countries. Major cities such as Toronto, Paris, Chicago, and London have seen this decline and have attempted to intervene by cutting fares and encouraging new modes of transportation, such as e-scooters and e-bikes. Because of
848-552: A few stops per city. These services may also be international. High-speed rail is passenger trains operating significantly faster than conventional rail—typically defined as at least 200 kilometres per hour (120 mph). The most predominant systems have been built in Europe and East Asia, and compared with air travel, offer long-distance rail journeys as quick as air services, have lower prices to compete more effectively and use electricity instead of combustion. Urban rail transit
954-572: A first step towards the goal to have an all-electric fleet by 2033. The battery electric buses were expected to enter revenue service in early 2019, and a charging station will be installed at each SamTrans maintenance facility. However, issues with battery charges and turning radius led to Samtrans ending the program. Recently, Samtrans took possession and testing of a New Flyer battery power bus, which has now led to both bases getting chargers installed or in process of being installed. In 2023, SamTrans ordered 108 hydrogen fuel cell buses from New Flyer at
1060-741: A local fare or equivalent) and once before exiting in San Francisco (which collects any remaining fare). Caltrain monthly passes (with two or more zones) and VTA monthly passes (that have been tagged on VTA in the last two hours) are honored on SamTrans as a local-fare credit. To use a local-fare credit from a monthly pass loaded onto a Clipper card on higher-cost routes, the remaining fare must be collected in Clipper Cash. New fareboxes were installed in June 2011. The fareboxes collect fares, issue new magnetic striped tickets (e.g., day passes, change cards) and process previously issued magnetic striped tickets (e.g., day passes, youth summer passes, change cards). When
1166-473: A patron does not have exact change, a change card is issued with a cash value that can be redeemed at a future farebox transaction for up to a year. Up to three kids under 5 with fare-paying rider can board for free. SamTrans currently has a fleet of 296 buses of various sizes for its fixed-route service. Fifty-five are articulated buses made by New Flyer Industries with the 10 m (35 ft) and 12 m (40 ft) buses with low flooring, are made by
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#17327730687161272-539: A political party preference. Every city, town, and unincorporated area of San Mateo County has more registered Democrats than Republicans. On November 4, 2008, San Mateo County voted 61.8% against Proposition 8 , which amended the California Constitution to ban same-sex marriages. The following table includes the number of incidents reported and the rate per 1,000 persons for each type of offense . A July 2013 Wall Street Journal article identified
1378-438: A posted fee for each trip. There is no rigid definition of which kinds of transport are included, and air travel is often not thought of when discussing public transport—dictionaries use wording like "buses, trains, etc." Examples of public transport include city buses , trolleybuses , trams (or light rail ) and passenger trains , rapid transit (metro/subway/underground, etc.) and ferries . Public transport between cities
1484-542: A private, forested property near Pescadero, on the San Mateo County Coast, where it was photographed by a motion-activated wildlife camera. Harold Heath, professor emeritus, of Stanford University was responsible for the 1904 sighting, 1 mile (1.6 km) west of the university campus. Pumas ( Puma concolor ), also known as cougars or mountain lions, roam the county. Tule elk ( Cervus canadensis nannodes ) were native to San Mateo County and among
1590-676: A railway with freight trains . A rapid transit railway system (also called a metro, underground, heavy rail, or subway) operates in an urban area with high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Heavy rail is a high-capacity form of rail transit, with 4 to 10 units forming a train, and can be the most expensive form of transit to build. Modern heavy rail systems are mostly driverless, which allows for higher frequencies and less maintenance cost. Systems are able to transport large numbers of people quickly over short distances with little land use. Variations of rapid transit include people movers , small-scale light metro and
1696-520: A route-level analysis, in 2014, four lines accounted for more than half of all weekday riders: ECR, 120, 292, and 122/28, with ECR alone accounting for more than one quarter of all weekday riders. A half-cent sales tax, Measure W, which partially goes to SamTrans, passed on the November 2018 ballot. SamTrans headquarters are at 1250 San Carlos Avenue in a 125,000-square-foot (11,600 m) building built in 1979 and acquired in 1990, one block southwest of
1802-480: A set of trolley poles for mobility. Online Electric Vehicles are buses that run on a conventional battery, but are recharged frequently at certain points via underground wires. Certain types of buses, styled after old-style streetcars, are also called trackless trolleys, but are built on the same platforms as a typical diesel , CNG , or hybrid bus; these are more often used for tourist rides than commuting and tend to be privately owned. Passenger rail transport
1908-514: A settlement, an arroyo , a headland jutting into the Pacific ( Point Montara ), and a large land holding ( Rancho San Mateo ). Until about 1850, the name appeared as San Matheo . The Japanese first arrived in San Mateo County and were part of a group guided by Ambassador Tomomi Iwakura in 1872. A number of male Japanese students came to San Mateo to learn English and many other helpful skills to bring back to Japan. These students were also some of
2014-412: A single (or return) trip, or valid within a certain area for a period of time (see transit pass ). The fare is based on the travel class, either depending on the traveled distance, or based on zone pricing . The tickets may have to be shown or checked automatically at the station platform or when boarding, or during the ride by a conductor . Operators may choose to control all riders, allowing sale of
2120-413: A smaller suburban or town center. The stations are often combined with shuttle bus or park and ride systems. Frequency may be up to several times per hour, and commuter rail systems may either be part of the national railway or operated by local transit agencies. Common forms of commuter rail employ either diesel electric locomotives, or electric multiple unit trains. Some commuter train lines share
2226-574: A station and exchange passengers. There is often a potential conflict between this objective and optimising the utilisation of vehicles and drivers. The main sources of financing are ticket revenue, government subsidies and advertising. The percentage of revenue from passenger charges is known as the farebox recovery ratio . A limited amount of income may come from land development and rental income from stores and vendors, parking fees, and leasing tunnels and rights-of-way to carry fiber optic communication lines. Most—but not all—public transport requires
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#17327730687162332-431: A tram line. Light rail lines are, thus, essentially modernized interurbans . Unlike trams, light rail trains are often longer and have one to four cars per train. Somewhere between light and heavy rail in terms of carbon footprint , monorail systems usually use overhead single tracks, either mounted directly on the track supports or put in an overhead design with the train suspended. Monorail systems are used throughout
2438-525: A wide variety of vendors, but youth, senior and disabled Clipper cards must be obtained from SamTrans or another Bay Area transit agency. Each Clipper card contains some sort of stored value (e.g., monthly passes, "Clipper Cash" e-funds used for transit fares) and the history of recent trips using the card. Clipper cards generally confer an approximately 10% discount relative to cash fares. SamTrans does not provide physical transfers , but Clipper cards offer free transfers to other SamTrans buses within 2 hours of
2544-801: Is Mexican, 2.7% Salvadoran, 1.2% Guatemalan, 1.2% Nicaraguan, 0.7% Peruvian, 0.6% Puerto Rican, 0.2% Colombian, and 0.2% Cuban. As of the census of 2009, there were 714,936 people, 258,648 households, and 174,582 families residing in the county. The population density was 2,753 people per square mile (1,063 people/km ). There were 284,471 housing units at an average density of 789 units per square mile (305 units/km ). 7.4% were of Italian , 7.1% Irish , 7.0% German and 5.3% English ancestry according to Census 2000 . 46.9% spoke English , 28.4% Spanish , 6.2% Tagalog , 4.0% Chinese or Mandarin and 1.1% Cantonese , and other language 4.2%, as their first language from estimate census 2009. There were 258,648 households, out of which 30% had children under
2650-431: Is a residential school that teaches major concepts of ecology via exploration of forest, pond, garden, tidepool , wetland , and sandy shore habitats . The center's mascot is the banana slug , a large yellow gastropod . The school uses songs from the famous Banana Slug String Band . They include: Offering secondary (6–12) education: There are three community colleges in San Mateo County, all of which belong to
2756-507: Is a term used for buses operating on dedicated right-of-way, much like a light rail. Coach services use coaches (long-distance buses) for suburb-to-CBD or longer-distance transportation. The vehicles are normally equipped with more comfortable seating, a separate luggage compartment, video and possibly also a toilet. They have higher standards than city buses, but a limited stopping pattern. Trolleybuses are electrically powered buses that receive power from overhead power line by way of
2862-496: Is a transit technology that moves people in motor-less, engine-less vehicles that are propelled by a steel cable. There are two sub-groups of CPT— gondola lifts and cable cars (railway) . Gondola lifts are supported and propelled from above by cables, whereas cable cars are supported and propelled from below by cables. While historically associated with usage in ski resorts , gondola lifts are now finding increased consumption and utilization in many urban areas—built specifically for
2968-492: Is also regular scheduled service to San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and Transbay Terminal in downtown San Francisco. Unlike most large transit operators in the Bay Area, SamTrans outsources to private contractors the operation of a number of its routes. The current contract operator for Peninsula mainline, Coastside and paratransit services is MV Transportation . SamTrans previously operated special service for
3074-553: Is also served by the local Catholic diocese and many other private parochial and secular schools. The San Mateo County Board of Education oversees early education, special education, and the court and community schools program in the county, as well as serves as an appeal board for the adjudication of expulsion appeals, interdistrict attendance appeals, and charter schools. Some students in San Mateo County's public schools attend outdoor education in La Honda . San Mateo Outdoor Education
3180-421: Is an all-encompassing term for various types of local rail systems, such as these examples trams , light rail , rapid transit , people movers , commuter rail , monorail , suspension railways and funiculars . Commuter rail is part of an urban area's public transport. It provides faster services to outer suburbs and neighboring satellite cities . Trains stop at train stations that are located to serve
3286-793: Is carried out at North Base, which can store 200 buses. South Base can store 150 buses. SamTrans also owns Brewster Depot in Redwood City, which is used by its subcontractor MV Transportation for storage and dispatching; Brewster Depot is 3,000 square feet (280 m) and was built in 1940. Currently, SamTrans serves the cities of San Mateo County , including Atherton , Belmont , Brisbane , Burlingame , Colma , Daly City , East Palo Alto , Foster City , Half Moon Bay , Hillsborough , Menlo Park , Millbrae , Pacifica , Palo Alto , Redwood City , Redwood Shores , San Bruno , San Carlos , San Mateo , and South San Francisco . Most routes provide connecting service to BART , Caltrain , or both. There
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3392-484: Is common with roads for automobiles. Interchanges are locations where passengers can switch from one public transport route to another. This may be between vehicles of the same mode (like a bus interchange), or e.g. between bus and train. It can be between local and intercity transport (such as at a central station or airport). Timetables (or 'schedules' in North American English ) are provided by
3498-610: Is dominated by airlines , coaches , and intercity rail . High-speed rail networks are being developed in many parts of the world. Most public transport systems run along fixed routes with set embarkation/disembarkation points to a prearranged timetable, with the most frequent services running to a headway (e.g.: "every 15 minutes" as opposed to being scheduled for any specific time of the day). However, most public transport trips include other modes of travel, such as passengers walking or catching bus services to access train stations. Share taxis offer on-demand services in many parts of
3604-430: Is especially valuable in cases where there are capacity problems for private transport. Investments in infrastructure are expensive and make up a substantial part of the total costs in systems that are new or expanding. Once built, the infrastructure will require operating and maintenance costs, adding to the total cost of public transport. Sometimes governments subsidize infrastructure by providing it free of charge, just as
3710-656: Is reasonably comfortable (seats, toilets, services), and can thus be scheduled and used pleasurably, productively or for (overnight) rest. Chauffeured movement is enjoyed by many people when it is relaxing, safe, but not too monotonous. Waiting, interchanging, stops and holdups, for example due to traffic or for security, are discomforting. Jet lag is a human constraint discouraging frequent rapid long-distance east–west commuting, favoring modern telecommunications and VR technologies. An airline provides scheduled service with aircraft between airports. Air travel has high speeds, but incurs large waiting times before and after travel, and
3816-599: Is split between three legislative districts: In the California State Senate , San Mateo is split between the 11th and 13th districts, represented by Scott Wiener and Josh Becker , respectively. The California Secretary of State, as of February 2019, reports that San Mateo County has 404,958 registered voters. Of those voters, 202,341 (50%) are registered Democratic, 60,045 (14.3%) are registered Republican, 15,834 (3.9%) are registered with other political parties, and 126,738 (31.3%) declined to state
3922-699: Is substituted by All Nighter bus service , split between SamTrans routes 397 (replacing Caltrain between San Francisco and Palo Alto via SFO) and ECR Owl (replacing BART between Daly City and SFO). San Francisco International Airport is geographically located in San Mateo County, east of Highway 101 near San Bruno and Millbrae , but it is owned and operated by the City and County of San Francisco . San Mateo County owns two general aviation airports: Half Moon Bay Airport and San Carlos Airport . The only deepwater port in South San Francisco Bay
4028-444: Is the conveyance of passengers by means of wheeled vehicles specially designed to run on railways. Trains allow high capacity at most distance scales, but require track , signalling , infrastructure and stations to be built and maintained resulting in high upfront costs. Intercity rail is long-haul passenger services that connect multiple urban areas. They have few stops, and aim at high average speeds, typically only making one of
4134-721: Is therefore often only feasible over longer distances or in areas where a lack of surface infrastructure makes other modes of transport impossible. Bush airlines work more similarly to bus stops; an aircraft waits for passengers and takes off when the aircraft is full. Bus services use buses on conventional roads to carry numerous passengers on shorter journeys. Buses operate with low capacity (compared with trams or trains), and can operate on conventional roads, with relatively inexpensive bus stops to serve passengers. Therefore, buses are commonly used in smaller cities, towns, and rural areas, and for shuttle services supplementing other means of transit in large cities. Bus rapid transit (BRT)
4240-549: The County of San Mateo , is a county in the U.S. state of California . As of the 2020 census , the population was 764,442. Redwood City is the county seat , the third-most populated city in the county after Daly City and San Mateo . San Mateo County is included in the San Francisco–Oakland–Berkeley, CA MSA ( metropolitan statistical area ), Silicon Valley , and is part of the San Francisco Bay Area ,
4346-523: The Facebook initial public offering (IPO) as the cause of a change in the U.S.' national economic statistics, as San Mateo County—the home of the company—became the top wage-earning county in the country after the fourth quarter of 2012. The article revealed that the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the average weekly wage in the county was $ 3,240, which is 107% higher than the previous year: "That's
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4452-541: The Gillig Corporation. Each bus is equipped with GPS tracking providing both visual and voice next-stop announcements, and are accessible to passengers in wheelchairs and those with limited mobility. In 2009, SamTrans added 135 custom made Gillig low floor buses to their fleet, numbered 400-490, 500-539 & 2900-2903, replacing 137 older Gillig Phantom buses in their fleet. In 2018, SamTrans placed an order for 10 Proterra 40-foot Catalyst BE40s buses as
4558-783: The Palo Alto Transit Center in Santa Clara County and Salesforce Transit Center in San Francisco. Approximately 2 ⁄ 3 of all SamTrans bus routes travel along El Camino Real , and route ECR, the primary bus route on El Camino, carries approximately 25% of SamTrans ridership. Each Caltrain and BART station has connections to SamTrans routes. In addition, Daly City station is served by SF Muni bus routes. There are many free shuttles that operate from Caltrain, BART, and Ferry stations along fixed routes to local employers during weekday commuting hours (6–10 AM and 3–7 PM). Overnight rail service
4664-692: The San Carlos Caltrain station. In 2023, SamTrans authorized the acquisition of a new building near Millbrae BART and Caltrain station to be used as the new headquarter. SamTrans has two maintenance bases. North Base opened in 1988. It is in South San Francisco, just north of San Francisco International Airport and adjacent to U.S. 101 and I-380 . South Base opened in 1984 near the San Carlos Airport , east of U.S. 101 off Redwood Shores Parkway. Primary maintenance
4770-760: The San Francisco Bay estuarine shoreline, San Bruno Mountain , Fitzgerald Marine Reserve and the forests on the Montara Mountain block. Several creeks discharge to the San Francisco Bay, including San Mateo Creek and Laurel Creek, and several coastal streams discharge to the Pacific Ocean , such as Frenchmans Creek and San Vicente Creek . Año Nuevo State Marine Conservation Area and Greyhound Rock State Marine Conservation Area are two adjoining marine protected areas off
4876-569: The San Mateo County Community College District : Caltrain , the commuter rail system, connects ten cities in the county with San Francisco (to the north) and San Jose / Gilroy (to the south), running between the Highway 101 and El Camino Real corridors for most of the way. There are 13 stations in San Mateo County , of which 12 have daily service; the ten cities with stations stretch from Brisbane on
4982-482: The stagecoaches traveling a fixed route between coaching inns , and the horse-drawn boat carrying paying passengers, which was a feature of European canals from the 17th century onwards. The canal itself as a form of infrastructure dates back to antiquity. In ancient Egypt canals were used for freight transportation to bypass the Aswan cataract. The Chinese also built canals for water transportation as far back as
5088-851: The warring States period which began in the 5th century BCE. Whether or not those canals were used for for-hire public transport remains unknown; the Grand Canal in China (begun in 486 BCE) served primarily the grain trade . The bus , the first organized public transit system within a city, appears to have originated in Paris in 1662, although the service in question, Carrosses à cinq sols (English: five-sol coaches), which have been developed by mathematician and philosopher Blaise Pascal , lasted only fifteen years until 1677. Buses are known to have operated in Nantes in 1826. The public bus transport system
5194-581: The "favored foods" of the Ohlone people based on ethnohistoric and archeological evidence there. The discovery of two elk specimens made news in 1962, one a royal elk (royal elk bulls have six tines per antler) from a peat bog excavated in Pacifica's historic Laguna Alta, and now in the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology collection. These may date from the time of Spanish settlement. Laguna Alta lay just south of
5300-607: The Board of Supervisors will cease to be elected by an at-large vote of all the voters in the county, but is instead elected only by the voters of his or her district. San Mateo County is split between California's 15th and 16th congressional districts, represented by Kevin Mullin ( D – South San Francisco ) and Anna Eshoo ( D – Atherton ), respectively. In the California State Assembly , San Mateo County
5406-852: The Interstate 280 and Skyline Boulevard intersection, east of Mussel Rock. The California Academy of Sciences also has an elk skull fragment collected one mile inland from the mouth of Purisima Creek in 1951. Additional coastal elk remains dating from the Middle and Late Periods in Northern California were found in at least five more late Holocene archeological sites in San Mateo County: SMA-115 ( Montara State Beach site), SMA-118 ( Bean Hollow State Beach site), SMA-244 ( Butano Ridge site), SMA-97 ( Año Nuevo Creek site) and SMA-218 (Año Nuevo State Reserve site). On
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#17327730687165512-515: The Netherlands many individuals use e-bikes to replace their car commutes. In major American cities, start-up companies such as Uber and Lyft have implemented e-scooters as a way for people to take short trips around the city. All public transport runs on infrastructure, either on roads, rail, airways or seaways. The infrastructure can be shared with other modes, freight and private transport, or it can be dedicated to public transport. The latter
5618-544: The Pacific Ocean, and named Redwood City as the county seat. San Mateo County then annexed part of northern Santa Cruz County in March 1868, including Pescadero and Pigeon Point . Although the formation bill named Redwood City the county seat, a May 1856 election marked by "unblushing frauds perpetuated on an unorganized and wholly unprotected community by thugs and ballot stuffers from San Francisco" named Belmont
5724-543: The UK National Infrastructure Commission in 2018 states that "cycling is mass transit and must be treated as such." Cycling infrastructure is normally provided without charge to users because it is cheaper to operate than mechanised transit systems that use sophisticated equipment and do not use human power . Many cities around the world have introduced electric bikes and scooters to their public transport infrastructure. For example, in
5830-459: The age of 18, 15.9% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 21% from 45 to 64, and 9.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 97.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.1 males. The median income for a household in the county was $ 69,306, and the median income for a family was $ 77,737. Males had a median income of $ 48,342 versus $ 45,383 for females. The per capita income for
5936-405: The age of 18, 48.6% were married couples living together, 14.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.7% were non-families. 31.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.79 and the average family size was 4.44. In the county, the population was spread out, with 28.6% under
6042-424: The agency merged two routes along El Camino Real into the single all-day ECR route with 15-minute headways , briefly stemming a long-term decline in bus ridership that began in the early 1990s. Ridership on SamTrans buses was 52,140 passengers per weekday in November 2009; by November 2017, it had fallen to 37,830 bus passengers per weekday and continues to decline, further threatening the agency's budget. According to
6148-479: The beginning. According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 741 square miles (1,920 km ), of which 448 square miles (1,160 km ) is land and 293 square miles (760 km ) (40%) is water. It is the third-smallest county in California by land area. A number of bayside watercourses drain the eastern part of the county including San Bruno Creek and Colma Creek . Streams draining
6254-458: The cities in the county to represent the county's judicial districts, and three citizens appointed by the other six board members (including one from the coastside). The district was established in 1976 and consolidated eleven different municipal bus systems serving the county. One year later, SamTrans began operation of mainline bus service to San Francisco. Shuttle service began in 2000. In addition to fixed-route bus and paratransit operations,
6360-553: The cities of Belmont and San Mateo . The endangered wildflower Hickman's potentilla is found near the Pacific Ocean on the lower slopes of Montara Mountain . The endangered wildflowers White-rayed pentachaeta , Pentachaeta bellidiflora , San Mateo Woolly Sunflower , Eriophyllum latilobum , Marin Dwarf Flax , Hesperolinon congestum and the San Mateo Thornmint , Acanthomintha duttonii , are found in
6466-517: The coast of San Mateo County. Like underwater parks, these marine protected areas help conserve ocean wildlife and marine ecosystems. The county is home to several endangered species including the San Francisco garter snake and the San Bruno elfin butterfly , both of which are endemic to San Mateo County. The endangered Ridgway's Rail is also found on the shores of San Francisco Bay, in
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#17327730687166572-713: The commuter rail hybrid S-Bahn . More than 160 cities have rapid transit systems, totalling more than 8,000 km (4,971 mi) of track and 7,000 stations. Twenty-five cities have systems under construction. People movers are a special term for grade-separated rail which uses vehicles that are smaller and shorter in size. These systems are generally used only in a small area such as a theme park or an airport. Trams (also known as streetcars or trolleys) are railborne vehicles that originally ran in city streets, though over decades more and more dedicated tracks are used. They have higher capacity than buses, but must follow dedicated infrastructure with rails and wires either above or below
6678-777: The county had also operated Werder Pier for fishermen; it had been the western segment of the original 1929 vertical-lift bridge . In addition to the county-operated parks, San Mateo County voters created the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District in 1972, administered by the Peninsula Open Space Trust , which owns several protected spaces within San Mateo County (as well as within Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties). San Mateo County protected spaces administered by POST include: As of 2012, San Mateo County had one of
6784-458: The county seat, but the state supreme court overturned that election on February 24, 1875, and the county seat has remained at Redwood City ever since. San Mateo County bears the Spanish name for Saint Matthew . As a place name, San Mateo appears as early as 1776 in the diaries of Anza and Font. Several local geographic features were also designated San Mateo on early maps including variously:
6890-455: The county seat. The election results were declared illegal and the county government was moved to Redwood City, with land being donated from the original Pulgas Grant for the county government on February 27, 1858. Redwood City's status as county seat was upheld in two successive elections in May 1861 and December 9, 1873, defeating San Mateo and Belmont. Another election in May 1874 named San Mateo
6996-496: The county was $ 36,045. About 6.42% of families and 9.51% of the population were below the poverty line , including 10.01% of those under age 18 and 8.52% of those age 65 or over. San Mateo County has a five-member Board of Supervisors , representing five geographic districts, elected at-large until November 2012. On November 6, 2012, Measure B passed to amend the San Mateo County Charter so that each member of
7102-556: The county, as a Community Choice Aggregation program, an alternative to Pacific Gas and Electric . The people of San Mateo County may use the services of San Mateo County Libraries along with the Peninsula Library System and its dozens of branches, bookmobile and Library-a-Go-Go machine at the Millbrae BART/Caltrain station . The county is divided into several public school districts and
7208-447: The day or part of the day (known as clock-face scheduling ). Often, more frequent services or even extra routes are operated during the morning and evening rush hours . Coordination between services at interchange points is important to reduce the total travel time for passengers. This can be done by coordinating shuttle services with main routes, or by creating a fixed time (for instance twice per hour) when all bus and rail routes meet at
7314-608: The deep south and the west-central parts of the county are less densely populated with more rural environment and coastal beaches areas. San Mateo County straddles the San Francisco Peninsula , with the Santa Cruz Mountains running its entire length. The county encompasses a variety of habitats, including estuarine , marine, oak woodland, redwood forest, coastal scrub and oak savannah. There are numerous species of wildlife present, especially along
7420-593: The district participates in the administration of the San Jose - San Francisco commuter rail line Caltrain . SamTrans also provides administrative support for the San Mateo County Transportation Authority , a separate board charged with administering the half-cent (0.5 percent) sales tax levy that funds highway and transit improvement projects. In 2023, the system had a ridership of 9,487,600, or about 33,200 per weekday as of
7526-426: The east side of the Santa Cruz Mountains , and, in the central county, I-280 , leaving coast-side service south of Pacifica spotty and intermittent. SamTrans is constituted as a special district under California state law. It is governed by a board of nine appointed members; two county Supervisors, one "transportation expert" appointed by the county Board of Supervisors , three city council members appointed by
7632-523: The eastern side of the San Francisco Peninsula , elk remains were also unearthed at multiple archaeological sites along San Francisquito Creek . The County of San Mateo Parks Department operates 22 parks, trails, and historic sites spread throughout the county; the first, Memorial Park , was dedicated on July 4, 1924. The County Superintendent of Schools, Roy Cloud, had visited a one-room schoolhouse in Harrison Canyon as part of his duties; at
7738-500: The equivalent of $ 168,000 a year, and more than 50% higher than the next highest county, New York County (better known as Manhattan), which came in at $ 2,107 a week, or roughly $ 110,000 a year." As of the fourth quarter of 2021, the median value of homes in San Mateo County was $ 1,247,070, an increase of 11% from the prior year. It ranked fourth in the U.S. for counties with highest median home value, behind Nantucket , Manhattan , and Santa Clara . Additionally, San Mateo County hosts
7844-673: The first Japanese to join American students in the Belmont School for Boys. These students had to work for their housing and food before classes and in the evenings. Many of the first Japanese immigrants were able to find jobs as gardeners and landscapers in San Mateo. Most of them had a good educational background from their homelands, but their lack of knowledge of the English language made it difficult for them to find other jobs in
7950-506: The first boarding. SamTrans additionally offers a Day Pass which allows unlimited rides on local routes and a credit on higher-cost routes. The cost of the Day Pass is thrice the one-way fare on the local routes for adults, youth, and seniors/disabled/Medicare cardholders. With the exception of youth summer passes, all SamTrans monthly passes must be loaded onto a Clipper card. Youth, senior and disabled monthly passes may only be loaded onto
8056-418: The first digit identifies a rail connection: All two-digit routes are community service routes. Most of these routes do not connect with rail and operate only on school days. Express bus routes were designated by a letter and X. In December 2009, six express routes (DX, FX, MX, NX, PX, and RX) were eliminated due to high budget constraints; a seventh express route, Route CX, was redesignated Route 118, which
8162-467: The headquarters of Visa Inc , Sony Interactive Entertainment , Electronic Arts , YouTube , Genentech , GoPro , and Gilead Sciences , as well as a hub of venture capital firms in Menlo Park and several other technology-related companies. In 2016, Peninsula Clean Energy began providing electricity to 20 percent of residential customers, all municipalities, and all small- to mid-size businesses in
8268-732: The largest Tongan communities outside of Tonga , with an estimated 13,000 Tongan Americans . The 2010 United States Census reported that San Mateo County had a population of 718,451. The racial makeup of San Mateo County was 383,535 (53.4%) White , 20,436 (2.8%) African American , 3,306 (0.5%) Native American , 178,118 (24.8%) Asian (9.8% Filipino, 9.0% Chinese, 1.9% Indian, 1.2% Japanese, 0.8% Korean, 0.5% Vietnamese, 0.3% Burmese, 0.1% Pakistani), 10,317 (1.4%) Pacific Islander (0.6% Tongan, 0.3% Samoan, 0.2% Fijian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian), 84,529 (11.8%) from other races , and 38,210 (5.3%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 182,502 persons (25.4%); 15.7% of San Mateo County
8374-440: The line became the new San Mateo County while everything north of the line became the new consolidated City and County of San Francisco . San Mateo County was officially organized on April 18, 1857, under a bill introduced by Senator T.G. Phelps . The 1857 bill defined the southern boundary of San Mateo County as following the south branch of San Francisquito Creek to its source in the Santa Cruz Mountains and thence due west to
8480-524: The list of potential bus routes was reduced to eight. The draft final report was released in November 2018, and the Board adopted it in December. SamTrans relaunched express bus service in August 2019 from Foster City to downtown San Francisco along U.S. 101, followed by a second route in Spring/Summer of 2020 from Palo Alto to western San Francisco along I-280 . The Foster City–San Francisco route
8586-456: The location of their choice (rather than at a stop). Conventional transit simulations show that PRT might attract many auto users in problematic medium-density urban areas. A number of experimental systems are in progress. One might compare personal rapid transit to the more labor-intensive taxi or paratransit modes of transportation, or to the (by now automated) elevators common in many publicly accessible areas. Cable-propelled transit (CPT)
8692-400: The lost time and statistically higher risk of accident in private transport , together with the initial, running and parking costs. Loss of control , spatial constriction, overcrowding , high speeds/accelerations, height and other phobias may discourage use of public transport. Actual travel time on public transport becomes a lesser consideration when predictable and when travel itself
8798-426: The nine counties bordering San Francisco Bay . As of 2020, it has a median household income of $ 128,091, the fourth-highest household income of any county in the nation behind Loudoun County, Virginia , Falls Church, Virginia , and Santa Clara County, California . The county covers most of the San Francisco Peninsula . The county is predominantly suburban and is home to many corporate campuses. San Mateo County
8904-513: The north to Menlo Park on the south. Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) trains serve San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and the northern portion of the county, paralleling El Camino Real / Mission Boulevard at six stations between Daly City and Millbrae , including the station at SFO. The only direct connection between Caltrain and BART is at Millbrae station . SamTrans (San Mateo County Transit District) provides local bus service within San Mateo County with some routes connecting to
9010-492: The public transport leg of their journey and how close it leaves them to their desired destination. Timeliness is how long they must wait for the vehicle. Directness records how far a journey using public transport deviates from a passenger's ideal route. In selecting between competing modes of transport , many individuals are strongly motivated by direct cost (travel fare/ ticket price to them) and convenience , as well as being informed by habit . The same individual may accept
9116-481: The purchase of a ticket to generate revenue for the operators. Tickets may be bought either in advance, or at the time of the journey, or the carrier may allow both methods. Passengers may be issued with a paper ticket, a metal or plastic token , or a magnetic or electronic card ( smart card , contactless smart card ). Sometimes a ticket has to be validated, e.g. a paper ticket has to be stamped, or an electronic ticket has to be checked in. Tickets may be valid for
9222-619: The purposes of mass transit. Many, if not all, of these systems are implemented and fully integrated within existing public transportation networks. Examples include Metrocable (Medellín) , Metrocable (Caracas) , Mi Teleférico in La Paz , Portland Aerial Tram , Roosevelt Island Tramway in New York City, and the London Cable Car . A ferry is a boat used to carry (or ferry ) passengers, and sometimes their vehicles, across
9328-615: The reduced emissions and other environmental impacts of using public transportation over private transportation, many experts have pointed to an increased investment in public transit as an important climate change mitigation tactic. Conveyances designed for public hire are as old as the first ferry service . The earliest public transport was water transport . Ferries appear in Greek mythology writings. The mystical ferryman Charon had to be paid and would only then take passengers to Hades . Some historical forms of public transport include
9434-471: The smoke filled subway tunnels from the steam engines. In 1894, Boston built the first subway in the United States, an electric streetcar line in a 1.5-mile tunnel under Tremont Street's retail district. Other cities quickly followed, constructing thousands of miles of subway in the following decades. In March 2020, Luxembourg abolished fares for trains, trams and buses and became the first country in
9540-661: The third quarter of 2024. Voters in San Mateo County approved the formation of the San Mateo County Transit District in 1974. SamTrans was formed in 1976 by the consolidation of 11 different city bus systems throughout San Mateo County; several more systems were added over the following years. SamTrans took over Western Greyhound Lines commuter service on July 2, 1977; some routes were curtailed from downtown San Francisco to Daly City station . SamTrans purchased 40 buses from Greyhound at that time, and its fleet exceeded 200 buses by 1980. In August 2013,
9646-465: The ticket at the time of ride. Alternatively, a proof-of-payment system allows riders to enter the vehicles without showing the ticket, but riders may or may not be controlled by a ticket controller ; if the rider fails to show proof of payment, the operator may fine the rider at the magnitude of the fare. San Mateo County, California San Mateo County ( / ˌ s æ n m ə ˈ t eɪ . oʊ / SAN mə- TAY -oh ), officially
9752-642: The time, it was thickly forested with old-growth redwoods and he was alarmed when he learned they were scheduled to be logged. He petitioned the County Board of Supervisors to purchase the land instead. The Recreation Commission was not created until 1932, and the park was improved as part of the Works Progress Administration efforts starting in 1935. Prior to the rebuilding of the San Mateo Bridge that began in 1996,
9858-504: The track, limiting their flexibility. In the United States, trams were commonly used prior to the 1930s, before being superseded by the bus. In modern public transport systems, they have been reintroduced in the form of the light rail. Light rail is a term coined in 1972 and uses mainly tram technology. Light rail has mostly dedicated right-of-ways and less sections shared with other traffic and usually step-free access. Light rails line are generally traversed with increased speed compared to
9964-517: The transport operator to allow users to plan their journeys. They are often supplemented by maps and fare schemes to help travelers coordinate their travel. Online public transport route planners help make planning easier. Mobile apps are available for multiple transit systems that provide timetables and other service information and, in some cases, allow ticket purchase, some allowing to plan your journey, with time fares zones e.g. Services are often arranged to operate at regular intervals throughout
10070-408: The use and extent of public transport. The International Association of Public Transport (UITP) is the international network for public transport authorities and operators, policy decision-makers, scientific institutes and the public transport supply and service industry. It has over 1,900 members from more than 100 countries from all over the globe. In recent years, some high-wealth cities have seen
10176-701: The vicinity of the Crystal Springs Reservoir . In May 2014, a California condor was spotted near Pescadero , a coastal community south of San Francisco —it was the first California condor spotted in San Mateo County since 1904. The condor, tagged with the number "597", and also known as "Lupine", is one of 439 condors living in the wild or captivity in California, Baja California and Arizona. The three-year-old female flew more than 100 miles (160 km) north from Pinnacles National Park , in San Benito County, on May 30, and landed on
10282-414: The western county include Frenchmans Creek , Pilarcitos Creek , Naples Creek , Arroyo de en Medio , and Denniston Creek . These streams originate along the northern spur of the Santa Cruz Mountains that run through the county. The northern and eastern parts of the county are very heavy densely populated with largely urban and suburban areas, with many of its cities as edge-cities for the Bay Area, while
10388-536: The world (especially in Europe and east Asia , particularly Japan ), but apart from public transit installations in Las Vegas and Seattle, most North American monorails are either short shuttle services or privately owned services (With 150,000 daily riders, the Disney monorail systems used at their parks may be the most famous in the world). Personal rapid transit is an automated cab service that runs on rails or
10494-544: The world to make all public transport free. The Encyclopædia Britannica specifies that public transportation is within urban areas, but does not limit its discussion of the topic to urban areas. Seven criteria estimate the usability of different types of public transport and its overall appeal. The criteria are speed, comfort, safety, cost, proximity, timeliness and directness. Speed is calculated from total journey time including transfers. Proximity means how far passengers must walk or otherwise travel before they can begin
10600-745: The world, which may compete with fixed public transport lines, or complement them, by bringing passengers to interchanges. Paratransit is sometimes used in areas of low demand and for people who need a door-to-door service. Urban public transit differs distinctly among Asia, North America, and Europe. In Asia, profit-driven, privately owned and publicly traded mass transit and real estate conglomerates predominantly operate public transit systems. In North America, municipal transit authorities most commonly run mass transit operations. In Europe, both state-owned and private companies predominantly operate mass transit systems. For geographical, historical and economic reasons, differences exist internationally regarding
10706-787: Was built for 11 miles of track for the Union Passenger Railway in Tallahassee, Florida, in 1888. Electric streetcars could carry heavier passenger loads than predecessors, which reduced fares and stimulated greater transit use. Two years after the Richmond success, over thirty two thousand electric streetcars were operating in America. Electric streetcars also paved the way for the first subway system in America. Before electric streetcars, steam powered subways were considered. However, most people believed that riders would avoid
10812-504: Was eliminated in 2024. In August 2018, the last remaining express route, KX, was folded into Route 398, which was eliminated in 2023. In April 2017, SamTrans identified fifteen potential express bus routes connecting the Peninsula counties of San Francisco , San Mateo , and Santa Clara . Most of the potential routes ran along U.S. 101 , and some were planned to take advantage of managed lanes to provide speedier service. By June 2018,
10918-540: Was formed in 1856 upon the division of San Francisco County, one of the state's 18 original counties established at California statehood in 1850. Until 1856, San Francisco 's city limits extended west to Divisadero Street and Castro Street, and south to 20th Street. In 1856, the California state government divided the county. A straight line was then drawn across the tip of the San Francisco Peninsula just north of San Bruno Mountain . Everything south of
11024-717: Was introduced to London in July 1829. The first passenger horse-drawn vehicle opened in 1806. It ran along the Swansea and Mumbles Railway . In 1825 George Stephenson built the Locomotion No 1 for the Stockton and Darlington Railway in northeast England, the first public steam railway in the world. The world's first steam-powered underground railway opened in London in 1863. The first successful electric streetcar
11130-660: Was launched as FCX in August 2019, but ridership and frequency have been adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in the San Francisco Bay Area . The launch of the other proposed express route planned for Phase 1, PAX (Palo Alto to western San Francisco), has been delayed indefinitely and there is currently no exact or estimated date for it to begin operation. Phase 2 of the express bus plan includes two additional routes: EPX (East Palo Alto to San Bruno) and an un-named route (San Mateo to downtown San Francisco); EPX
11236-508: Was launched in 2023 after SamTrans completed acquisition of XE40 battery-electric buses. Since January 1, 2020 As of December 22, 2010, Clipper card fare machines became fully operational throughout the system, allowing riders to pay fares using Clipper card, a transit smart card that is also accepted by most other Bay Area transit agencies. Clipper cards come in four varieties: adult, youth, senior and disabled (which includes Medicare cardholders). Adult Clipper cards may be obtained from
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