How Your Feedback is Shaping the Bayview Community Shuttle

Thursday, December 21, 2023

A new community shuttle is coming to Bayview-Hunters Point in 2024, and we need your help designing it! The SFMTA is partnering with the California Air Resources Board and nine community-based organizations to launch a dynamic service community shuttle that truly meets your needs. The shuttle is funded through California Climate Investments, a statewide initiative that puts billions of Cap-and-Trade dollars to work reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the economy and improving public health and the environment — particularly in disadvantaged communities.

A “dynamic service” shuttle is one that doesn’t have a fixed route like a bus line, but instead operates in a “service area.” The shuttle will pick up and drop off riders throughout the service area, which can help you reach destinations that were previously hard to get to. The Bayview is a geographically isolated community and the community identified the need for a shuttle like this in the Bayview Community Based Transportation Plan.

We’re currently working on defining that service area. We’ve held 28 events where we talked to almost 2,000 residents, but we know not everyone can come to community meetings or other events. So we also conducted a survey that residents filled out online or on paper at outreach events. We surveyed 629 residents, who gave us 1,060 places they wanted to take a shuttle to. Here’s a summary of the results:

Many people wanted to take short trips that start and end within the Bayview. 76 people told us that they wanted connections to specific transit lines, such as to the T Third. Others gave destinations that are easily accessible via already-existing Muni lines, such as Chinatown. While a shuttle may not be able to take you all the way to that destination, a direct lift to the T Third would make that trip much easier.

A legend for a map of San Francisco displaying Muni Routes that serve the Bayview and frequency of survey responses. Most survey responses are in the Bayview or along Muni routes. Frequently requested destinations include Chinatown, Downtown, 24th St BART, the San Bruno Ave commercial corridor, and SF General Hospital. A map of San Francisco displaying Muni Routes that serve the bayview and frequency of survey responses. Most survey responses are in the Bayview or along Muni routes. Frequently requested destinations include Chinatown, Downtown, 24th St BART, the San Bruno Ave commercial corridor, and SF General Hospital.

Desired destination of survey respondents.

Initial Service Plan/Alternative A:

The initial service plan that we presented to residents included service from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week. Riders would wait up to 15 minutes for a ride to Bayview destinations, as well as a few others outside of the neighborhood, such as the 22nd Street Caltrain station, 24th Street BART station and Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital.

The initial concept shows a map of the service area including the Bayview itself, and 3 potential external destinations: 24th St BART, 22nd St Caltrain, and SF General Hospital. This alternative would have approximately 12 hours of service 7 days a week, a moderately large service area, and moderate wait times A chart depicting the service hours related to the Alternative A map: this alternative would have approximately 12 hours of service 7 days a week, a moderately large service area, and moderate wait times

Alternative A: Initial conception of service plan.

Alternative B:

How does this plan sound to you? Would you rather have a larger service area for the shuttle so that you could be picked up or dropped off in neighboring areas (shown in gray in the Alternative B map)? This alternative would require running service for a shorter time period – for instance, operating only on weekdays – and with longer wait times. Is this tradeoff worth it? We’d love to hear from you.

The larger service area alternative B shows a map of the service area including the Bayview itself, and many neighboring areas, potentially including Potrero Hill, the Mission, and parts of the Portola and Visitacion Valley, though exact borders have not been determined. This alternative would have approximately 12 hours of service 5 days a week, a large service area and longer wait times. A graphic chart depicting the service hours related to the Alternative B map. This alternative would have approximately 12 hours of service 5 days a week, a large service area, and longer wait times.

Alternative B: Larger service area and tradeoffs

Alternative C:

We could also run the shuttle for a longer time period, such as from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week, with short wait times – but this would require focusing on local neighborhood connections. The shuttle would serve only the Bayview, with no destinations outside of the neighborhood.

Alternative C shows a map of the service area including immediate neighborhood connections within the Bayview. This alternative would allow us to run approximately 16 hours of service 7 days per week, and allow shorter wait times, but leaves a smaller service area. A chart reflecting the more service hours found in the Alternative C map of the service area including immediate neighborhood connections within the Bayview. This alternative would allow us to run approximately 16 hours of service 7 days per week, and allow shorter wait times, but leaves a smaller service area.

Alternative C: More service hours and tradeoffs

Would you rather be able to go more places, even if that means you wait longer, and the shuttle doesn’t run for as many hours of the day? Or would you rather get a ride more quickly, at more times of day, even if it can’t take you directly to as many locations? Please let us know what you think!

You can sign up for project updates here to learn about upcoming meetings, including our Community Congress on January 24th. You also can email us at BayviewShuttle@sfmta.com.

As we continue to do outreach to hear about your priorities, we’re also working to select a company to run this shuttle service. When all is said and done, we’re hoping to start service by the middle of 2024.