California State Rail Plan 2007-08 to 2017-18

Chapter IX – Commuter Rail ServicesPLANNED IMPROVEMENTSBaby Bullet has revolutionized service on the peninsula by taking advantage ofunder-utilized resources. Caltrain went from 78 weekday trains to 96 within a13-month period. The increased level of service has stressed the signaling,terminal and rolling stock capacity. Staff sees little room for further improvementuntil the system is electrified. Refer to the Capital Improvement Program sectionbelow.Baby Bullet Service – The JPB will continue to evaluate the Baby Bullet service.There will be an onboard survey and a special count to better understand thesuccess of the new service.Station Access – Baby-Bullet service substantially changed the travel patterns ofexisting and new Caltrain riders. Many customers travel further from their homesto access an express station, especially the intermediary stations of MountainView, Palo Alto, Hillsdale, and Millbrae. Common to all of these stations, exceptMillbrae, is the stress placed on parking access. Efforts are underway to evaluateparking needs at these stations.Shuttle Service – During the downturn in the economy, several companies pulledout of the employer shuttle program. Prior to the “dotcom bust,” there were 48Caltrain shuttles; currently there are 32 shuttle routes. Just recently, there hasbeen moderate interest by former and new companies to participate in the shuttleprogram. Over the next few years, attention will be given to increase shuttles asdemand grows.Fare Policy and Process – In 2003, the JPB approved massive changes in theCaltrain fare structure and fully implemented proof-of-payment. Proof-ofpaymentallows train conductors to focus on customer service instead of ticketingactivities since all ticket sales are performed before boarding. The next majorimprovement in the fare process is the introduction of TransLink, a universal fareinstrument that will eventually be recognized by all Bay Area operators.TransLink is expected to be available throughout the Caltrain system in 2008.Regional Extensions – Service via extensions to downtown San Francisco, acrossthe Dumbarton Bridge, to Salinas/Monterey, or via High Speed Rail in Californiaare not currently included in the operations plan, although planning and design forthese projects continues and is funded by third parties.CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMIn order for Caltrain to provide the service levels that will capture future demand,including latent demand, the infrastructure that supports the service must notconstrain expansion of capacity and throughput, which it does today.Our experience over the last two years has shown that providing competitive traveltimes during the peak period is an effective way to attract passengers.However, without adding service and investing in only a few major improvements,155