Media Contact: Mahmoud Abunie, 650-730-6201 

A new chapter in commuting is underway for San Mateo County Transit District (District) employees, as it launches a pilot program aimed at making public transit the most convenient option for traveling to work. 

As part of the transition to its new headquarters at the Millbrae Transit Center, the District is introducing enhanced commuter benefits designed to reduce barriers to transit use and encourage more sustainable travel habits. 

The District is the first public transit provider in the Bay Area to pilot Clipper® BayPass as an employee commuter benefit at its headquarters, underscoring its commitment to leading by example in advancing sustainable transportation. 

The pilot program, which began May 18, will run through the end of the year. 

At the center of the program is Clipper BayPass, now available to all headquarters full-time District staff in Millbrae, including employees from SamTrans, Caltrain and the San Mateo County Transportation Authority. BayPass provides unlimited access to participating bus, rail and ferry services throughout the nine-county Bay Area, including Caltrain, SamTrans, BART, Muni, San Francisco Bay Ferry and VTA. 

“This pilot reflects our commitment to leading by example,” said April Chan, General Manager/CEO of the San Mateo County Transit District. “By making transit the most convenient option for our own employees, we are reinforcing the value of an integrated, accessible transit network within the Bay Area.” 

The District joins at least 20 Bay Area employers and educational institutions participating in the BayPass program, including UCSF, UC Berkeley, San Francisco State University, the city of Menlo Park, OpenAI, and numerous MidPen Housing affordable housing communities around the Bay Area.  

At the conclusion of the pilot period, the District will evaluate the program based on cost, utilization and employee feedback before determining next steps. 

The agency is also exploring the potential for paid parking at the headquarters garage in the future to help manage demand and further encourage transit use. 

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The San Mateo County Transit District (SamTrans) operates 74 bus routes, two on-demand service areas and paratransit, serving more than 10-million riders annually. Funded in part by a half-cent sales tax, the District also provides administrative support for Caltrain and the San Mateo County Transportation Authority.  

Serving San Mateo County since 1976, SamTrans is celebrating 50 years of connecting communities, supporting mobility, and advancing public transportation throughout the county. SamTrans is proud to have twice been named Outstanding Public Transportation System by the American Public Transportation Association, recognizing the agency’s excellence in safety, service, operations, and innovation. 

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About Caltrain: Owned and operated by the Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board, Caltrain provides rail service from San Francisco to San Jose, with commute service to Gilroy. Serving the region since 1863, Caltrain is the oldest continually operating rail system west of the Mississippi and the first railroad to convert from diesel to electric power in a generation.  

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About the Transportation Authority (TA): Created to administer Measure A, San Mateo County’s ½ cent sales tax, the TA provides funding for transportation projects and programs in San Mateo County. In 2004, more than 75% of San Mateo County voters reauthorize Measure A for an additional 25 years. In 2018, voters approved Measure W, the San Mateo County Congestion Relief Plan an additional ½ cent sales tax. The TA will administer half the revenue of Measure W and the San Mateo County Transit District will administer the other half to fund and implement the Congestion Relief Plan.  

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