• Oakland is well-served by Port Authority buses, primarily in the Fifth-Forbes corridor. However, residents have identified gaps in service for other parts of Oakland, particularly South and West Oakland. Senior residents, in particular, emphasized this need given the lengthy walk many need to take to reach the Fifth-Forbes corridor and other Oakland destinations. Some residents suggested the restoration of the 84B bus route ("Oakland loop bus").
• Multiple institutions (Pitt, CMU, Carlow, UPMC, and others) operate shuttle service to, from, and within Oakland that is, in many cases, redundant with existing Port Authority service.
• While the shuttle service is not open to public use for residents who are not affiliated with the institution, the shuttles provide service to grocery stores and other adjacent areas that the Port Authority does not.
• Residents identified a desire for shuttle service and/or circulator that would provide service not currently provided by the Port Authority between (primarily) South and West Oakland and local grocery stores and surrounding neighborhoods.
• Some residents who are not served by institutional shuttles expressed concern with such shuttles using residential streets, and some called for more public transit circulator options in place of private shuttles.

• Conduct a planning study to take a comprehensive look at shuttle operations and neighborhood connectivity with institutional and agency partners in order to reduce redundancy of service with Port Authority services, congestion, emissions, and the number of vehicles traveling into Oakland. The planning study would:
  • Identify redundancies in service between institutional shuttles and Port Authority.
  • Identify current first and last mile options and how these are utilized to fill gaps in transit and shuttle service.
  • Identify gaps in service and opportunities for new service by analyzing travel patterns using data and public feedback.
  • Examine the feasibility of shuttle use by Oakland residents and visitors who are not affiliated with institutions where gaps occur.
  • Make recommendations for service consolidation and expansion where appropriate.
  • Determine where and what infrastructure enhancements, such as shuttle stops, are needed to support this new system.
  • Determine which entity/entities should operate each shuttle service.
• Identify opportunities for investments in transit that create public benefit and replace shuttle services where relevant and identify opportunities for shuttles to provide public services that transit cannot.
• Explore the possibility of rightsizing shuttle vehicles to increase pedestrian safety and ease movement through narrow streets.
• Using the outcomes of the study, implement an integrated mobility system in Oakland that ultimately reduces operating costs for both the Port Authority and Oakland institutions, while maximizing community benefit.

When to start: 0-2 years

Duration: 1 year

Estimated costs: $$ (out of $$$$)

Project lead(s): OTMA

Project partner(s): Institutions, PAAC, UPMC, DOMI, SPC, PID

Potential funding source(s): PAAC, institutions, UPMC