The City of Menlo Park has provided free shuttles between Caltrain and the Marsh Road and Willow Road business parks since 1989. The Marsh and Willow Shuttles provide a "last-mile" connection to encourage commuters to take transit instead of driving and complement transit services in San Mateo County provided by SamTrans, Caltrain, and the Dumbarton Express. In the late 1990s, the City began offering free community shuttles including the Crosstown Shuttle, a scheduled service with a set timetable and route, and the Shoppers’ Shuttle, a door-to-door service providing access around Menlo Park and selected parts of Palo Alto, Redwood City. All shuttle vehicles have bicycle racks and are wheelchair-accessible to promote mobility for all.
Challenges to the shuttle system in recent years include more private companies providing shuttles for employees, greater use of transportation network companies (e.g. Uber, Lyft), changing travel patterns in general, the COVID-19 pandemic, and work-from-home policies.
The goal of this comprehensive shuttle study is to serve existing and future riders' needs, while identify options to deliver transportation services more efficiently. The shuttle study will propose service improvements based on changes in how residents and commuters use the shuttles and future changes such as the many new residences under construction in the Bayfront area. Recommendations for improving the shuttle system may include modifying current routes and schedules, adding frequencies, using of smaller vehicles, and delivering on-demand service instead of fixed route service to provide greater service coverage and flexibility.