Photograph by Kathy De La Torre

The Golden Gate Valet employee shuttle waits to transport downtown employees to their cars at the Miles Avenue parking lot.

Downtown employee shuttle fails to attract needed riders

By Nathan R. Huff

A month ago, free door-to-door shuttle service seemed an excellent way to curb employee frustration with new three-hour limits on town parking lots and to encourage them to use the Miles Avenue lot.

Yet ridership in the program's first 2 1/2 weeks totaled 65, which means the service cost more than $41.25 per employee. The Los Gatos Town Council is prepared to cut the program loose unless a dramatic surge in use occurs during the next week.

"We've really got to look inward at us," Councilman Randy Attaway said at the Dec. 6 council meeting. "We made this decision, and it has failed miserably."

Attaway and other council members said the council needs to examine how it evaluates information presented at meetings.

The council started the shuttle service in response to outcry from downtown employees about new parking restrictions.

A vocal group of downtown employees appeared at the Nov. 1 council meeting to protest the temporary three-hour limits. They also objected to the town and Town of Los Gatos Chamber of Commerce's suggestion that they park in the remote Miles Avenue parking lot. The Miles Avenue lot adjoins the town's corporation yard, approximately three blocks down from Old Town. Many employees raised safety concerns regarding the location.

In response, the town contracted with Golden Gate Valet to provide a nightly shuttle service to downtown employees from 5 to 11 p.m. But despite the interest indicated by employees at the Nov. 1 meeting, only one employee took advantage of the shuttle in the first two days of operation, and only 23 had utilized the service after a week.

Mayor Steve Blanton reluctantly agreed with the council to wait one more week before cutting the service. "I kind of feel like we're leaving the landing lights on for Amelia Earhart," he said.

The Town Chamber was also disappointed. "It definitely did not produce the results we were expecting," Sheri Lewis, executive director, said at the meeting.

Director of Parks and Public Works Scott Baker said the three-hour limits have been successful in freeing up downtown parking spaces for customers, but that employees were dealing with the new limits by moving their cars every three hours, using the park-and-ride lot and parking in the Almond Grove neighborhood.

The latter tactic has already generated resentment towards the three-hour limits from Almond Grove residents, who have been more severely affected by traffic this holiday season than in previous years because of the 180 employees Old Town has brought into the area.

The council will consider extending the three-hour limits and offering monthly employee parking permits in selected lots at its Jan. 3 meeting.

"You try things out, do the best you can, and that's how you learn," Lewis said after the meeting. "If anything, it points out how we need parking structures."

The council also decided to continue the valet parking service, despite relatively meager usage so far. Additional signs directing shoppers to the free service will be posted.

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