Marin Transit adjusts Muir Woods shuttle service
Visitors to Muir Woods National Monument will soon have more ways to access shuttle service to the landmark.
The Sausalito ferry landing shuttle pickup, which was suspended at the beginning of the pandemic, will resume Memorial Day weekend, said Robert Betts, a Marin Transit supervisor.
Additionally, Marin Transit is planning to test a new pickup location at the Larkspur Ferry Terminal next month.
“We aren’t making a decision right now to permanently move it but we think there are a lot of reasons this is a better location for our park-and-ride users,” Betts said. “It has bus stops already built in, it has shelter, it has adequate parking and signage and all the things you would look for if you’re coming in on a car and planning to transfer to a transit vehicle.”
The Larkspur pickup location will replace the existing site at the Pohono park-and-ride lot in Mill Valley, which has been the only pickup location riders could access since the Muir Woods shuttle resumed service in mid-2021.
The Muir Woods shuttle, also known as Route 66, began in 2009 and carried an average of 143,000 riders annually in the years leading up to the pandemic. After resuming service in mid-2021, the shuttle carried about 36,000 passengers for the last half of the year at a cost of about $314,300, according to a recent report by Marin Transit.
Betts said the new Larkspur location could provide several benefits, including easier access by transit services such as Larkspur ferries, the SMART train and buses.
The shuttle service also had to compete for space at the Mill Valley lot, which was used by other services on the weekend as well as a fitness center located there. King tides during the winter also caused the lot to close because of flooding, Betts said.
Another advantage of the Larkspur location is visitors will have more access to amenities because of the nearby shopping center.
“Our hope is it’s going to be a more desirable experience to come to Muir Woods to park at the Larkspur location than it is today at the Pohono location,” Betts said.
The Larkspur Ferry Terminal pickup will also allow for better access for North Bay residents by being located near the SMART train station.
“I’m hopeful we will see that new service drive up our ridership just a bit,” Eddy Cumins, SMART’s general manager, said this week.
Betts recommends shuttle users book their shuttle pass in advance as part of the Muir Woods visitor reservation system at GoMuirWoods.com.