City to Use Grant for Smart Shuttles

City officials are optimistic that a recently approved transportation grant will ease commuting woes and help residents breathe a little easier, they said Tuesday.

The city expects to receive $500,000 in federal funds next year to launch its first Smart Shuttle program. It anticipates using the money to buy three natural gas-powered vehicles and establish regular routes, Calabasas Transportation Director Robert Yalda said.

The city began operating its first two shuttles two years ago to demonstrate to federal officials how the system would work.

There is an increasing demand for the curbside service, Yalda said.

“This grant will help us design a program to meet our growing transportation needs, as well as protect clean air,” he said.

The shuttle service will complement existing MTA routes, which do not run through the city’s hilly residential neighborhoods. The program is likely to benefit the city’s day laborers the most, Yalda said.

“They get off the MTA bus stops and walk three to four miles to their destination,” he said. “I’m not exaggerating. With the shuttles, I don’t expect them to walk any more than two to three minutes.”

Yalda predicted that teens and senior citizens will find the program useful. The shuttles will operate mainly within city limits, making regular stops at community centers, schools and shopping centers.

Shuttle fares will probably range from 50 cents to $1.