It was intended to assist local residents, especially those living in the San Carlos hills, with errands, commutes to school and work, and access to other sites in the city.
By the program's end, there were 9 routes: In early months, SCOOT acted as a taxi service, where passengers could call and get picked up in a few minutes.
The City employed Kimberly Harbert as a part-time Outreach Coordinator,[8] who was required worked to group reservations and plan out routes for drivers, increasing the service's efficiency.
Some riders set up regular pick-up and drop-off times, such as those who used the service to reach the local Caltrain station from their home.
Ultimately, the program cost the city about $700,000 a year, which was supported by grants and money raised from Measure A that otherwise would have gone to street repairs.
[9] City officials considered options such as charging for rides and using sales tax money set aside for transportation issues.
[1] In 2004, a task force made up of community members was established, to explore proposed changes to the service and potential sources of funding.
The bond was listed as Measure T, which would have added a $59 parcel tax to support the program through 2010, placing 100 percent of the financial burden on property owners.
The city continued to fund the service through the end of the 2004–2005 school year as a transition period to give parents, commuters, and other residents time to find alternative modes of transportation.
In contrast to original SCOOT routes, most respondents expected to use the service to reach downtown from home, rather than local schools.