History and recognition
In 2000, administrators, parents, members of the Gunn PTSA (Parent, Teacher and Student Association) members, City of Palo Alto staff, Palo Alto City Council members and Palo Alto Unified School District staff formed the GO-FAST ((Gunn Organization for Alternative Safe Transportation) program in an effort to encourage alternative transportation to Gunn. More information about the program and the results of 2003-2004 Gunn High School Student Transportation Survey can be found here.
Gunn won a merit award from the Metropolitan
Transportation Commisison for it's GO-FAST program in fall 2006.
Biking
The Pedal for Prizes program rewards students who regularly bike to school. On monthly Prize Days, volunteers hand out treats to all incoming cyclists in the bike cage. Specially marked treats can be redeemed on site for bigger prizes, including movie and school dance tickets, bike gear, Gunn t-shirts and paraphernalia, and gift certificates to local juice bars and restaurants. On Prize days, cyclists can also enter their names in a raffle for bike equipment held at the Way2Go celebration in May. Lucky students win equipment (including a bicycle) donated by such local merchants as Bicycle Outfitter, Palo Alto Bicycles, Mike's Bikes and REI.
Pedal for Prizes needs volunteers! Volunteers need to turn out in the bike cage about once a month between 7:30am-8am to help hand out prize and take names for the drawing. Dates are typically scheduled according to helper availability and the weather with a week or so's notice. If you are interested in helping out or taking on the coordinator position, email parents Barb Zimmer at kev-barb@pacbell.net or Christine Fawcett at chrisfawcett@sbcglobal.net.
Buses and shuttles
Route 88
The Valley Transportation Authority (VTA)'s Route 88 serves the Gunn area and stops directly in front of Gunn on Arastradero. Call 800-894-9908 for more information, or check out VTA site here.
Half-price VTA bus passes are available in the Gunn
Student Activity Center (SAC) for $25 (check for availability with the SAC at
650-354-8229).
Student monthly passes may also be purchased at Safeway for $49.
The Student Activities Center (SAC) also has maps and schedules available.
Free shuttle
The City of Palo Alto’s free shuttle serves Gunn students from Midtown through the Ventura neighborhood. For complete information, including more detailed maps, click here.
PAUSD buses
The Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) makes unused seats on
its Routes J, Y, and Z buses available to high school students for a
fee. Call (650) 329-3980 for more information.
Carpooling
Students who buy carpool permits get preferential parking. Carpool and single-driver permits are available in the SAC.
More information
Check out the City of Palo Alto website about school commuting.