Electrical Curtailment or Power Outage: Contingency Plan

Please make safety a priority before and during a power outage. 

• Be aware of the safety risks of parking in underground garages when there is an increased likelihood of power outages, and consider parking in above-ground or surface lots. 
• Consider having a flashlight if you return to your vehicle after dark, and lighting is unavailable in surface lots and above-ground garages. Another option to consider is using the flashlight on your smartphone and keeping your cell phone battery charged to power it. 
• Make sure to follow posted signs and notices and the directions of flaggers, when applicable, and proceed slowly and be alert while driving, walking, or biking.

The following provides information about Marguerite's service levels and the safety protocols for parking garages. For alerts issued by the Department of Public Safety, visit AlertSU. 

Marguerite electric bus service during power outages

As electric bus charging capabilities may not be available during power outages, we plan to use Marguerite’s diesel-powered bus fleet to deliver service to the extent possible during the outage. If the number of vehicles is unable to cover all routes and stops, service will be prioritized for high-ridership routes.

Underground parking garages during power outages

Stanford Transportation will notify the campus community and affected garages to the extent possible upon learning of a power outage or an anticipated curtailment. 

To the greatest extent possible, we will identify and reach out to permit holders who have vehicles parked in the underground garages to request that they remove their vehicles or that they will not have access to their vehicles until power is restored. There are five underground garages currently at Stanford: 

• Wilbur Field Garage 
• Knight Management Center Garage 
• Roble Field Garage 
• Thoburn Garage
• Manzanita Field Garage

Safety during power outages

Ventilation systems and lighting in underground garages require power. Without ventilation, carbon monoxide from vehicles operating in the garage poses a health and safety threat. 

During a power outage, parking garages located underground will be powered by emergency generators. Generators are in place to provide short-term backup to electrical power, but the duration is limited. Once the generator can no longer power ventilation and/or lighting in the garage, it is deemed unsafe and will be closed. 

If you must drive to campus during a power outage, we recommend the following safety tips:

• Park in surface lots or above-ground garages (e.g., Via Ortega, Roth Way, and Stock Farm Garage). 
• Consider having a flashlight on hand if returning to your vehicle after sunset since surface lots are likely dark. Another option to consider is using the flashlight on your smartphone and keeping your cell phone battery charged to power it.
• Be cautious while driving during a power outage, and treat intersections as four-way stops. 

Underground parking garages powered for at least eight hours

During a power outage, parking garages located underground will be powered by emergency generators for at least eight hours. 

After eight hours, generators will not be refueled and barricades will be set up at parking garages to prevent anyone from entering. 

• Stanford Transportation will post notices at entrances, exits, stairwells, and elevators notifying customers of the closure or anticipated closure of the underground garage.
• Barricades will be placed at the entrance(s) and exit(s) to prevent vehicles from entering.
• Notices will be posted to prevent pedestrians and cyclists from entering.
• Elevators will be shut down, and pedestrian entrances will have notices posted that the garage is closed due to a power outage or curtailment. 

Before barricades are put up, Stanford Transportation will scan vehicles in the underground garages to identify those remaining in the facility. To the greatest extent possible, we will reach out to permit holders who have a vehicle parked in the underground garages to request that they remove their vehicle or that they will not have access to their vehicle until power is restored.

Main campus public transit impacts during power outages

Caltrain

Updates and impacts to the service will appear on its News page. 

VTA

Updates and impacts to the service will appear on its Service Alerts page. 

AC Transit, including Line U and Dumbarton (DB)

Updates and impacts to the service will appear on its Service Bulletins page. 

Stanford Redwood City transit impacts during power outages

Caltrain

Updates and impacts to the service will appear on its News page.

Commute.org

Updates and impacts to the service will appear on its Redwood City-Midpoint Caltrain page.

SamTrans

Updates and impacts to service will appear on its News page.

Last updated: Aug. 28, 2020