Tag: Bus

Silicon Valley local and regional bus news.

Palo Alto Transit Center Closed Until Jan. 27

Due to city sewer replacement work, the Palo Alto Transit Center will be closed for bus service until January 27.  As a result, SamTrans and Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) bus riders must board buses on El Camino Real and Quarry, near Stanford Shopping Center.  Here is the SamTrans bus boarding plan and the VTA bus boarding plan during the work.  Staff from both agencies are expected to be on hand to assist those who need transfers between these buses and Caltrain.  Meanwhile, Caltrain will still serve the Transit Center.

Change In Tonight’s VTA Board Meeting Site

The first Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) Board of Directors’ meeting in 2017 will have a different site.  Due to a power outage at the County Government Offices, the VTA Board meeting was moved to the auditorium at VTA’s headquarters at 3331 N. First Street in San Jose.  Elaine Baltao, VTA Board Secretary, informed me around 11:30am about this move.

You can get to VTA’s headquarters by taking light rail to River Oaks light rail station, or the 58 bus line.  Here is a map of the area.

Up for discussion at this Board of Directors’ meeting:

Note the new meeting place for tonight’s VTA Board of Directors’ meeting.  See you this evening.

Eugene Bradley
Founder, Silicon Valley Transit Users

 

Transit As Designated Drivers

Image courtesy 321happynewyear.com

On behalf of the Silicon Valley Transit Users, I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year.

As usual, many Silicon Valley Transit agencies will run extended bus and rail service on New Year’s Eve and early New Year’s day.  The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) will have free fares for its buses and light rail from 8pm-5am New Year’s Day.  This also includes a special schedule for the 181 express bus between San Jose and Fremont BART station.

Also, SamTrans in San Mateo County will have free fares for its buses from 8pm-5am New Year’s Day.  Caltrain will have free fare service between San Jose and San Francisco from 8pm until about 2am New Year’s Day.  They will also have four trains leaving San Francisco after midnight, making all local stops to San Jose.  In San Francisco, MUNI will have free fares on its buses and light rail from 8pm-5am New Year’s Day.  BART will run trains until 3am system-wide, with extra service to accommodate for the New Year’s Eve fireworks show along the Embarcadero in San Francisco.

All transit agencies will run a Sunday/Holiday schedule on New Year’s Day (Sunday) and Monday, January 2 when New Year’s Day is officially observed.

Take advantage of these free and extended services tonight.  They will help avoid traffic gridlock and the possibility of getting arrested for driving under the influence.  They also help you beat the “surge pricing” expected for ride-booking companies like Uber and Lyft.

Follow @svtransitupdts on Twitter for transit updates to and from these and other events. Transit reports from BART, VTA, and other transit agencies from transit riders like YOU are reported daily.  Here’s how YOU can help report public transit delays.

Eugene Bradley
Founder, Silicon Valley Transit Users

 

Merry Christmas!

Santa Claus aboard a VTA bus. Courtesy @monicamallon on Twitter.

On behalf of the Silicon Valley Transit Users, I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas.

On Saturday and Sunday, all Silicon Valley transit services will run their respective Saturday and Sunday/Holiday schedules.  This includes Caltrain, Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA), Capitol Corridor trains between San Jose, Oakland and Sacramento; ACE trains between San Jose and Stockton, SamTrans in San Mateo County, Dumbarton Express buses, and BART.

On Monday, the day after Christmas, is when Christmas Day will be formally observed.  Read on to learn how these transit agencies will run service this Monday only…

Agenda For Our Last Meeting Of 2016

svtru group gathering 07262016

On behalf of our group, I want to wish you a Happy (and safe) Thanksgiving.

Want to help make public transportation in Santa County better for everyone?  Please join us on Tuesday, November 29 for our last meeting of 2016.  At our last meeting for 2016, we will discuss:

  • Your thought’s on VTA’s “Next Network” transit restructuring proposal and what YOU can do.  (Read more about the VTA “Next Network” proposal.)
  • The impact of “Measure B” – its passage and where transit goes from here
  • increased safety issues on buses and trains and what YOU can do to help
  • other issues YOU have with VTA buses and trains, and how we can solve them together

TIME & DATE: Tuesday, November 29 at 6pm SHARP
PLACE: San Jose Peace and Justice Center, 48 S. 7th Street, San Jose
GETTING THERE: It’s about 50 yards south of E. Santa Clara Street in downtown San Jose, and near many VTA bus lines like the 22, 64, 522 Rapid, 72 and 73. It’s also a short walk from the Santa Clara (Street) light rail stop.  Here is a map of the area around the Peace and Justice Center in downtown San Jose.

Bring a pencil or pen and paper so you can take down notes on what to do.

Approving sales tax ballot measures every few years to improve transit is never enough.  Whining from behind your keyboard changes nothing.  Better only happens when we learn TOGETHER and fight TOGETHER in person.

Power to the people.  See you on Tuesday.

Eugene Bradley
Founder, Silicon Valley Transit Users