Tag: light rail

Happy Thanksgiving 2022!

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Happy Thanksgiving sign. Source: pixabay.com
Image by J Lloa from Pixabay

We’ve learned all services at the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) River Oaks headquarters was restored at 3:30pm this afternoon. This includes their Customer Service call center for transit service information.

Given that, on behalf of the Silicon Valley Transit Users, I want to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving.

A reminder: all Silicon Valley transit agencies will be running on a Sunday/Holiday schedule this Thursday. This includes Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) bus and light rail service, Caltrain, Capitol Corridor trains, SamTrans (San Mateo County) buses, and BART trains. Altamont Corridor Express (ACE) trains between Stockton and San Jose in both directions will not run Thursday and Friday.

On Friday, some Silicon Valley transit agencies will run a modified schedule. For instance, VTA buses/light rail will run a normal weekday schedule this Friday, except its five weekday commuter express bus routes will not run that day only.

Plan accordingly if you are riding public transit this Thursday and Friday. Normal weekday service on all these of transit agencies returns on Monday, November 28.

Follow @svtransitupdts on Twitter for the latest Silicon Valley public transit updates and tips. Have a nice and safe Thanksgiving Day holiday weekend.

Eugene Bradley
Founder, Silicon Valley Transit Users

VTA’s Big Ask…and More

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The November 3 Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) Board Of Directors’ meeting had lots of information discussed. Among key issues discussed:

  • Proposals to speed up light rail thru downtown San Jose.
  • Why there have been so many bus service cancellations on some routes in the last two months.
  • A change in how VTA applies for federal funding for extending BART into downtown San Jose.

Feel free to view the Board meeting in its entirety above. Meanwhile, here’s what was discussed November 3, in order of Agenda items. Links in listed show what was discussed, approximately at that moment.

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Help Plan VTA’s Future

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Video courtesy VTA.

We’ve learned the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) seeks ideas from YOU on the future of transportation in Santa Clara County. Starting TONIGHT at 6pm online, is the first of several meetings VTA is holding to help plan public transit (as well as walking, biking, paratransit and highway projects) for Santa Clara County’s future.

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Silicon Oven

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Graphic showing it's 111 degrees in San Jose. Has sun drawing on upper right. Lower right says 111 deg. / 72 deg. feels like 111 Deg. Tue, 2:26pm
Photo courtesy Juan Estrada on Facebook.

This week, temperatures in San Jose and the rest of the Bay Area are at record highs.


The extreme heat is expected to continue for several more days.

To address this, we’ve learned that the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) is providing FREE rides to Cooling Centers throughout Santa Clara County. Here’s an updated list, as of today.

If you use VTA ACCESS Paratransit, call (408)321-2380 to book a trip to a Cooling Center. Due to demand, expect at least a three-hour wait before you can be picked up.

Rail agencies like BART, Caltrain, and Capitol Corridor ran with heat-related speed restrictions so far this week. This has resulted in delays up to 20 minutes on each of these systems. Expect this to be the case the rest of this week.

Locally, VTA has had issues system-wide due to heat causing breakdowns so far this week.

If at all possible, limit when you go outside for the next few days. Let’s not hear about you having to go to the hospital due to dehydration, heat exhaustion, heat stroke – or worse.

Still need to travel outside this hot week? Follow @svtransitupdts on Twitter to keep up with the latest local (Santa Clara County) public transit updates. Here’s steps showing YOU can help keep the svtransitupdts Twitter feed updated.

In the mean time, please stay safe, cool, and hydrated this week.

Eugene Bradley
Founder & CEO, Silicon Valley Transit Users.

Labor Day Weekend 2022 Transit Guide

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Labor Day! graphic w/ 2 intertwining American flags, fireworks above them, and "LABOR DAY!" written in the style of the American flag.
Happy Labor Day!

On behalf of the Silicon Valley Transit Users, I want to wish you a Happy (and safe) Labor Day Weekend.

Temperatures in Santa Clara County are expected to reach or exceed 100 degrees this weekend. To address this, we’ve learned that the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) will provide FREE transit service to cooling centers throughout Santa Clara County. Some independently-operated cooling centers not affiliated with government will also be open on Labor Day; here’s a list of these cooling centers.

For VTA ACCESS Paratransit riders, please call (408)321-2380 to book a trip to a cooling center. Due to expected demand, please allow at least three (3) hours for pickup.

If you are going out on this hot, long weekend, we have transit guides to some sporting events in Palo Alto and San Jose.

Note that start times to these games may change due to the extreme heat in the area this weekend. Look and listen for news reports on whether or not your game has been delayed or even cancelled due to the heat this weekend.

Read on for more details.

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