Eugene B

This Wednesday, She Calls Us

by  • 

VTA Board Member Teresa O’Neill of Santa Clara. Photo courtesy smartvoter.org

For the first time, a member of the VTA’s Board of Directors will be joining us for our meeting.  Teresa O’Neill, Santa Clara City Council member, and VTA Board of Directors’ member, will be joining us at our meeting this Wednesday, April 19 to help discuss local transit issues.

Of primary discussion this Wednesday: VTA’s final “Next Network” bus and light rail service restructuring proposal.  That proposal will be voted on by the VTA Board of Directors in May.  Ms. O’Neill will be dialing in remotely as she is out of town for a public transit meeting.

Meeting details and agenda are below…

Read more →

Next Network, Current Concerns

by  • 

Huge changes to your bus and light rail service in Santa Clara County will be discussed this week.  At Thursday evening’s VTA Board of Directors’ meeting, the Board members will further discuss what VTA staff proposed under the “Next Network” transit service restructuring proposal.

If you haven’t done so already, read up on VTA’s “Next Network” proposal.  Learn whether or not it may be made harder for you to reach your job, school, or doctor by public transit in Santa Clara County this fall.  This is especially true if you live in Gilroy, Morgan Hill, Almaden Valley, or some parts of Palo Alto, Mountain View or Sunnyvale.  This is also true if you take any of the VTA express buses from Fremont, as they are proposed to be eliminated when BART opens in December.

Read more →

Last Meetings For the “Next Network”

by  • 

vta staff member presentation at Santa Clara City Council Feb. 7.

VTA staff member presentation at Santa Clara City Council Feb. 7.

The week of February 12 will be of note in parts of San Jose and Gilroy.  The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) will hold the last three (3) public meetings for its “Next Network” transit service restructuring proposal on Feburary 13, 15 and 16.  The meetings start at 6pm and last about two (2) hours.  VTA has published additional information on your input regarding the “Next Network” so far.

Not only do we have talking points and site information for these three meetings the week of February 12, we also have additional news that has come up.  More information follows…

Read more →

VTA Hires Its Replacement Paratransit Contractor

by  • 

VTA now has someone to run its paratransit (ACCESS) buses and cars.  At Thursday night’s VTA Board of Directors’ meeting, the VTA Board voted to a approve a four-year, nearly $80 million contract with MV Transportation to operate and maintain the ACCESS paratransit fleet.

In the Bay Area, MV Transportation operates and maintains the Dumbarton Express bus service, WestCAT (Western Contra Costa County Transit, and core SamTrans bus routes like the ECR and SamTrans’ “RediWheels” paratransit.

Listen to audio highlights of Thursday evening’s VTA Board meeting below.

What are your thoughts on VTA having MV Transportation as their paratransit provider?  Please comment below.

Eugene Bradley
Founder, Silicon Valley Transit Users

This Tuesday: Our First Meeting Of 2017

by  • 

Our group’s first meeting of 2017 will be in San Jose this coming Tuesday at 6pm.  There, we’ll have more discussion about VTA’s proposed “Next Network” bus restructuring proposal. That will include some additional talking points for you and others to bring up and follow up on at the public meetings VTA will hold throughout the county in February.

TIME & DATE: Tuesday, January 31 at 6pm
PLACE: San Jose Peace & Justice Center, 48 S 7th Street, San Jose.  The Peace & Justice Center is 1/2 block north of the San Jose State University Campus
GETTING THERE: Read this map of the area around the Peace & Justice Center, and details on VTA buses and light rail that stop nearby.

Bring a pencil/pen and paper with you to our meeting for note taking. Also, be ready to start taking action on what we discuss.

Please distribute this invitation to everyone where (legally) permitted. ALL ARE WELCOME!

Eugene Bradley
Founder, Silicon Valley Transit Users