Eugene B

More News Coming Up

This coming week will feature stories on

  • Jarrett Walker’s Report on VTA bus and light rail services
  • Highlights and follow-up from our last group meeting in February
  • What’s going on with Envision San Jose and some of what our group brought up
  • VTA’s continued obsession with bringing BART into Silicon Valley

Stay tuned and stay safe when riding any bus or train.

Eugene Bradley
Founder, Silicon Valley Transit Users

February 2016 Group Meeting Agenda

Here is the meeting agenda and other details for our upcoming meeting February 23 at 6:00pm in San Jose
  • status on the Alum Rock Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project and what we can do to ensure it’s completed properly
  • how to report good (and bad) VTA bus/light rail operators, and early/late/no-show buses/light rail
  • an update on the likelyhood of another transit sales tax vote this fall
  • any other idea you want the group to pursue to make VTA run better and more efficient

Here is a map and directions showing how to get to the San Jose Peace and Justice Center. The Center is only one (1) block north of the San Jose State University campus.

Plan on driving to our meeting? There is limited FREE parking in the back of the Peace & Justice Center. There is also limited on-street parking nearby and at the Grocery Outlet lot on Santa Clara Street.

Can’t make it to our group meeting? You can dial in to our group meeting by calling (415)655-0001. When prompted, use PIN # 194 171 125 as the meeting number. Note that you must dial in after 5:55pm and that there is limited space.

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.

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

Eugene Bradley
Founder, Silicon Valley Transit Users

 

 

They All Did Good At Super Bowl 50

Super Bowl 50 crowd goes to VTA light rail after the game has ended.

Super Bowl 50 in Santa Clara is now history. Congratulations to the Denver Broncos for winning Super Bowl 50 last Sunday over Carolina by a score of 24-10.

A big “Thank You” goes to BART, Caltrain and the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) for providing public transit to and from Super Bowl 50. VTA carried 9,500 fans to and from Super Bowl 50. Of that number, 60% of them transferred from light rail to Caltrain in Mountain View, according to Mass Transit Magazine.

Here’s how those who took VTA and Caltrain saw Super Bowl 50…

One Wish For VTA For Super Bowl 50

Super Bowl Sunday is NOW. I just made my first video commentary on what VTA must do at Super Bowl 50 to ensure a possible transit sales pass this fall passes. I also describe the consequences for VTA if things seriously go wrong at their end.

This same commentary was given at last Thursday’s VTA Board of Directors meeting in San Jose. More on that meeting in an upcoming post.

Let’s hope that VTA and especially the NFL has learned from the transit nightmare of Super Bowl XLVIII.

Eugene Bradley
Founder, Silicon Valley Transit Users

Super Bowl 50 (Transit Hell) Week

Both Super Bowl 50 teams have landed and are in their hotels. This is the start “Super Bowl Week” where Sunday’s game will be hyped up. All this week, many football celebration events in San Francisco and San Jose will take place. These are detailed in the Super Bowl 50 transit guide just finished.

Monday’s Super Bowl 50 activities culminate with Super Bowl Opening Night at SAP Center in San Jose. The transit guide to SAP Center details all train and bus alternatives to driving and parking hassles.

Even with extra trains added, expect standing room only (SRO) conditions on BART, Caltrain, and especially VTA light rail as fans shuttle between events in San Jose and San Francisco. If you frequently use these transit agencies, allow extra travel time this week. If possible, leave early so that you avoid these crowds.

Also, expect standing-room only conditions on VTA bus lines serving downtown San Jose like the 522 Rapid, 323 limited stop, 22 and 64.

Keep up with the transit alerts in the San Jose area by following @svtransitupdts on Twitter.

More info later this week…

Eugene Bradley
Founder, Silicon Valley Transit Users