Category: Transit Alerts

Shooting, Fatalities At VTA Light Rail Shop

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Police scanner audio above may be objectionable and sensitive to some of our readers. Listener discretion is advised.

May 26th, 2021 is now a day that will live in infamy in Silicon Valley. At around 6:30am this morning, we learned that a mass shooting had taken place at VTA’s Guadalupe light rail maintenance shops on 1st and Younger in San Jose. (That’s by the County Sheriff’s Office, and 1 block north of the Santa Clara County Building and County Jail.)

As of 3pm, nine (9) people are dead, including the shooter. The shootings took place during when the light rail employees were having a morning meeting.

VTA shut down light rail as of noon, for the rest of today. Shuttle buses are running instead of light rail throughout the system today. This will allow law enforcement to properly investigate the Guadalupe light rail (LRT) shops, as the facility remains an active crime investigation scene at this time.

Watch your favorite news outlet for the latest information. We’ll try to keep things updated here, as information and circumstances warrant.

More on this – and how YOU can help provide relief for the victims and their families – are below.

Read more →

No VTA Light Rail Service In Campbell Until May 9

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We’ve learned that, until May 9, the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) will run shuttle buses instead of light rail between the Winchester and Bascom stations in both directions. This is to allow for station platform (re)construction work at the Hamilton light rail station. Read here for more details.

Per VTA Customer Service, the shuttle buses will run on the same schedule light rail uses now. (Note expected departure and arrival times only list the Winchester and Bascom stations. Schedule courtesy of VTA.) As the shuttle buses must navigate traffic on city streets, add up to 15 minutes’ more travel time in either direction between Winchester and Bascom stations.

Call VTA at (408)321-2300 then press 1 for Customer Service, or email VTA Customer Service, for any questions regarding this or other bus/light rail services.

Happy Birthday, Dr. King, Jr.

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Dr. King against USA Flag

Source: chatcentralgateway.com

Today, we celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday. He was born on January 15, 1929.

Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA), BART and SamTrans are running their regular weekday schedule today.  Caltrain is running a special, modified schedule today as well.  By regular weekday schedule, it means the modified service hours for each agency due to the ongoing global pandemic.

Here’s Dr. King’s famous speech from the March On Washington For Jobs and Freedom on August 28, 1963.

Some of our goals in 2021 – including an action item for an upcoming VTA Workshop this Friday morning – will be in our next two posts.  This and other information on the site will be updated throughout the week to reflect local transit leadership in 2021.

Overall, we still have work to do to help achieve Dr. King’s dream. Let’s get to it.

Eugene Bradley
Founder & CEO, Silicon Valley Transit Users

Happy New Year 2021

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Even in a global pandemic, one New Year’s Eve public transit tradition continues.  Transit agencies like Caltrain, SamTrans, and VTA will have free fares for their bus & rail service starting around 8pm.  This despite Santa Clara County’s “shelter in place” health orders in effect until further notice.

Pandemic protection rules such as social distancing and mask wearing on board will still apply.  Per health department directives, avoid crowds to help curb the spread of COVID-19.

Read on for a summary of who’s offering what services on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, and when.

Read more →

Happy Birthday, Dr. King, Jr

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As we celebrate the birthday of the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. today, this federal holiday will affect public transit in Silicon Valley today.  In particular:

During our celebration of the late Dr. King, Jr. today, listen to this once-lost speech he made at Newcastle University in the United Kingdom in 1967.

More transit news later this week.  Note that the transit guides are being modified to reflect the new VTA schedule and service that took effect back on December 28.

Eugene Bradley
Founder, Silicon Valley Transit Users