Tag: milpitas

Big Biennial Budget

Inside the Santa Clara County Supervisors' chambers.

Inside the Santa Clara County Supervisors’ chambers where VTA Board Of Directors’ meetings are held.

It’s transit budget time again.  Thursday’s Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) Board Of Directors meeting will be where they vote to approve – or reject – their proposed budget for the 2020 and 2021 Fiscal Year (FY).

Details on what VTA proposes – and our own alternate to fund additional, much-needed bus increases in Santa Clara County – are below.

Here We Go Again…

More service cuts to public transit may be coming to Silicon Valley.  The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) will discuss a proposal to further reduce bus and light rail service at its first Board Of Directors’ meeting of 2019 this Thursday at 5:30pm in San Jose.

WHEN: Thursday, January 10 at 5:30pm
WHERE: Auditorium at VTA Headquarters, 3331 N. First Street, San Jose
GETTING THERE: Take VTA Light Rail to the River Oaks station.  VTA’s headquarters is on the west (airport) side of N. First Street, in the back of the Park and Ride lot.

Tips for how to be heard at any VTA Board meeting or workshop can be mastered here.

Our group has obtained details on what the VTA Board Of Directors will discuss at Thursday evening’s meeting. Details are below.

Happy New Year 2019!

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

On Tuesday, all public transit agencies serving Silicon Valley like Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA), Caltrain, and SamTrans will run a Sunday/Holiday schedule.

All three transit agencies will have FREE service on the night of New Year’s Eve (about 8pm), until early morning on New Year’s Day (about 5am). This includes VTA, Caltrain, and SamTrans.

Please make sure to take advantage of these FREE transit services on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day – especially if you have been drinking.  To help you use public transit on New Year’s Eve – and any other time – read our new First Time Transit User guide.

Have a safe and sane New Year!

Eugene Bradley
Founder, Silicon Valley Transit Users

This Thursday, Sam Comes To Our Club

The Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) Board Chair will see some of his managers this week.  San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo – also VTA Board Chair this year – will be our guest at our group’s upcoming meeting this Thursday in San Jose. 

TIME/DATE: Thursday, April 26 at 6pm
PLACE: San Jose Peace & Justice Center, 48 S. 7th Street (between Santa Clara and San Fernando Streets), San Jose
GETTING THERE: Many VTA bus lines like the 22, 522 Rapid, 72, 73 and Highway 17 Express stop near the Peace and Justice Center.  There is limited bicycle and automobile parking behind the building, so it’s advisable to take public transit to and from the building.  There is also wheelchair access behind the building.

The agenda and a toll-free dial-in number to the meeting follow…

September VTA Meeting Summary…With a Feeling

Last month, I wanted to experiment with providing a brief summary of a Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) Board Of Directors meeting.  Your feedback demanded more information be provided for such summaries.  So, in the future, more detail will be provided for such summaries.

That said, the September 7 VTA Board Of Directors Meeting and follow-up workshops revealed a potential conflict of interest in a formed sales tax measure watchdog group. They also confirmed routing for two bus lines, once the BART extension to Milpitas and Berryessa comes online.  Finally, conflict was revealed between VTA and BART over how a tunnel for BART in downtown San Jose should be built.

Detailed information on all of this (in chronological order) is below.