Tag: samtrans

TAKE ACTION! Ensure Public Transit Stays In the State Budget Proposal

by  • 

Riders boarding Caltrain in Mountain View station. Front of the train is on the right, with its lights on. Passengers boarding and alighting are on the left.
Riders boarding Caltrain in Mountain View.

California Governor Gavin Newsom’s latest state budget proposal cuts funding for public transit. If passed into law in June, it would result in fare hikes and service reductions for many transit agencies throughout California. This as several key Bay Area transit agencies like Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) and Caltrain struggle to regain pre-COVID pandemic ridership. This also occurs as many public transit agencies are running out of federal COVID relief funding to run their buses and trains.

Our group is part of a coalition to have the California State Legislature pass “gap” funding in the State Budget until public transit agencies pass their own operations funding means.

Read more on what’s going on, and how YOU can get involved.

Read more →

Happy Thanksgiving 2022!

by  • 

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

Happy Thanksgiving 2021

by  • 

Image by J Lloa from Pixabay

On behalf of the Silicon Valley Transit Users, I want to wish all of you a Happy Thanksgiving today.

Quick reminder: ALL Silicon Valley transit agencies (VTA, Caltrain, BART, SamTrans, et al.) are running on a Sunday/Holiday schedule today.

Read on for a more detailed look at how these transit agencies will run today and tomorrow.

Read more →

Happy Birthday, Dr. King, Jr.

by  • 

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

by  • 

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 →