Tag: silicon valley

WATCH: VTA “Next Network” Meeting In San Jose

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For the second time in a decade, VTA is redesigning its bus network. Its goal is to make transit “more usable and cost effective, and to maximize connections with BART.”

Tonight at 6pm, VTA staff will have a presentation at San Jose City Hall detailing its proposed bus network restructuring plan.

The in-person meeting details are below, followed by the live stream that will play at the top of the page starting at 6pm SHARP. Details on how to get to San Jose City Hall are below.

San Jose City Hall (Rooms 118-120)
200 East Santa Clara Street, San Jose, CA, 95113

Light Rail and many VTA bus lines like the 22, 23, 522 Rapid, 64, 66 and 68 stop within a 2-block walk of San Jose City Hall.

What do YOU think about VTA’s bus network restructuring proposal? Please comment below.

See you at San Jose City Hall at 6pm tonight.

Eugene Bradley
Founder, Silicon Valley Transit Users

VTA’s Incredible Shrinking Bus Ridership

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A bus ridership crisis at the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) has publicly reared its head. Gary Richards of the San Jose Mercury News reports on how VTA bus ridership has dropped 23% since 2001. Richards’ report details highlights of a presentation from worldwide transit planner Jarrett Walker detailing solutions to the bus ridership crisis.

More details on that story, the report, and what YOU can do follow after the jump.

Read more →

AUDIO: Silicon Valley’s Housing & Transit Crisis

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On March 31 in Mountain View, more than 40 people gathered at the Adobe House near the Mountain View Caltrain station. There, they heard Kim Mai-Cutler speak about the affordable housing and transit shortages currently affecting Silicon Valley.  The speech and gathering were organized by the Friends of Caltrain.

As you will hear in the recording above, some of the solutions discussed by Ms. Cutler and the audience, besides the need for additional, affordable housing, include:

  • Citizens must better educate themselves on who the decision-makers are at the city and transit (VTA) level, and lobby for improvements at both levels.
  • Citizens must also educate themselves on where the money goes at the local and state level NOW for housing and transportation. (A future blog post will have more on the transportation aspect of this.)
  • Citizens must realize that they cannot complain about increasing traffic and diminishing quality of life while blocking anything to improve both.

Please comment your own solutions to Silicon Valley’s affordable housing and transit shortage crisis below. Also, comment what YOU would be willing to do at the local government level to make such solutions happen.

Eugene Bradley
Founder, Silicon Valley Transit Users

Outdoor Hockey Night in Silicon Valley

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Sharks fans head to Levi’s Stadium for this evening’s outdoor hockey game vs. the LA Kings. Source: @ThinkBiggerSJ

There’s a San Jose Sharks-L.A. Kings outdoor hockey game tonight Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara at 7pm. Expect overcrowding on Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) light rail system-wide, as hockey fans travel to and from Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara.

Note some of the other transit options like Caltrain linking with VTA buses and light rail in Mountain View to take hockey fans to and from this special game. Note some of the other transit options to and from tonight’s game as well.

Had a good or bad experience on VTA tonight for the game or any other game? Bring that issue up to VTA Customer Service and management thru these steps.

We’ll be monitoring the transit service before, during, and after the game via @svtransitusers on Twitter.

The latest transit updates tonight – and any time – are available via @svtransitupdts on Twitter.

Stay safe when riding the buses and trains tonight.

Eugene Bradley
Founder, Silicon Valley Transit Users

First Group Meeting Of 2015 This Thursday

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Please join us at our first meeting of 2015 this Thursday, January 29 at 6pm in San Jose.  Meeting agenda is as follows:

  • Things YOU can do to make Bus Rapid Transit on El Camino Real between Palo Alto and San Jose happen
  • How YOU can help make VTA buses and light rail run more on time
  • Other Santa Clara County transit issues you want to discuss

The meeting is expected to be no more than one (1) hour.

Here are VTA bus, rail, and automobile directions on getting to the San Jose Peace & Justice Center. Be advised there is NO live video or audio streaming (yet) for our group meetings. The only way to know what’s going on and how YOU can make taking VTA better: BE THERE.

Bring a pencil or pen and paper (or smartphone/tablet notepad program) for our meeting. This is because information will be given to you during our meeting talks (see agenda above) which you need to make note of.

Please spread the word about our group meetings as needed. ALL ARE WELCOME! See on on Thursday.

Eugene Bradley
Founder, Silicon Valley Transit Users