Tag: vta

AUDIO: Silicon Valley’s Housing & Transit Crisis

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

VTA Bus Service Changes As Of TODAY

Bus service in Santa Clara County is changing to enable more connections with Caltrain’s new schedule. To that end, VTA has made several changes to bus service in several areas to make that happen. Here are more details on these and other bus service changes effective today.

Another highlight of these changes involves the 61 or 62 bus lines. These bus service changes re-enable true 15 minute frequencies – particularly along Bascom Avenue between San Jose and Campbell.

What do YOU think about these bus service changes that VTA has made today? Will it help you leave your car and take the bus?  What would have to happen Please comment below.

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