Eugene B

Help Advise VTA & San Jose On Public Transit

Several people are seated aboard a VTA bus moving within the City of San Jose. Seats have grey backs. Camera faces front of bus.
Several people are seated aboard a VTA bus moving within the City of San Jose.

Diane Solomon, host and producer at KKUP-FM in San Jose, informed us of an opportunity for you to help make public transit better in San Jose. The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) is still looking for someone who lives or works in San Jose to serve as a voice for public transit on its Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC).

As a BPAC member, you will have the ear of key decision-makers at VTA at staff level.

You would representing the City of San Jose as a public transit rider, as a member of VTA’s BPAC. The city committee’s next meeting to discuss this is this coming Monday at 6pm.  More details on what is required for you to be a representative on this committee, follow.

Happy Independence Day 2023

United States flag with fireworks in the background in the upper right.
Happy Independence Day!

On behalf of the Silicon Valley Transit Users, I want to wish you a Happy Independence Day.

Today, all transit agencies serving Silicon Valley are operating on a Sunday/Holiday schedule today. This includes, in no particular order:

  • Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) trains systemwide
  • San Mateo County Transit (SamTrans) in Palo Alto and San Mateo County
  • Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA)
  • Caltrain rail service between San Francisco, San Jose, and Gilroy

Normal, weekday service will return tomorrow (Wednesday).

Meanwhile, here are public transit options to fireworks displays throughout Silicon Valley tonight.

Soccer Weekend In Silicon Valley

Courtesy: San Jose Earthquakes

It’s that time of year again for soccer fans in Silicon Valley. As we celebrate Independence Day this coming Tuesday, the California Clasico soccer match between the San Jose Earthquakes and Los Angeles Galaxy is set for Saturday night at 7pm at Stanford Stadium in Palo Alto. Fireworks at the stadium area will follow after the game ends.

Caltrain from San Francisco, the Peninsula, and San Jose is your best bet to and from the festivities. Our transit guide to Earthquakes soccer matches shows you how to ride Caltrain to beat traffic and parking woes at Stanford for the game. Our guide also shows you how San Mateo County Transit (SamTrans)’ ECR bus line and Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) 22 local and 522 Rapid bus lines are a short walk to and from Stanford Stadium.

This year, Caltrain will provide charter train service to and from Stanford Stadium. Read here to learn how fans going to and from the game can ride the charter train.

More professional soccer in Silicon Valley will be played the day after. On Sunday, VTA will provide special bus and light rail service for the CONCACAF Gold Cup soccer doubleheader at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, starting at 4pm. The first game features Jamaica vs. St. Kitts & Nevins; the second game immediately afterward features Mexico vs. Qatar. Read here to learn more details on that special service.

More transit news will be posted here tomorrow.

Eugene Bradley
Founder, Silicon Valley Transit Users

Keep Up the (State) Pressure

Protesters at a mock funeral for public transit in front of San Francisco City Hall June 3.

Current status of public transit in Governor Gavin Newsom’s state budget proposal: not good. Unfortunately, the most recent budget proposals voted on by the legislature currently do not provide nearly enough funding to meet the need to prevent transit cuts and regrow ridership. This would force transit agencies like Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) and Caltrain to choose between preventing service cuts and important capital priorities, and would abandon $6 billion ($6,000,000,000) in federal matching funds.

Senator Scott Wiener is working hard to address this situation. Here’s more from Senator Wiener:

Read our prior article on this situation for further background.

Next, read more on what YOU can do between now and Monday to help Senator Wiener and others change that.

Weekend Update – Memorial Day 2023

Happy Memorial Day!
Happy Memorial Day!

This weekend, and especially Monday, we honor and mourn those who perished while serving in the U.S. Armed Forces.

On Monday, Memorial Day itself, Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) and all other transit agencies will run on a Sunday/Holiday schedule.

Given the long weekend, there will be plenty of activities going on, particularly in San Jose. Read more about these events – and travel advisories – below.