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.
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:
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
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
Here is what is coming up on the site:
Please enjoy the rest of this weekend. Don’t forget to follow @svtransitupdts on Twitter for up-to-date transit information.
Eugene Bradley
Founder, Silicon Valley Transit Users
People will gather in Mountain View tonight to help solve Silicon Valley’s transportation and housing crisis. The Friends of Caltrain will host an event to tackle these two vexing solutions more residents now face. From the event invite:
How can Silicon Valley be so fast-moving when it comes to technology and so stuck when it comes to housing and transportation? Mountain View is now planning for housing in North Bayshore near Google, LinkedIn and Microsoft – how much will this help, and what else is needed?
Kim-Mai Cutler is the author of powerful and insightful articles in TechCrunch exploring the causes of the Bay Area’s housing and transportation conundrums. Come hear her explain how we got here, and explore ideas for change.
The event is co-sponsored by Mountain View Coalition for Sustainable Planning, Balanced Mountain View, Sunnyvale Cool, Palo Alto Forward, Redwood City Forward, TransForm, Microsoft, LinkedIn.
TIME & DATE: TONIGHT 6:30pm
PLACE: Adobe House, 157 Moffett Blvd, Mountain View
GETTING THERE: Adobe House is 1/2 block (5 minute walk) from the Mountain View Transit Center and VTA light rail, Caltrain, and the 35 and 51 bus lines. It’s also a 5 minute walk from employee shuttle bus stops for Google, Yahoo, and others.
Click here to RSVP http://org.salsalabs.com/o/741/p/salsa/event/common/public/?event_KEY=85391
Come early as the venue is expected to fill up quickly. See you tonight.
Eugene Bradley
Founder, Silicon Valley Transit Users