Silicon Valley local and regional bus news.
This weekend in Silicon Valley features several interesting events – despite expected rain this weekend. For starters, there’s bull riding and a Bacon Festival in San Jose. Also, there’s college football in San Jose and Raiders football in Oakland. This transit guide has Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) bus, light rail, and other rail service to and from these events to help you beat traffic gridlock.
More information follows…
Long-term planning or ballot measure publicity stunt? This question will be answered on Wednesday in San Jose, as the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) has a “Strategic Plan update” meeting in room B106 at its River Oaks headquarters.
VTA’s headquarters are at 3331 N. First Street in San Jose. It’s served by the 58 bus line and is at River Oaks light rail station.
Read the VTA Strategic Plan (10.9MB Adobe Acrobat PDF) here.
One thing that stands out in the plan so far: how VTA running transit (bus and light rail) service while building toll lane/highway “improvement” projects contradict one another. Is VTA supposed to help get people “out of their cars and onto transit” or is VTA supposed to keep people in their cars? VTA is one of the few agencies in the nation where road building and transit providing are performed by the same agency.
What do YOU think about VTA’s Strategic Plan update? What would you have VTA do differently to make it more efficient and beneficial to every Santa Clara County resident?
I’ll be at this meeting on Wednesday. See you there.
Eugene Bradley
Founder, Silicon Valley Transit Users
I did not post a formal agenda for this meeting in time for people to peruse. Also not helping: the Loma Fire in the Santa Cruz Mountains that may affect Highway 17 express bus service thru the area. I’m watching that personally.
Still, we will continue to discuss on our email list, whether to support or oppose Measure B – VTA’s latest transportation sales tax proposal. We will have a formal decision on this issue shortly.
More news coming up…
Eugene Bradley
Founder, Silicon Valley Transit Users
The first of the debates for Measure B took place on Monday. At the Santa Clara County Democratic Club at Harry’s Hofbrau in San Jose, both sides debated Measure B – VTA’s latest transportation sales tax proposal. Santa Clara County Supervisor and current VTA Board Chair Cindy Chavez debated the for side. Gladwyn D’Souza, San Carlos Belmont Group Chair at Sierra Club’s Loma Prieta Chapter, debated the against side.
Who do YOU think won last night’s Measure B debate? Please comment below.
Eugene Bradley
Founder, Silicon Valley Transit Users
On behalf of the Silicon Valley Transit Users, I want to wish everyone a Happy Labor Day. Today, let’s honor the working people who help make this country great.
All transit agencies in Silicon Valley such as VTA, Caltrain and SamTrans are running on a Sunday/Holiday schedule today. In addition, there are no Altamont Corridor Express (ACE) trains between Stockton and San Jose today. Normal transit service will return on Tuesday.
Please stay safe and sane today while we all celebrate the working class people in our country today.
Eugene Bradley
Founder, Silicon Valley Transit Users