Tag: light rail

Agenda For Our Last Meeting Of 2016

svtru group gathering 07262016

On behalf of our group, I want to wish you a Happy (and safe) Thanksgiving.

Want to help make public transportation in Santa County better for everyone?  Please join us on Tuesday, November 29 for our last meeting of 2016.  At our last meeting for 2016, we will discuss:

  • Your thought’s on VTA’s “Next Network” transit restructuring proposal and what YOU can do.  (Read more about the VTA “Next Network” proposal.)
  • The impact of “Measure B” – its passage and where transit goes from here
  • increased safety issues on buses and trains and what YOU can do to help
  • other issues YOU have with VTA buses and trains, and how we can solve them together

TIME & DATE: Tuesday, November 29 at 6pm SHARP
PLACE: San Jose Peace and Justice Center, 48 S. 7th Street, San Jose
GETTING THERE: It’s about 50 yards south of E. Santa Clara Street in downtown San Jose, and near many VTA bus lines like the 22, 64, 522 Rapid, 72 and 73. It’s also a short walk from the Santa Clara (Street) light rail stop.  Here is a map of the area around the Peace and Justice Center in downtown San Jose.

Bring a pencil or pen and paper so you can take down notes on what to do.

Approving sales tax ballot measures every few years to improve transit is never enough.  Whining from behind your keyboard changes nothing.  Better only happens when we learn TOGETHER and fight TOGETHER in person.

Power to the people.  See you on Tuesday.

Eugene Bradley
Founder, Silicon Valley Transit Users

Independence Day Transit Guide

Happy-4th-of-July

On behalf of the Silicon Valley Transit Users, I want to wish everyone a Happy Fourth of July.  This post details public transit service to and from all Independence Day celebration events throughout the South Bay.

Of note: there is NO BART service between Fremont and South Hayward in both directions due to track work until Tuesday.  BART is running free shuttle buses between South Hayward, Union City, and Fremont in all directions.  Taking BART to the East Bay from Fremont?  Allow at least 30 minutes additional travel time.

Otherwise, all Silicon Valley transit agencies such as VTA, Caltrain, and SamTrans will run a Sunday/Holiday schedule on Monday.  Service hours will return to normal on Tuesday.

Here are your public transit alternatives to Fourth of July events, below.

Big Time Transit To Big Time Events

Sharks fans on VTA light rail. Photo courtesy @execlaw on Twitter

Sharks fans on VTA light rail. Photo courtesy @execlaw on Twitter

This weekend in the Bay Area has championship events that are being seen worldwide. From Stanley Cup Finals games 3 and 4 in San Jose, to the NBA Finals in Oakland on Sunday, to the Copa America Centenario games in Santa Clara, the world is watching the Bay Area sports scene.

This post details the bus and rail options available for these big time sporting events.

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…

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