Tag: light rail

Shooting, Fatalities At VTA Light Rail Shop

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https://twitter.com/SVscanners/status/1397622106657935361

Police scanner audio above may be objectionable and sensitive to some of our readers. Listener discretion is advised.

May 26th, 2021 is now a day that will live in infamy in Silicon Valley. At around 6:30am this morning, we learned that a mass shooting had taken place at VTA’s Guadalupe light rail maintenance shops on 1st and Younger in San Jose. (That’s by the County Sheriff’s Office, and 1 block north of the Santa Clara County Building and County Jail.)

As of 3pm, nine (9) people are dead, including the shooter. The shootings took place during when the light rail employees were having a morning meeting.

VTA shut down light rail as of noon, for the rest of today. Shuttle buses are running instead of light rail throughout the system today. This will allow law enforcement to properly investigate the Guadalupe light rail (LRT) shops, as the facility remains an active crime investigation scene at this time.

Watch your favorite news outlet for the latest information. We’ll try to keep things updated here, as information and circumstances warrant.

More on this – and how YOU can help provide relief for the victims and their families – are below.

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Stop Leaving Us Stranded, VTA!

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Tried to take a Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) lately? Ever been left stranded due to the bus being at its safe capacity limits? You’re not alone. The chart above shows nearly 1,400 riders per day are stranded by full VTA buses who pass them. That’s enough to fill two sections of the where the Sharks, 49ers, or Earthquakes play at. Bus lines like the 22, 25, 66, and 68 are just some examples where we’ve read reports of riders left stranded.

VTA has the money, courtesy of the Federal government, to fix this NOW. They also have the money to help improve safety on its bus and light rail fleet NOW. Here’s details on how YOU, me, and our fellow riders can make VTA make it happen…

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No VTA Light Rail Service In Campbell Until May 9

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We’ve learned that, until May 9, the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) will run shuttle buses instead of light rail between the Winchester and Bascom stations in both directions. This is to allow for station platform (re)construction work at the Hamilton light rail station. Read here for more details.

Per VTA Customer Service, the shuttle buses will run on the same schedule light rail uses now. (Note expected departure and arrival times only list the Winchester and Bascom stations. Schedule courtesy of VTA.) As the shuttle buses must navigate traffic on city streets, add up to 15 minutes’ more travel time in either direction between Winchester and Bascom stations.

Call VTA at (408)321-2300 then press 1 for Customer Service, or email VTA Customer Service, for any questions regarding this or other bus/light rail services.

Public Transit In Dire Straits

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Riders boarding VTA’s 68 bus in San Jose.

Public transit service in Silicon Valley – and throughout the nation – is in dire straits.  Many factors have caused large losses in ridership and fares for transit agencies like the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) and other transit agencies nationwide.  Among these factors:

Also, lost revenue from sales taxes and gas taxes have caused VTA and other transit agencies in the nation to have large operating shortfalls.  One result locally: a proposal by VTA to reduce transit service by as much as 30%.  If approved, service reductions would take effect on February 8, 2021.

Read and learn how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected VTA and other transit agencies nationwide.  We’ll also have ways people like YOU can help prevent massive service cuts that VTA is proposing now.

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Here We Go Again

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Could another assault on working families, the elderly, and the disabled be on the horizon?  That may soon be the case.  This Friday morning at 9:00am, the Board of Directors of the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) will discuss a proposal to reduce bus and light rail service by as much as 30% next year.

If at all possible, speak up during Public Comment at the VTA Board of Directors’ workshop on Friday morning at 9:00am.  There, Board Members will discuss the service cut proposals on Agenda Item 3.1. Let the VTA Board know what public transit means to YOU, and that they must do whatever is needed to preserve your bus service.  One of the VTA Board members supports use of 2016 Measure B funding to preserve as much transit service as possible.

Here’s information on how YOU can be heard in the online teleconference by computer or your own telephone.

View the video of the teleconference above, starting at 9am Friday morning.

More information on what you can do to help stave off VTA’s latest service cut proposal will be posted this weekend.

Eugene Bradley
Founder & CEO, Silicon Valley Transit Users

Monica Mallon contributed to this report.