Tag: Rail

News involving Caltrain, ACE or BART that affect Silicon Valley’s quality of life.

October Transit Schedule and Fare Changes

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Changes to Silicon Valley bus and rail schedules are being made this month.  As regular service is being operated today (October 9), the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) made changes to several bus line schedules in Santa Clara County.  Some of the schedule changes enable better connections with the Caltrain commuter rail service.  Read up on the service changes here and learn how YOU will be affected by these changes.

Speaking of Caltrain: several fare changes were made on October 1:

  • The price of a monthly Caltrain parking pass was raised from $55.00 to $82.50.  This is because Caltrain changed their basis of a “month” to 15 days from 10 days.
  • Caltrain riders will pay an additional 25 cents per zone they travel
  • Caltrain 8-ride tickets are no longer available for purchase.  Current 8-ride tickets will no longer be valid after October 31.

This is in addition to the changes Caltrain made to its Monday thru Friday schedule, to increase “operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.”  These changes were approved by Caltrain’s Joint Powers Board back in August.

What are your thoughts on the schedule and fare changes at VTA and Caltrain?  Please discuss them in comments below.

Eugene Bradley
Founder, Silicon Valley Transit Users

Merry Christmas!

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Santa Claus aboard a VTA bus. Courtesy @monicamallon on Twitter.

On behalf of the Silicon Valley Transit Users, I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas.

On Saturday and Sunday, all Silicon Valley transit services will run their respective Saturday and Sunday/Holiday schedules.  This includes Caltrain, Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA), Capitol Corridor trains between San Jose, Oakland and Sacramento; ACE trains between San Jose and Stockton, SamTrans in San Mateo County, Dumbarton Express buses, and BART.

On Monday, the day after Christmas, is when Christmas Day will be formally observed.  Read on to learn how these transit agencies will run service this Monday only…

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Agenda For Our Last Meeting Of 2016

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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

NO.

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We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.
–Albert Einstein

no-2016-vta-measure-b

Here we go again.  On November 8, Santa Clara County voters will once again decide a transportation sales tax measure for Santa Clara County’s Valley Transportation Authority (VTA).

Remember the slogans of prior transportation sales tax measures in Santa Clara County?  “A + B = Traffic Relief” (1996) and “Traffic Relief NOW” (2000) are some examples.  Ask yourself: is access, speed, and reliability of public transit better than what it was when I was asked to approve a transit sales tax measure?  Is traffic more or less than what it was the last time I was asked to approve a transportation sales tax?

Read on for information that supplements what’s already out there on why you need to vote NO on Measure B November 8.

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Bulls, Bacon…and ‘Ball

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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…

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