Tag: transit

Here We Go Again…

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More service cuts to public transit may be coming to Silicon Valley.  The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) will discuss a proposal to further reduce bus and light rail service at its first Board Of Directors’ meeting of 2019 this Thursday at 5:30pm in San Jose.

WHEN: Thursday, January 10 at 5:30pm
WHERE: Auditorium at VTA Headquarters, 3331 N. First Street, San Jose
GETTING THERE: Take VTA Light Rail to the River Oaks station.  VTA’s headquarters is on the west (airport) side of N. First Street, in the back of the Park and Ride lot.

Tips for how to be heard at any VTA Board meeting or workshop can be mastered here.

Our group has obtained details on what the VTA Board Of Directors will discuss at Thursday evening’s meeting. Details are below.

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San Jose Mayor Liccardo Wants More VTA Service Cuts

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San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo wants to repeat failed history.  In his first Chairperson’s Report at the January 4 Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) Board Of Directors’ meeting, he advocated for further reductions in VTA transit service to help close a $20 million operating deficit this fiscal year, and a $26 million operating deficit in 2019.  He announced the formation of a committee to address VTA’s structural operating deficit, and provide solutions.  The gist of Mayor Liccardo’s comments start at the 2:00 mark of the audio clip above.

Learn more about how this service cut strategy fails to resolve any VTA operating deficit – and what YOU can proactively do to change history in your favor – below.

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Merry Christmas!

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

In case you did not know: all Silicon Valley transit agencies (VTA, Caltrain, SamTrans et al.) are running a Sunday/Holiday schedule today.  Regular weekday service will return tomorrow.

If you must travel today, please be careful out there.  Once again, Merry Christmas.

Eugene Bradley
Founder, Silicon Valley Transit Users

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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