Tag: vta

All-Star Hockey Weekend In San Jose

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2019 NHL All-Star Game rink setup. Photo courtesy San Jose Sharks.

Pro hockey’s brightest and best stars come to San Jose this weekend.  The 2019 NHL All-Star Weekend will take place in two locations throughout downtown San Jose. Hockey fan activities take place January 24 thru January 27 at McEnery Convention Center.  The 2019 NHL All-Star game itself takes place on January 26 at 5pm at SAP Center.

Visiting San Jose for All-Star Weekend? Read our first-time public transit rider’s guide to learn how to ride the buses and trains in Silicon Valley.  We have additional Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) public transit tips to help you beat traffic gridlock and parking woes to and from these All-Star events. Read on for more details.

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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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Happy New Year 2019!

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On behalf of the Silicon Valley Transit Users, I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year.

On Tuesday, all public transit agencies serving Silicon Valley like Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA), Caltrain, and SamTrans will run a Sunday/Holiday schedule.

All three transit agencies will have FREE service on the night of New Year’s Eve (about 8pm), until early morning on New Year’s Day (about 5am). This includes VTA, Caltrain, and SamTrans.

Please make sure to take advantage of these FREE transit services on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day – especially if you have been drinking.  To help you use public transit on New Year’s Eve – and any other time – read our new First Time Transit User guide.

Have a safe and sane New Year!

Eugene Bradley
Founder, Silicon Valley Transit Users

Two Eras End October 8

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Express light rail service in Silicon Valley won’t be the only era ending October 8.  That morning, Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA)’s 180 and 181 express bus service will shift to the new Warm Springs BART station from Fremont BART station.  These are all part of VTA’s service changes to the transit system, effective Monday, October 8.

This move ends an era of express bus service between Santa Clara County to Fremont BART station that can be traced back to 1974.  One picture taken from 1979 features what was then the 66 bus line, linking Fremont BART station to Santa Teresa Hospital.

One other result to these changes: VTA buses will no longer serve bus stops in Fremont.  This means passengers will likely have to take AC Transit’s 217 bus to Warm Springs BART, then transfer to VTA’s 180/181 express buses.

What are your thoughts to these changes? Please comment below.

Eugene Bradley
Founder, Silicon Valley Transit Users

Kiss Express Light Rail Goodbye In October

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vta express light rail train photo

VTA staff on hand to welcome the first express light rail train in October 2010. Photo courtesy vtawatch.blogspot.com

Nearly eight years after its introduction, express light rail trains in San Jose will be no more.  At its August 2nd meeting, the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) Board Of Directors voted to end the express trains as of October 8 of this year.  The decision, according to VTA, is being done to save between $720,000 and $820,000 of operating expenses.

More details on the decision follow.

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