Monday, April 18, 2011

VTA to hold meetings on future bus plans

VTA is planning to hold meetings early next month on bus change proposals that would be implemented this July as well as next year. The bus plan is a part of the VTA's proposal biennial budget.

Monday, May 2 at 6:00 p.m.
City of Mountain View
500 Castro Street, Mountain View, 94041

Tuesday, May 3 at 3:00 p.m.
County of Santa Clara, Isaac Newton Senter Auditorium
70 West Hedding Street, San Jose, 95110

Tuesday, May 3 at 6:00 p.m.
Dr. Roberto Cruz Public Library, Community Room
3090 Alum Rock Avenue, San Jose, 95127
Served by VTA Bus Lines 25, 45 and 71.

Wednesday, May 4 at 6:00 p.m.
City of Morgan Hill Community & Cultural Center Hiram Morgan Hill Room
17000 Monterey Street, Morgan Hill, 95037

Monday, May 9 at 6:30 p.m.
County of Santa Clara, Isaac Newton Senter Auditorium
70 West Hedding Street, San Jose, CA 95110

Tuesday, May 10 at 6:00 p.m.
Campbell Community Center, Mary Campbell Room
1 West Campbell Avenue, Campbell 95008

For full details click on the title.

For this July, VTA proposes minor changes for the following routes: 35, 47, 54, 65, 68, 82, 102, 181.

Line 102, which goes from Santa Teresa to Palo Alto is experiencing overcrowding and the staff is surveying riders for the preferred trip time as they plan to add another run.

On line 181, the staff plans to add short trips between Milpitas and Fremont to make a 20 minute headway, but the frequency between Milpitas and Downtown San Jose will remain the same.

For January 2012, VTA plans the following:
Minor changes (involve some trip eliminations, shortening of some trips) - 10, 13, 18, 22, 25, 31, 35, 39, 46, 51, 55, 60, 64, 66, 68, 73, 77

Major changes
16 - Midday service would be eliminated.
23 - Weekday frequency would be improved to every 10 minutes.
26 - Short trips would be added between Lockheed and El Camino during commute hours.
45 - Saturday service would be eliminated. Weekday service would be shortened an hour early.
48, 49 - Weekday and weekend service all have reduced service hours.
57, 58 - Reduction in frequency
61, 62 - Slight reduction in frequency and service hours.
81 - Sunday service would be eliminated
101 - Service would be eliminated because it doesn't meet ridership standard.
102 - Stops in San Jose will be reduced to the Santa Teresa, Snell, and Ohlone light rail stations, and the line would also use new "premium express" buses.
103 - This line would use new premium buses and one more round trip would be added.
104 - This line would be eliminated. (VTA tried to get rid of it as early as 2007)
105 - This would be new line from Fremont BART to the Shoreline area (Google HQ) in Mountain View. This line would use the new premium bus and would have four round trips.
120, 121 - This line would use new premium buses.
122 - This line would use new premium buses, stops would be reduced, and one more round trip would be added. (Back in 2007 VTA staff recommended to cut the route)
180 - Some trips would be eliminated.
182 - One of the two round trips would be eliminated and stops would be reduced.
183 - This would be a new line from the Evergreen area to Fremont BART (Dave Cortese's pet route). This line would use new premium buses and would have 3 round trips.
328, 330 - One more round trip would be added.

For July 2012, VTA proposes the following:
11, 17, 34 - Ridership is still below standard and these lines are slated for elimination in 2012 unless ridership improves. Another public meetings would be held in early 2012. Line 11 and 34 have had ridership problems in the past, but because they go by senior facilities, a lot of people don't want these routes cut.

522 - VTA plans to extend service hours on weekdays from about 7:30pm to about 10:30pm. Saturday service would also be expanded and there would be service on Sundays.