Tess de Guzman

Question:

 hat is green and rides the bus everywhere?

Answer:

For the sake of this piece, the correct answer is not what, but whom—and in this instance it would be Tess de Guzman, a Mountain View resident who rides VTA Bus Route 22 or 522 daily to her job at Stanford University.

Additionally, she shops at the Los Altos Whole Foods Market (conveniently located alongside a Route 522 stop) and also utilizes Caltrain for transportation to a favorite ice skating rink up the peninsula. Basically, she takes public transportation just about everywhere.

Then add in the fact her husband rides VTA light rail to his job at Cisco Systems in north San Jose, meaning their hybrid car stays at home parked in the driveway.  

All in all, this is a family that is making a choice to actively support cleaner air, lessen roadway congestion and reduce their own levels of stress.

Tess highlighted several reasons why she opts for public transportation. “I love VTA. The service is fast, especially at night. And with the bus you don’t have to worry about crazy drivers.  It’s my time to do whatever I want.”  Some of her bus riding activities include playing with her new Apple iPad, reading and talking with friends.

Beyond those benefits, Tess sees another plus for riding public transportation—the good customer service provided by VTA.

“One day I left my backpack on the bus and so I called VTA.  First, they had the driver locate my pack, which thankfully was still on the bus.  Then they told me when and where I could meet the bus on its next run so I could retrieve my pack that same day,” Tess explained. "I don’t know if that happens with every lost item but it was a great relief to me to reclaim my pack so quickly.”

So Tess and the hubby have made VTA and public transportation in general an integral part of their everyday life and are enjoying all the many benefits of leaving the car at home.

If you would like to share your own VTA success story, please click on the “tell your story” link below. You can also find VTA on Facebook at “SCVTA”, Twitter at “SantaclaraVTA”, and YouTube at www.youtube.com/scvta.

In the meantime, take the bus—or light rail, train, shuttle or ride a bike or walk—and think green!