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VTA Holds Public Meetings to Obtain Input on Proposed FY 12/FY 13 Budget and Transit Service Plan

Good News for Riders: Proposal Includes Additional Service, New Vehicles, and No Fare Increases Proposed

Release Number:	NR 11 04 06
Release Date:	Apr 26, 2011

San José, Calif. – The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) will hold six public meetings from May 2 through May 10, 2011 to share with the public its draft FY 2012 and FY 2013 Biennial Budget and Proposed Transit Service Plan. VTA’s two-year budget and service plan covers the period of July 1, 2011 through June 30, 2013. The proposed transit operating budget is approximately $363 million for FY 2012 and $374 million for FY 2013.

The proposed budget and service plan reflects VTA’s relatively sound financial position. VTA’s budget outlines plans to invest in transit infrastructure, enhance service, as well as to advance the capital program. The budget also reflects the recommendations from the Board’s Ad Hoc Financial Recovery Committee, which provided policy guidance for the development of the FY 2012 and FY 2013 budget; specifically, this budget maintains a 15% operating reserve and reflects the continuing need to contain the growth of long-term costs, as well as to align resources to services that have the greatest potential to increase transit ridership. Perhaps the best news for most riders is that the proposed biennial budget does not include any proposed fare increases.

“After two years of hard work and sacrifice, with employees taking unpaid furloughs, pay and hiring freezes, and internal belt tightening, VTA has come through the worst of the recession with our bus and light rail system intact,” said Michael T. Burns, VTA General Manager. “Now we must focus our resources and invest in necessary and deferred maintenance, as well as enhancements that will help VTA attract new riders to our system.”

The proposed Transit Service Plan is based on a review of ridership performance using VTA Board adopted standards. Major and minor transit service change proposals are included that reallocate resources to areas of increased transit demand.

The proposed service changes will be implemented in a phased approach beginning in July 2011 and then in January 2012, and July 2012. The proposed July 2011 changes include light rail schedule changes to further improve system performance and reliability, minor bus schedule changes to accommodate the light rail schedule change update, and additional trips to address high ridership demand for express lines 102 and 181.

The proposed January 2012 changes include implementation of the Express Bus Study including deploying 20 new hybrid buses with wi-fi and high-back reclining seats; new express lines 105 (Fremont BART to Shoreline) and 183 (Evergreen to Fremont BART) added; the discontinuation of express lines 101 (Camden & Hwy. 85 to Palo Alto) and 104 (Penitencia Creek to Palo Alto) and other trip additions and deletions and bus stop consolidations on the other express lines.

Additional changes in January 2012 include line 23 (De Anza College to East San Jose) upgraded from 12 minute to 10 minute frequency; line 26 (Eastridge to Lockheed Martin) trips added during peak hours; and the discontinuation of low performing bus services including midday Community Bus 16 (Morgan Hill), Saturday Community Bus 45 (East San Jose), and Sunday 81 (Santa Clara-Cupertino).

The proposed July 2012 changes to accommodate increased demand include Rapid 522 improvements such as extending weekday to 10:30 p.m. (currently it’s approximately to 8 p.m.); extending Saturday schedule from 8 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. (currently it’s 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.); and starting new Sunday service from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

VTA will host six public meetings to solicit public input on the draft FY 2012 and FY 2013 Biennial Budget and Proposed Transit Service Changes plan, as follows:

• Monday, May 2 at 6 p.m.
  Mountain View City Hall
  500 Castro St., Mountain View

• Tuesday, May 3 at 3 p.m.
  County of Santa Clara, Isaac Newton Senter Auditorium
  70 West Hedding St., San Jose

• Tuesday, May 3 at 6 p.m.
  Dr. Roberto Cruz Public Library, Community Room
  3090 Alum Rock Ave., San Jose

• Wednesday, May 4 at 6 p.m.
  City of Morgan Hill Community & Cultural Center Hiram Morgan Hill Room
  17000 Monterey St., Morgan Hill

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

• Tuesday, May 10 at 6 p.m.
  Campbell Community Center, Mary Campbell Room
  1 West Campbell Ave., Campbell

Following these meetings, the proposed budget and transit service plan will be revised to include input generated from the public. It will then be reviewed and discussed at two VTA Standing Committees (Transit Planning and Operations and Administration and Finance) on May 19, 2011. On June 2, 2011, the VTA Board of Directors will review the revised proposed draft FY 2012 and FY 2013 Biennial Budget and Proposed Transit Service Plan. On July 1, 2011, the approved FY 2012 and FY 2013 Biennial Budget and Proposed Transit Service Plan will be implemented.

 

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