No fare increases in VTA budget proposal

Six public meetings are planned from May 2 through May 10 by the
Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority to share its 2012 and
2013 proposed transit service plans and budgets.
Six public meetings are planned from May 2 through May 10 by the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority to share its 2012 and 2013 proposed transit service plans and budgets.

A meeting in Morgan Hill is scheduled for 6 p.m. May 4 in the Hiram Morgan Hill Room at the Community and Cultural Center, 17000 Monterey St.

The proposed budget and service plan reflects VTA’s relatively sound financial position, according to a VTA press release. VTA’s budget outlines plans to invest in transit infrastructure, enhance service, as well as to advance the capital program. The proposed transit operating budget is approximately $363 million for FY 2012 and $374 million for FY 2013. 

The proposed budget does not include fare increases for riders and plans for additional lines and new vehicles.

The budget also reflects the recommendations from the Board’s Ad Hoc Financial Recovery Committee, which provided policy guidance for the development of the 2012 and 2013 budgets; specifically, it maintains a 15 percent 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.

“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.”

Service changes, if approved, would be phased in beginning in July, then January 2012 and July 2012. Proposed July 2011 changes are to the light rail schedule to “further improve system performance and reliability” and minor bus schedule changes. Additional trips may be added to express lines 102 and 181 to address demand.

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 and Highway 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. 

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 PUBLIC MEETINGS

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

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

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

6 p.m. May 4, Community & Cultural Center, Hiram Morgan Hill Room, 17000 Monterey St., Morgan Hill

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

6 p.m. May 10, 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) May 19. On June 2, the VTA Board of Directors will review the revised proposed draft FY 2012 and FY 2013 Biennial budget and proposed transit service plan. By July 1, the approved budget and proposed transit service plan will be implemented.