Since early 2020, multiple crises have highlighted systemic issues that are hindering our organization from moving forward in a meaningful and successful way. VTA must get back to the fundamentals that focus on Our People and Our Service to carry out our vision to “innovate the way Silicon Valley moves.”
VTA Forward is aimed to strengthen and prepare our workforce to take on future opportunities and challenges through three phases: Stabilize, Revitalize and Transform.
Stabilize Phase (July 2021 – May 2022)
The goal of the Stabilize Phase is to steady the organization, particularly on the transit operations side, and create clarity surrounding urgent initiatives that have been identified under three categories: Build Our Team, Retain Our Talent, and Restore Our Service.
The Stabilize Phase is the foundation for the subsequent two phases aimed to Revitalize and Transform VTA. Critical to these two phases is the organizational climate and culture transformation work getting underway in early 2022.
Revitalize Phase (June 2022 – June 2023)
The goal of the Revitalize Phase is to elevate our people and our services with a focus on delivering fast, frequent and reliable transit, and projects and programs that enhance our communities.
- Cultivate our Team
- Redefine our Culture
- Reimagine our Service
- Elevate our Programs
Transform Phase (2023 and beyond)
The goal of the Transform Phase is to reach our organization’s full potential through discernable culture change work and transformative community building that raises the transportation bar in our region.
- Foster our Talent
- Grow our Service
- Build our Business
- Lead our Region
Throughout the development of VTA Forward, employees at every level will be engaged to provide their feedback, ideas and support.
STABILIZE PHASE (July 2021 through 2022)
The goal of the Stabilize Phase is to steady the organization, particularly on the transit operations side, and create clarity surrounding urgent initiatives that have been identified under three categories: Build Our Team, Retain Our Talent, and Restore Our Service.
BUILD OUR TEAM
- We hired 366 bus operators to support transit service.
RETAIN OUR TALENT
- Partnered with unions to support the mental health of our employees.
- Negotiated and ratified four labor contracts, months ahead of expiration, providing increases over three years.
RESTORE OUR SERVICE
- Met all major milestones to open Guadalupe. Way, Power, and Signal department that previously was located in Building B at Guadalupe was relocated at Cerone temporarily and will soon be relocated to a leased facility on Zanker Road.
- Implemented three service plan increases bringing to over 90% of pre-pandemic service levels, including upgrading bus service between Gilroy and San José through the Rapid 568. Bus and rail ridership grew by 54% from January 2022 to October 2022.
Revitalize Phase (JUNE 2022 – JUNE 2023)
The goal of the Revitalize Phase is to elevate our people and our services with an emphasis on developing our workforce and delivering multi-modal transit options, projects and programs in an equitable and sustainable way. The following 20 priorities have been identified in this phase of VTA Forward.
CULTIVATE OUR TEAM
- Assess and realign organizational structure
- Identify and grow Leadership Team strengths through coaching
- Organize management-level meetings to communicate agency initiatives
- Reform our leadership development program
- Continue to focus on recruiting operators
REDEFINE OUR CULTURE
- Elevate and integrate equity knowledge throughout our work
- Onboard organizational culture change consultant and initiate work
- Continue to partner with our unions to prioritize mental health
- Identify technologies and other solutions to reduce administrative tasks and increase efficiencies
- Assess and begin modernizing human resources functions
REIMAGINE OUR SERVICE
- Develop a visionary transit network
- Implement ridership initiatives with an equity lens
- Assess and identify service options for light rail corridors
- Monitor and support cities’ pilot programs for first and last-mile travel
- Implement fare capping
ELEVATE OUR PROGRAMS
- Increase awareness and support for the vast portfolio of multi-modal capital improvements
- Identify strategic grant funding opportunities for VTA projects and programs
- Develop a comprehensive Zero Emission Transition Implementation Plan
- Finalize funding plan and break ground on BART Silicon Valley Phase 2
- Advance and monetize Silicon Valley Express Lanes network in connection with a pilot equity program