During the county-mandated Shelter-in-Place order, many VTA staff adapted to working from home and took on new roles. Equipped with their safety vests, measuring wheels, clipboards, and apps in hand, staff are surveying the existing conditions of their neighborhood bus stops. In the spirit of National Bike Month more than 140 surveys were conducted by staff via bicycle! 

This bus stop survey will help VTA identify future improvements as part of the new Better Bus Stops Program, an annual program funded through the 2016 Measure B ballot initiative. Currently in the design phase, construction for the program is expected to start in the Spring of 2021. Improvements include new shelters, metal benches, solar lighting, metal trash cans, concrete bus pads, and wider boarding areas.  

VTA maintains a database of our 3,300 bus stops, each with an ID number and logged as a pin with minute detail on a GIS map. Those details include if a shelter or bench are present or not, images of the sign and concrete pad in the roadway, if an adequate sidewalk and curb ramps are present, etc. Surveying VTA’s 3,300 bus stops comes after VTA’s New Transit Service Plan roll out last December.

The Better Bus Stops Program seeks to continually make our bus stops better. We want to hear from you! There are two, year-round public surveys where VTA will collect data on how we can improve our bus stops. The Rider Survey allows transit riders to submit feedback on what types of amenities they find most valuable. The Rate Your Stop Survey asks for feedback on the stops they use regularly, based on experiences of safety, comfort, cleanliness, lighting and any special amenities a rider might deem appropriate. 

We hope to see you out there on your bike too!