VTA will increase the frequency of seven bus routes to address the challenging issue of passenger pass ups. Frequency improvements will occur on lines 23, 25, 64, 66, 68, 71, 77 and go into effect on Feb. 8, 2021. With the resurgence of the pandemic, the Santa Clara County Public Health Department reimplemented COVID-19 restrictions causing us to pause the advancement of the original 2021 Transit Service Plan. Increasing service frequency on these routes will help relieve some of the impact to our passengers.

These changes also reflect the top two requested items identified in our recent customer survey: more frequent service and real-time passenger data. Customers can sign up to receive service alerts and get real-time crowding information via the Transit app. The survey taken from October to November yielded responses from more than 1,600 people in six different languages, and VTA clearly listened and responded.

Service planners and operations teams are working diligently through all the logistics to implement these changes to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of our transit service. Since all schedules are interconnected and changes will be experienced systemwide, the February service update needs to coincide with an upcoming operator bid for work shifts. Nearly all routes in the system will have schedule adjustments for connections and timing purposes.

These service frequency changes will maximize our available resources and provide safe and effective transit service while still adhering to the current social distancing restrictions implemented by the County Public Health Department. As we operate under stay-at-home orders, we are asking riders to help us alleviate the limited capacity on buses by keeping travel to essential trips only.   

Please remember to wear a mask and maintain social distancing.

This table shows a detailed description of the changes for each of the seven routes, plus anticipated schedule adjustments for connection and timing purposes (not increases or decreases in service levels) for most routes in the system. Modifications will also be made to two other routes: 

• 523 – End weekday service at SJSU instead of Berryessa BART (recommendation carried over from the 2021 service plan community outreach)
• 64 – End 64B Saturday and Sunday service at SJSU instead of McKee & White and increase 64A service to every 30 minutes (so that weekend service on the 64A segment south of downtown improves to every 30 minutes and service on the segment east of downtown remains at 30 minutes as it is today)