The VTA light rail system serves San Jose and nearby cities in Santa Clara County, California. It is operated by the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, or VTA, and consists of 42.2 miles (67.9 km) of network comprising three main lines on standard gauge tracks. Originally opened on December 11, 1987, the light rail system has gradually expanded since then, and currently has 60 stations in operation.
The light rail system has been criticized for being one of the least used in the United States (24.3 passenger trips per revenue hour in 2017) and the most heavily subsidized ($9.30 per passenger trip). VTA leaders have admitted that building light rail was a poor match with adjoining land uses. The system's average weekday daily ridership as of the third quarter of 2023 is 14,500 passengers and a total 2022 annual ridership of 3,559,900 passengers.
Service
Lines
VTA operates 42.2 miles (67.9 km) of light rail route on 3 lines. All the lines and the corridors they run through are designed to move passengers from the suburban areas of Santa Clara Valley into the major business areas in Downtown, the Santa Clara County Civic Center, and northern Silicon Valley, site of many high-tech company offices.
Light Rail also serves to connect travelers to other transportation systems at several key points: Diridon station offers connections to Caltrain, ACE, Amtrak's Coast Starlight, the Capitol Corridor trains; Milpitas station offer connections the BART system; and Metro/Airport station offers a connection to the San Jose International Airport via VTA Bus route 60.
The system is mostly double-tracked with overhead catenary wires. It variously runs along the medians of former railroad rights of way, freeways and surface streets, and pedestrian malls.
Line name | Length | Stations | Termini |
---|---|---|---|
17 mi (27 km) | 26 | Baypointe (north) Santa Teresa (south) | |
13.9 mi (22.4 km) | 26 | Old Ironsides (north) Winchester (south) | |
15.8 mi (25.4 km) | 26 | Mountain View (west) Alum Rock (east) |
Previous lines
Almaden Shuttle
The Almaden shuttle was a 3-stop spur from the Ohlone/Chynoweth station to Almaden station at the Almaden Expressway in the Almaden Valley. The shuttle, which ran a single 1-car train, took about 4 minutes to travel between Ohlone/Chynoweth and Almaden. This line had one track, with sidings at Almaden and Ohlone/Chynoweth. The line was discontinued in December 2019 and replaced by bus service.[5]
Commuter Express
The Commuter Express service operated along the same route as the current Blue Line between Baypointe and Santa Teresa stations, with nonstop service between Convention Center and Ohlone/Chynoweth stations. This weekday, peak-period service offered three trips in the morning and three trips in the evening. The service was introduced in October 2010 and was eliminated in August 2018 because of low ridership.
Stations
Unusually for light rail systems in the United States, most VTA Light Rail stops are made by request. Similar to VTA's bus network, passengers must be visible to the operator while waiting at stations and must notify the operator using the bell before the train arrives at their destination. Trains will typically skip stops (other than line termini) if no one is waiting on the platform and no one requests to disembark.[6]
Hours and frequency
Lines run for 19 hours per day on weekdays, with headways of 15 minutes for most of the day. On weekends, the train runs at 30-minute headways throughout the day. After around 8 pm on both weekdays and weekends, trains run at 30 to 60-minute headways. The light rail frequency does not meet VTA's definition of "frequent service."[7]
History
Santa Clara County began planning for a light rail system in the mid-1970s,[8] after the successful development of the San Diego Trolley and amid a surge in light rail construction in mid-sized cities nationwide (Buffalo, Denver, Portland and Sacramento also built systems at the same time).[9]
The county received $2 million from the federal government in 1982 to fund the preliminary engineering phase for the County’s first light rail line.[10] The operation of the line and some of the construction costs would be funded by a half-cent sales tax for a transit district voters in Santa Clara county had approved in 1976. The light rail proposal was championed by County Supervisor Rod Diridon Sr. and Congressman Norman Mineta.[11]
Guadalupe Line
The first phase, then called the Guadalupe Line, broke ground in October 1986 and opened for revenue service on time[12] on December 11, 1987, running between Old Ironsides station (near the Great America theme park and Silicon Valley office parks) and a temporary Civic Center station at First and Younger (near the junction to VTA's Guadalupe Division rail yard on Younger).[13][14] The second phase opened about six months later on June 17, 1988 and extended the rails south from a permanent Civic Center station (replacing the temporary First and Younger station) through a transit mall in Downtown San Jose to Convention Center station. The third phase opened on August 17, 1990, extending rails into the median of California State Route 87 (Guadalupe Freeway) to Tamien station, adding the first connection to Caltrain. The fourth and final phase of the Guadalupe Line added rails in the median of California State Route 85 (West Valley Freeway) to a terminus at Santa Teresa station just off the freeway in South San Jose. Originally projected to be completed in late 1988, it was delayed for a two-year review and opened on April 25, 1991, with a scaled-down interchange between State Routes 85 and 87 and more sound walls. At the same time, the now abandoned Almaden spur line opened.[13][15][12]
Expansion
The system's first major expansion, Tasman West, opened in 1999, extending the rails from the northern end of the Guadalupe line to Mountain View.[16]
In May 2001, the first phase of the Tasman East extension opened, connecting the Tasman West line to Milpitas.[17][18] New Kinki Sharyo low-floor light rail vehicles were introduced to this line the following year. Phase two of the Tasman East and the Capitol extension, completed in 2004, brought service east to the Great Mall of the Bay Area and the Alum Rock Transit Center.[16]
On October 1, 2005, the first phase of the Vasona extension was completed, extending the system from downtown San Jose through San Jose Diridon station to the Winchester Transit Center along a former Union Pacific Railroad right of way.[16]
The agency had ambitious plans to expand the light rail system, which have mostly been canceled. The Capitol Expressway extension would have extended the system 8 miles (13 km) south from Alum Rock station to Capitol station,[19] the second phase of the Vasona extension would have extended the system 1.5 miles (2.4 km) south from Winchester station to the line's namesake Vasona Junction, and the Santa Clara / Alum Rock extension would have added 4 miles (6.4 km) of track along the busy Santa Clara Street.[20] The Capitol Expressway extension (now known as Eastridge to BART Regional Connector) has been became a proposed 2.5-mile (4.0 km) line (see Future section), Phase 2 of the Vasona Extension has been cancelled,[21] and the Santa Clara / Alum Rock extension became a bus rapid transit line, Rapid 522.[22] No new lines have been added to the system since 2005.
The system received a major reconfiguration in 2019 and 2020, coinciding with the completion of the Silicon Valley BART extension. The Orange Line was established between Mountain View, Milpitas (the new BART station), and Alum Rock, the Blue Line was truncated at Baypointe, and the Almaden Shuttle line was discontinued entirely and replaced with a new bus route.[23]
On May 26, 2021, a mass shooting occurred at the VTA light rail yard (Guadalupe Division). Ten people, including the gunman, were killed during the shooting, the deadliest in the history of the San Francisco Bay Area.[24] As a result of the shooting, the entire light rail system was shut down for months.[25][26] The system partially restarted on August 30, 2021,[27] and fully restarted on September 18, 2021.[28]
Corridor | Map color | Opened | Terminus 1 | Terminus 2 | Length | Stations | Ref. | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Guadalupe Phase 1 | December 11, 1987 | Old Ironsides | Civic Center[lower-alpha 1] | 6.8 mi (10.9 km) | 12 | [31] | ||
Guadalupe Phase 2 | June 17, 1988 | Civic Center | Convention Center | 1.8 mi (2.9 km) | 5 | [32] | ||
Guadalupe Phase 3 | August 17, 1990 | Convention Center | Tamien | 1.6 mi (2.6 km) | 3 | [33] | ||
Guadalupe Phase 4 | April 25, 1991 | Tamien | Santa Teresa | 8.6 mi (13.8 km) | 8 | [34] | ||
Almaden Spur | April 25, 1991[lower-alpha 2] | Ohlone/Chynoweth | Almaden | 1.1 mi (1.8 km) | 2 | |||
Tasman West | December 17, 1999 | Old Ironsides | Mountain View | 7.6 mi (12.2 km) | 16[lower-alpha 3] | [35][36] | ||
Tasman East Phase 1 | May 2001 | Baypointe | I-880/Milpitas | 1.9 mi (3.1 km) | 2 | |||
Tasman East Phase 2 | June 24, 2004 | I-880/Milpitas | Hostetter | 2.9 mi (4.7 km) | 4 | [37] | ||
Capitol | Hostetter | Alum Rock | 3.5 mi (5.6 km) | 4 | ||||
Vasona | October 1, 2005 | Convention Center | Winchester | 5.3 mi (8.5 km) | 8 | [38] | ||
Eastridge | (2029) | Alum Rock | Eastridge | 2.4 mi (3.9 km) | 2 | [39][40] |
- Notes
Criticism
VTA's light rail system has been criticized for being one of the least used in the United States, and consequently one of the most heavily subsidized.
A 2019 report by the Civil Grand Jury of Santa Clara County compared VTA and its light rail system to other transit operators with light rail systems that served comparably sized areas. They found that the VTA served 24.3 passenger trips per revenue hour, making it the second least effective transit system of the group. In terms of efficiency, VTA had the highest cost per passenger trip ($9.30) and the second-highest increase in costs (65%). Comparing the light rail systems alone, VTA had the lowest farebox recovery (9.3%) in the peer group.
The Grand Jury also found that VTA had failed to “accurately estimate the ongoing operating and capital costs of maintaining the light-rail system,” concluding that that failure, “has led, in part, to (the agency's) recurring financial deficits.” The VTA has said that the operating costs could be cut in half and farebox recovery doubled if a bus-only system were deployed.[41]
Two of VTA's former board chairs, Teresa O’Neill and Sam Liccardo said they agreed with many of the report’s criticisms, and placed the blame on poor planning by the agency in the 1980s and poor land-use decisions in the years since the system was built out. Along much of the light rail routes, trains do not serve densely populated areas but instead run past single-story office buildings, single-family homes and empty lots. Both Liccardo and O’Neill have advocated for replacing light rail with alternative technologies, like autonomous electric buses, that could be less expensive to operate.[42]
As part of its findings, the Grand Jury recommended the VTA board to abandon its plans for an extension of the Orange Line to the Eastridge Transit Center (see: Capitol Expressway extension section). The US$453 million project would attract approximately 611 new riders (after considering the reduction in ridership on the existing parallel bus lines). The board rejected that recommendation saying that the project had been approved by voters.[43]
Rolling stock
From 1987 when the system was launched until September 2003, the system was served by a fleet of high-floor light rail vehicles (LRVs) built by Urban Transportation Development Corporation and designated as ALRV.[44] The first car arrived in March 1987.[45] Accessibility for disabled riders was provided by wheelchair lifts at each station.[45] The original high-floor fleet was leased to investors (for a 33-year term, starting in 1998), and then subleased back to VTA. In May 2003, VTA sub-subleased the UTDC LRVs to other light rail operators for an initial 13-year term, with a renewal term of 9 years; VTA retains responsibility for LRV operation, maintenance, and insurance.[46] 29 were sent to Utah Transit Authority (UTA, $5.2 million rental payments),[47] and 21 were sent to Sacramento Regional Transit (RT, $4.1 million rental payments). In September 2013, RT exercised its option to purchase the 21 sub-leased vehicles at $1,000 each.[48] UTA subsequently exercised its purchase option for the 29 sub-leased vehicles in 2017.[49] 28 of the UTA vehicles, renumbered 1042–1069, were sold at auction on December 26, 2017.[50] The UTA cars were withdrawn from service in 2018.
In 2002, VTA introduced a fleet of 100 new Kinki Sharyo low-floor LRVs. The Kinki Sharyo LRVs are equipped with a low floor over 70% of the passenger area at 14 in (356 mm) above top-of-rail (ATOR), with the remaining high-floor area 35 in (889 mm) ATOR; up to three LRVs may be coupled into a single train.[51] The low-floor LRVs initially operated only on the Tasman West line (Downtown Mountain View to I-880/Milpitas), because their floor height only matched the 14-inch (356 mm)[52] platform height along that line. After VTA reconstructed platforms along North First Street from the Japantown/Ayer stop northward (with wooden ramps provided for the lead car's front door elsewhere), VTA replaced the entire fleet in 2003 with low-floor LRVs. Currently, all stations provide level boarding at all doors. Trains are usually coupled in two LRV consists, which was reduced to one during the COVID-19 pandemic, but has since been restored to two cars.
Model | UTDC high-floor/ALRV[44][53] | Kinki Sharyo low-floor[51] |
---|---|---|
Image | ||
Status | Retired 2003 | In service |
Car numbers | 801–850 | 900–999 |
Years built | 1985–1987 | 2001–2005 |
Length (over couplers) |
88 ft 6 in (26.97 m) | 90 ft (27 m) |
Width | 8 ft 8 in (2.64 m) | 8.67 ft (2.64 m) |
Height | 12 ft 5 in (3.78 m) | 11.08 ft (3.38 m) |
Weight | 98,700 lb (44,800 kg) | 99,980 lb (45,350 kg) |
Axles/ articulation |
6/1 | 6/2 |
Motors | 4×190 hp (140 kW), 2 per powered truck | |
Capacity | 67 seated 155 standing |
64 seated 170 standing |
Max Speed | 55 mph (89 km/h) | 62 mph (100 km/h) |
Acceleration | 4.4 ft/s2 (1.34 m/s2) | |
Deceleration | 5.1 ft/s2 (1.56 m/s2) |
Major accidents and incidents
Virginia station derailment
On March 21, 2008, at approximately 7:10 p.m., a southbound 2-car light rail train derailed just north of the Virginia station. Four people, including the train operator, were injured, and the train was heavily damaged. At the time of the accident, trains were operating on a single track through the area because of construction at three nearby light rail stations. The train involved was attempting to switch between tracks when it derailed. VTA ruled out mechanical or equipment failure as a cause for the accident.[54] An investigation indicated human error ("the train traveling southbound stopped over the switch and reversed, which are violations of operating rules").[55]
Lincoln Avenue collision
On July 8, 2018, at around 12:34 p.m., a northbound single car light rail train collided with a car in the Lincoln Avenue crossing near Auzerais Avenue on the Mountain View-Winchester Line. Two occupants of the car were killed. The train operator was taken to a hospital according to standard operating procedures. The twenty passengers on the train were not seriously injured. The lead segment of the train (934B) left the tracks and knocked down a pole supporting the LRT catenary wires.[56]
San Jose maintenance yard shooting
On May 26, 2021, a mass shooting occurred at a VTA rail yard in San Jose, California. Ten people, including the gunman, were killed during the shooting.[57][58][59][60] It is the deadliest mass shooting in the history of the San Francisco Bay Area.[24] As a result of the shooting, service was suspended indefinitely across the light rail system[25] and returned in stages throughout August and September.[61]
Future
The system was initially envisioned as a loop and spoke system, with commuters riding a circular outer route before transferring to radial lines to reach their destinations. With about 40% of the original plans realized as of 2023, future developments are expected to complete the outer loop. Service may be extended along the Vasona Industrial Lead to connect the western segments of the system.[8]
Eastridge to BART Regional Connector
The Eastridge to Bart Regional Connector (formerly known as the Capitol Expressway extension) light rail extension would extend the Orange Line south of the Alum Rock station to the Eastridge Transit Center on an elevated median along Capitol Expressway.[40] The extension will include an elevated station at Story Road and a street-level station at Eastridge. VTA approved the final environmental impact statement of this segment in June 2019.[62] The project is a truncated segment of the original plan to run rails for the full length of Capitol Expressway to interchange with the original Guadalupe Line.[39][40]
The US$453 million project was criticized in a 2019 report by the Civil Grand Jury of Santa Clara County (see: Criticism section). The Grand Jury recommended the VTA board to abandon the extension because the project would attract approximately 611 new riders (after considering the reduction in ridership on the existing parallel bus lines). The board rejected that recommendation saying that the project had been approved by voters.[63]
With the project setbacks and limited funding, the line eventually started pre-construction activities in early 2021. It also got fully funded in early 2023 from a $46 million state grant.[64] A groundbreaking for construction is scheduled for Spring 2024, with passenger service planned for 2029.
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 "VTA Facts - Light Rail System Overview" (PDF). Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 20, 2013. Retrieved March 3, 2013.
- ↑ "Transit Ridership Report Third Quarter 2023" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. November 30, 2023. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
- ↑ "Transit Ridership Report Fourth Quarter 2022" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. March 1, 2023. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
- 1 2 3 "Santa Clara - Valley Transportation Authority - Technical Data" (PDF). Kinkisharyo International, LLC. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 21, 2015. Retrieved March 3, 2013.
- ↑ "VTA makes commuter changes". Morgan Hill Times. December 27, 2019. Retrieved April 10, 2021.
The light rail segment from Ohlone/Chynoweth to Oakridge will be discontinued and will now be served by Route 64a.
- ↑ VTA. "How To Use Service".
- ↑ "VTA Frequency Chart" (PDF). Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority. October 11, 2021.
- 1 2 Buchanan, Bill (November 1, 2023). "Buried train tracks once linking San Francisco with San Jose may find new life". SF Gate. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
- ↑ Minister, R. David; Clarke, David J. (March 30, 1982). "Factors to Consider in Designing a Joint Bus-Light Rail Transit Mall" (PDF). Transportation Research Board.
- ↑ "Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority History". Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority. November 7, 2005. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
- ↑ ""Rod Diridon Papers" by San Jose State University, Special Collections and Archives". Archival Finding Aids. Scholarworks.sjsu.edu. March 30, 2011. Archived from the original on October 28, 2017. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
- 1 2 South Bound. San Jose, California: Santa Clara County Transit District. 1989 – via YouTube.
- 1 2 Warner, David C. (April 1991). "San Jose: Guadalupe Corridor Line Completed". Passenger Train Journal. pp. 32–38. ISSN 0160-6913.
- ↑ Robinson, Bert (December 11, 1987). "All Aboard - It's Off and Rolling". San Jose Mercury News. et al. Sec A:1.
- ↑ Triennial on-site safety review of Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) (Report). Rail Transit Safety Section, Rail Transit and Crossings Branch, Consumer Protection and Safety Division, California Public Utilities Commission. June 6, 2011. Retrieved March 4, 2019.
- 1 2 3 4 Triennial on-site safety review of Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) (Report). Rail Transit Safety Section, Rail Transit and Crossings Branch, Consumer Protection and Safety Division, California Public Utilities Commission. June 6, 2011. Retrieved March 4, 2019.
- ↑ "VTA Facts: Light Rail System" (PDF). Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority. November 30, 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 20, 2009. Retrieved January 10, 2020.
- ↑ "Tasman East/Capitol Project Description". Completed projects. Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority. May 12, 2008. Archived from the original on June 5, 2011. Retrieved November 16, 2008.
- ↑ "VTA Facts: Downtown East Valley Transit Improvement Plan" (PDF). Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 12, 2010.
- ↑ "VTA Facts: Single Car Light Rail Alternative" (PDF). Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 8, 2007.
- ↑ "VTA committee puts Vasona extension on ice, discusses light rail makeover". San José Spotlight. August 23, 2019. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
- ↑ "Downtown East Valley Project". Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority. Archived from the original on July 4, 2007.
- ↑ "Proposed 2019 New Transit Service Plan | Light Rail Routes". Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority. Retrieved March 4, 2019.
- 1 2 Angst, Maggie; Woolfolk, John; Toledo, Aldo; Sulek, Julia Prodis; Salonga, Robert; Green, Jason (May 26, 2021). "Victims, shooter identified in Bay Area's deadliest mass shooting". The Mercury News. San Jose, California. Archived from the original on May 26, 2021. Retrieved May 26, 2021.
- 1 2 Salonga, Robert (May 31, 2021). "VTA mass shooting: South Bay light-rail service suspended indefinitely". The Mercury News. San Jose, California. Retrieved June 1, 2021.
- ↑ "VTA Restarts Light Rail Service" (Press release). Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority. August 28, 2021. Retrieved August 28, 2021.
- ↑ "Light Rail Service is Back!". www.vta.org. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
- ↑ "VTA Light Rail System Fully Operational Saturday, September 18". www.vta.org. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
- ↑ Rosenberg, Mike (December 26, 2012). "25 years later, VTA light rail among the nation's worst". San Jose Mercury News. Retrieved March 4, 2019.
- ↑ SPUR (November 12, 2014). "Future of VTA Light Rail". Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority. Retrieved March 4, 2019.
- ↑ Robinson, Bert (December 11, 1987). "All Aboard - It's Off and Rolling". San Jose Mercury News. et al. Sec A:1.
- ↑ Sweeney, Frank (June 13, 1988). "Downtown S.J. Trollys Start Friday". San Jose Mercury News. Sec B:1.
- ↑ "Light Rail to Willow Glen Opening Friday". San Jose Mercury News. August 16, 1990. Sec B:3.
- ↑ Guido, Michelle (April 25, 1991). "The Trolly Finally Makes its Way South in Debut Today". San Jose Mercury News. Sec A:1.
- ↑ Barnacle, Betty (March 24, 1997). "Light Rail Opens New Stop; First Station on Tasman Line to Serve North S.J. High-Tech Firms". San Jose Mercury News. Sec B:1.
- ↑ Diaz, Sam (December 18, 1999). "Ready for a Rail Good Time: Major Link for Transit Takes its First Step". San Jose Mercury News. Sec B:1.
- ↑ "Santa Clara VTA Opens Extension" (Press release). American Public Transportation Association. June 28, 2004. Retrieved March 1, 2019.
- ↑ "Crowds Greet New Santa Clara VTA Light Rail Line" (Press release). American Public Transportation Association. October 10, 2005. Retrieved March 1, 2019.
- 1 2 "VTA Facts: Downtown East Valley Transit Improvement Plan" (PDF). Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 12, 2010.
- 1 2 3 "VTA Facts: DTEV: Capitol Expressway Light Rail Project" (PDF). Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 12, 2010.
- ↑ "Inquiry Into Governance of the Valley Transportation Authority" (PDF). 2018-2019 Civil Grand Jury of Santa Clara County. June 18, 2019. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
- ↑ Meacham, Jody (July 7, 2019). "VTA board chairs say grand jury's blistering criticisms of light rail system don't completely hit the mark". Silicon Valley Business Journal. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
- ↑ Meacham, Jody (September 6, 2019). "VTA board rejects half of critical grand jury report's critical findings". Silicon Valley Business Journal. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
- 1 2 "Chapter 1 - Introduction" (PDF). Public Surplus. Retrieved January 2, 2019.
- 1 2 Warner, David C. (April 1991). "San Jose: Guadalupe Corridor Line Completed". Passenger Train Journal. pp. 32–38. ISSN 0160-6913.
- ↑ Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for fiscal year ended June 30, 2004 (Report). Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority. November 22, 2004. pp. 2–58. Retrieved January 2, 2019.
- ↑ Allegra, Michael A. (September 2008). UTA: FrontRunner and Beyond (PDF). AREMA 2008 Annual conference. Salt Lake City, Utah: AREMA. Retrieved January 2, 2019.
- ↑ Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for fiscal year ended June 30, 2014 (Report). Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority. October 9, 2014. pp. 2–84. Retrieved January 2, 2019.
- ↑ Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for fiscal year ended June 30, 2017 (PDF) (Report). Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority. October 27, 2017. pp. 2–96. Retrieved January 2, 2019.
- ↑ "Closed Auctions for: Utah Transit Authority". Public | Surplus. December 26, 2017. Retrieved January 2, 2019.
- 1 2 "San Jose, CA - Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority: Technical Data" (PDF). Kinki Sharyo. Retrieved January 2, 2019.
- ↑ "Santa Clara-Alum Rock Transit Improvement Project Final EIR — Project Description". vta.org. VTA. Retrieved May 22, 2016.
- ↑ "Light Rail Fact Sheet" (PDF). Sacramento Regional Transit. Retrieved January 2, 2019.
- ↑ Swift, Mike (March 23, 2008). "'Mechanical causes' Unlikely in Derailment". San Jose Mercury News. Retrieved March 26, 2008.
- ↑ Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (April 3, 2008). "Board of Directors Minutes 4/3/08" (PDF). Retrieved November 21, 2017.
- ↑ Geha, Joseph; Gomez, Mark (July 9, 2018). "San Jose: Two people dead after light-rail train, car collide". The Mercury News.
- ↑ "Bomb Squad, Police Search Home of Suspect in San Jose VTA Yard Mass Shooting". KNTV. May 26, 2021. Archived from the original on May 26, 2021. Retrieved May 26, 2021.
- ↑ Rohrlich, Justin (May 26, 2021). "Gunman in San Jose Mass Shooting Identified as Employee Samuel Cassidy". The Daily Beast. Archived from the original on May 26, 2021. Retrieved May 26, 2021.
- ↑ "Mass Shooting Leaves 8 Dead at VTA Yard in San Jose". KNTV. May 26, 2021. Archived from the original on May 26, 2021. Retrieved May 26, 2021.
- ↑ "Ninth victim of VTA shooting in San Jose dies, county identifies victims". San Jose Spotlight. May 26, 2021. Retrieved May 26, 2021.
- ↑ "VTA Light Rail System Fully Operational Saturday, September 18" (Press release). Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority. September 16, 2021. Retrieved September 18, 2021.
- ↑ Deruy, Emily (June 6, 2019). "San Jose: VTA greenlights Eastridge light rail extension". The Mercury News. Retrieved June 9, 2019.
- ↑ Meacham, Jody (September 6, 2019). "VTA board rejects half of critical grand jury report's critical findings". Silicon Valley Business Journal. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
- ↑ "East San Jose Light Rail Extension is Fully Funded". www.vta.org. Retrieved August 7, 2023.