If you’ve wondered about the smaller blue-and-red buses rolling
through Gilroy, a Saturday event holds the answers.
Gilroy – If you’ve wondered about the smaller blue-and-red buses rolling through Gilroy, a Saturday event holds the answers.
Community buses were introduced July 2 in Gilroy and Morgan Hill, the culmination of months of planning and public meetings held by the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority. Saturday, Mayor Al Pinheiro will officially announce the buses at a free event in front of Wal-Mart, 7150 Camino Arroyo, at 10am Saturday, July 14. Raffle prizes for local restaurants and shops will be available, and VTA representatives will be on hand to help Gilroy residents plan their VTA trips.
Wal-Mart is one of several new sites now reachable by bus since the community shuttle program was started. VTA operated a special shuttle to Gilroy Crossing, the shopping center that includes Wal-Mart, but didn’t have a regular bus stop at the store. Now, Wal-Mart is accessible via Route 14, said Bernice Alaniz, the agency’s deputy director of marketing and public affairs.
“We really worked with the community to develop these routes,” said Alaniz. “The majority of Santa Clara County residents that utilize public transportation are working-class individuals. It’s an economical way to get to and from work. We strove for solutions, to get them to and from those jobs.”
The buses also reach Tompkins Court, a government social services center previously inaccessible by bulkier VTA buses. Community bus route 19 leads to the center – “a key area of need,” Alaniz said.
Anyone who needs help planning VTA trips can access the agency’s Web site, www.vta.org or reach VTA representatives at 321-2300, or toll-free at 1-800-894-9908.
