Three Bay Area Transit Agencies Add Service
SAN JOSE (KCBS) - Caltrain, Altamont Commuter Express (ACE) and the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority have all added service to accommodate a rise in ridership.
Caltrain actually promised the service upgrades to riders earlier this month, when the transit agency announced that it had reached a major milestone in June 2012: for the first time ever, the rail service averaged more than 50,000 riders each weekday. That meant standing room only for many riders, especially during peak hours.
Beginning Monday morning, Caltrain began offering two additional trains - described as "shoulder trains" because they were being tacked onto the ends of the regular morning and afternoon commute schedules. Four other trains that had been cut because of earlier budget problems were also restored.
ACE and VTA ridership figures weren't immediately available, but both transit agencies credited an increase in overall passenger loads for convincing them to reevaluate their schedules. Specifically, ACE added two additional trips between the San Joaquin and Tri-Valley areas to San Jose: one a later westbound morning trip, the second a later eastbound trip in the evening commuter. VTA adjusted its 323/San Jose-DeAnza College bus line to better serve its growing customer base.
KCBS' Matt Bigler Reports:
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