In August 2007, the VTA Board of Directors adopted a new Bus Service Operating Plan which will make major modifications to the current bus transit network.

The plan will introduce Community Bus Service throughout Santa Clara County, which features smaller vehicles with an identity tied to the individual communities served. In Palo Alto, Line 88 serving South Palo Alto and Gunn High School and a new Line 89 serving the Stanford Research Park will both be Community Bus routes.

In an effort to meet the transportation needs of Palo Alto, the City and the VTA have initiated this follow-up study of local transit services in Palo Alto.

In addition to VTA’s proposed service, the study will evaluate all transit services in Palo Alto including those provided by the City, Stanford University, Samtrans, and Caltrain.This study will be exploring ways to better serve Palo Alto through new routes, changes to existing routes, including possible changes to Line 88, and improved coordination among several transit operators.

The first community workshop was held on October 23rd, 2007, during which participants commented on preliminary bus and shuttle routing concepts. Using input received at that meeting, VTA transit planning consultants presented refined concepts at a second workshop on November 13th

Results of this study will be reported to the Planning and Transportation Commission on December 12th 2007, the City Council on December 17th 2007 and to the VTA Board of Directors on January 3rd 2008.