Light Rail Service Restored in South Bay Area

The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) will start running trains again today, two weeks after shutting down service.

1 minute read

April 9, 2020, 10:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority

Sundry Photography / Shutterstock

The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) is restoring light rail service today,  "two weeks after the agency shut its trains down when an employee tested positive for coronavirus," according to an article by Nico Savidge.

"The South Bay transit agency abruptly suspended its three-line light rail system on the night of March 25, when officials learned that an operator trainee had a confirmed case of the deadly illness."

According to Savidge, VTA's decision to reopen light rail transit bucks a trend in the Bay Area, where for weeks the only stories have been about reduced service. The VTA cut bus service on Monday, April 6, of this week, for example. The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (Muni) cut its light rail service the same week as the VTA cut light rail service, and Muni took further steps this week to drastically reduce the number of bus routes operating in San Francisco.

"Starting Thursday, light rail trains will arrive at stations every 30 minutes, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays only, VTA officials say."

Tuesday, April 7, 2020 in The Mercury News

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Use Code 25for25 at checkout for 25% off an annual plan!

Redlining map of Oakland and Berkeley.

Rethinking Redlining

For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

May 15, 2025 - Alan Mallach

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

May 21, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Rendering of California High-Speed Rail station with bullet train.

California High-Speed Rail's Plan to Right Itself

The railroad's new CEO thinks he can get the project back on track. The stars will need to align this summer.

May 19, 2025 - Benjamin Schneider

Two Rivian trucks charging at Rivian branded charging ports.

US Senate Reverses California EV Mandate

The state planned to phase out the sale of gas-powered cars by 2035, a goal some carmakers deemed impossible to meet.

7 seconds ago - CALmatters

Metal U.S. Geodetic Survey marker in stone in Arizona.

Trump Cuts Decimate Mapping Agency

The National Geodetic Survey maintains and updates critical spatial reference systems used extensively in both the public and private sectors.

1 hour ago - Wired

Close-up of 10 mph speed limit sign.

Washington Passes First US ‘Shared Streets’ Law

Cities will be allowed to lower speed limits to 10 miles per hour and prioritize pedestrians on certain streets.

2 hours ago - The Urbanist