Transforming Transit: A Swiss-style rider-focused public transit system for the South Bay

Want to see better public transit in the South Bay? Join advocates, transit agency staff, elected officials, academics, and other members of the South Bay civic community to hear about the exciting developments - and current challenges - of public transit transformation in our region, and how we can apply lessons learned from a recent study delegation to Switzerland.  

In June 2023, 11 Bay Area public transit leaders visited Switzerland for a 1-week in-person study tour of public transportation. Switzerland’s high-ridership public transit system, with seamlessly integrated service across numerous jurisdictions and transit agencies, and connecting urban, suburban, and rural areas, is an important model for the South Bay and the Bay Area as this region seeks to transform public transit.

The event will include information about current initiatives to transform transit from VTA, Caltrain, MTC, and the City of San Jose, with relevant staff who can answer questions. At 6:30, we’ll have a panel discussion with participants in the Swiss study trip, moderated by Tamara Alvarado of the Packard Foundation, to discuss the important learnings from Switzerland’s world-class system - including increasing the focus on the customer, promoting greater inter-agency coordination, and how to build the case for more funding for public transit - and what’s going on to apply these lessons locally. 

This in-person event will be hosted in San Jose on Thursday, November 16th. Doors open at 5:30pm (38 S 2nd St., San Jose). Light refreshments will be served, and the panel discussion will begin at approximately 6:30pm.

Panelists: 

• Theodore Burgwyn, Director, Rail Network and Operations Planning at Caltrain
• Cindy Chavez, Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors, VTA/Caltrain/MTC Board of Directors 
• Ian Griffiths, Policy Director, Seamless Bay Area
• Jay Tyree, Transit Service Planning Manager, VTA
• Moderated by Tamara Alvarado, Packard Foundation