"Rod didn't agree. He told me that earlier plans called for increased bus service and a fleet of 1,000 buses. He said I needed to advocate for an official plan for what I wanted and inclusion in the next Valley Transportation Plan update."
"Then the pandemic hit and disrupted everything. Ridership and revenue dropped overnight, and like many other transit supporters, my focus shifted to preventing transit cuts. I remember feeling so discouraged. I called Rod many times, not knowing what to do. He would always say to keep going."
"Even in the darkest moments, he still believed in transit and would talk at length about the benefits of transit and how we needed to finish California high-speed rail. And so I kept going, and after some setbacks and challenges, VTA ultimately became one of the first major bus agencies to restore service and recover ridership."
"Over a few years, with extensive community input, VTA developed the visionary transit network. A bold plan to significantly increase transit service and ridership in Santa Clara County."
Rod Dirdon was closely associated with transit in Santa Clara County and influenced many people. In 2019, he encouraged a transit advocate to pursue an official plan and seek inclusion in the next Valley Transportation Plan update, rather than focusing only on immediate service increases. The advocate built support despite opposition and stayed persistent. During the pandemic, ridership and revenue fell, and the advocate shifted to preventing transit cuts while feeling discouraged. Rod repeatedly encouraged continued effort and emphasized transit benefits and completion of California high-speed rail. Over time, VTA restored service and recovered ridership, then developed a transit network through extensive community input to increase service and ridership in Santa Clara County.
#transit-advocacy #santa-clara-county #vta #public-transportation-planning #california-high-speed-rail
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