During this time of extraordinary caution, the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) is finding new ways to engage with the older adult community. Santa Clara VTA’s Senior Outreach Program has adapted its Travel Wise 101 workshop series to provide short, recorded video presentations demonstrating to older adults how to use fixed route public transit safely and effectively. As shelter in place restrictions begin to ease, Santa Clara VTA wants to ensure no one is left behind, demonstrating that public transit is clean and safe and ready to serve the community’s needs.
These presentations provide useful information about VTA that will help older adults, who comprise just over five percent of Santa Clara VTA’s fixed-route ridership, gain confidence in using fixed-route service when they are ready to do so. In addition, Santa Clara VTA staff members are available to provide live, interactive virtual presentations and answer questions.
Other on-going programs directed to helping older adults access Santa Clara VTA transit more easily include the "VTA Senior Mobility Guide," which provides information on public transportation, local shuttles, community and private transportation services, driver safety resources, fitness and community information and assistance programs.
Santa Clara VTA’s Daycation program is designed to provide orientation and familiarization training to small groups so that they become comfortable enough with Santa Clara VTA bus and light-rail service to start using it for their travel needs.
Serving a population of roughly two million residents in Santa Clara County, Santa Clara VTA is working to strengthen the public’s trust in transit.
An example of the Travel Wise videos can be viewed below; additional can be viewed on Santa Clara VTA's Senior Program website.
