VIA

A round-trip ticket for the bus ride costs $5 and vouchers for the games will be provided at the Crossroads Park & Ride at 151 Crossroads Blvd.

Kammy Horne, the senior vice president of development at VIA Metropolitan Transit, decided in June to get rid of her car.

They're turning fury into generosity after they helped raised tens of thousands for a visual impairment charity over the span of five days.

College football fans attending the Valero Alamo Bowl will have the option to use VIA’s park and ride service before and after the game.

A VIA bus was caught in the crossfire in a shooting on the East Side, San Antonio police say.

Need a ride to the H-E-B tree lighting?

A windfall of funding is expected to come to Texas as part of the new federal infrastructure bill. President Joe Biden is expected to sign it into law on Monday.

A windfall of funding is expected to come to Texas as part of the new federal infrastructure bill. President Joe Biden is expected to sign it into law on Monday.

The Alamo Regional Mobility Authority is soliciting proposals for a potential transportation project between San Antonio International Airport and downtown.

Private bus company Megabus asked VIA Metropolitan Transit for access to one of its bus stations in 2020. VIA is reviewing the request.

As the Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization works to figure out the region’s long-term transportation priorities over the next 30 years, it wants to know how the public feels about those technologies and others.

VIA Metropolitan Transit board members unanimously approved a $259.4 million operating budget on Tuesday.

It's Spurs and Fiesta events, but now football.

Local leaders hope changes along the Highway 16 corridor will create safer conditions for pedestrians and drivers.

VIA has been aiming to increase frequency on its routes to make service more reliable. But the COVID-19 pandemic is causing those plans to hit a bump in the road.

VIA is looking to make temporary service changes to meet the demand in the San Antonio area despite a labor shortage.

Soon, people in more parts of San Antonio will be able to take advantage of VIA’s mobility on-demand service, VIA Link.

VIA is launching a new program that will help make using VIA buses more accessible to the impaired.

Many VIA Metropolitan Transit riders may see a change in their route schedules next week.

If you’re planning on venturing out to get your <a href="https://www.ksat.com/topic/Coronavirus/" target="_blank">COVID-19</a> vaccine in San Antonio but need a free ride, VIA Transit has you covered.

VIA leaders expected to wait a few years before being able to embark on some of their expansion plans, but federal stimulus dollars have changed the equation.

Regional airports, like those here in the Rio Grande Valley, are becoming increasingly important in fulfilling travel needs.

Regional airports, like those here in the Rio Grande Valley, are becoming increasingly important in fulfilling travel needs.

VIA’s Board of Directors signed off on a round of service changes Tuesday evening, as the agency continues to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

An employee with VIA Metropolitan Transit was taken to the hospital Tuesday morning after he was hit by a bus, according to San Antonio police.

People heading to Fiesta events downtown will have a new option to avoid traffic, beginning on Tuesday.

Data on riders and destinations could benefit future discussions about transportation in Arlington and through the region.

HARLINGEN — The extension of Valley International Airport’s runway 17R/35L, already the longest in the Valley, has been green-lighted by the Federal Aviation Administration and design work is to begin this month.

VIA Metropolitan Transit buses and vans will return to full capacity beginning June 1. The change will apply to fixed-route buses, VIAtrans vans, and VIA Link vehicles.

The Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office has identified a 53-year-old man who was killed while trying to catch a VIA bus.

A person was killed while chasing a VIA bus Monday afternoon.

Add the VIA fleet of downtown trolleys to the list of things San Antonio may never see...

Three people were taken to the hospital following a crash involving a VIA Metropolitan Transit bus and four other vehicles Monday in the Southtown area.

VIA Metropolitan Transit is giving passengers who show their voter registration cards free rides on Saturday in honor of Election Day.

VIA Metropolitan Transit continues to offer free transportation for anyone traveling to or from an appointment at a city or county-sponsored COVID-19 vaccination site, including the Alamodome and the Wonderland of the Americas mall.

VIA Metropolitan Transit is holding is hiring bus drivers and mechanics during its fifth virtual job fair on Thursday.

President Joe Biden unveiled his $2 trillion infrastructure plan on Wednesday, promising major investments in modernizing the nation’s transportation system. But the hefty price tag is also drawing some opposition.

SAN ANTONIO – Even as Congress is set to give final approval to President Joe Biden’s COVID-19 relief plan as soon as Wednesday, leaders are turning to another administration priority: improving the nation’s infrastructure. “It’s easy to take for granted but a city that doesn’t pay attention to its infrastructure is not paying attention to its future.”AdThe report identified several key priorities in San Antonio and Bexar County, including improvements at San Antonio International Airport and Port San Antonio, as well as public transit. “We need to put in some more rapid routes, what they call advanced rapid transit. Via Metropolitan Transit has some ambitious plans for more rapid transit routes and will have access to more local funding once a new sales tax allocation is approved by voters and takes effect in 2026. It’s also true, however, that we can accomplish a lot of other goals with better public transit,” Cisneros said.

SAN ANTONIO – VIA Metropolitan Transit will host a virtual job fair from 9 a.m. to noon on Thursday, March 4, to recruit bus operators and mechanics. The virtual job fair can be accessed by phone or on Zoom. AdTo participate in the job fair, interested persons should do the following:Submit an application online . Interested persons may apply after the job fair and their applications will still be reviewed and considered. Go online between 9 a.m. and noon on March 4 to join the job fair online, on Zoom or by phone.

Regular buses, VIAtrans and VIA Link service will offer free fares Saturday, Feb. 20 and Sunday, Feb. 21, according to the company. After suspending transit service for four days due to dangerous roadways and wintry weather conditions, VIA was able to return to a regular schedule as of Friday morning. This includes nearly 300 VIAtrans trips that were arranged for customers who were traveling to dialysis appointments, according to VIA. Customers are also reminded to follow COVID-19 health guidelines, including wearing a face covering while on board of a VIA vehicle. Any detours or service changes will be posted on VIA social media channels or at VIAinfo.netStay InformedAs always, Your Weather Authority team will keep you updated.

SAN ANTONIO – Updated: 4:30 p.m. WednesdayVIA Metropolitan Transit has suspended all service through Thursday due to unsafe roads and highways, the transportation agency announced. VIA plans to resume service on Friday, if weather and road conditions improve. Customer Information lines are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m., while service is suspended. Stay InformedAs always, Your Weather Authority team will keep you updated. You can get the very latest forecast anytime by bookmarking our weather page and downloading the KSAT Weather Authority App - available for both Apple and Android devices.

SAN ANTONIO – VIA Metropolitan Transit bus routes will follow a Sunday schedule on Monday through Wednesday, due to the worsening winter weather conditions in the San Antonio region. All VIA transit services will not be operating, beginning at 6 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 14, through 12 p.m., Monday, Feb. 15. This is during the most severe part of the winter weather. However, all service modes are being effected by the hazardous winter weather, according to VIA officials. AdBelow are the route schedule changes for this week:VIA schedule changes for Sunday, Feb. 14, through Thursday, Feb. 18.

Monday, Feb. 15 at 1:14 p.m.San Antonio Airport: Citing the safety of passengers, the San Antonio Airport has canceled all flights. Sunday, Feb. 14, 5:02 p.m.:WellMed is closing all its clinics in San Antonio because of the severe winter weather conditions. Sunday, Feb. 14, 4:58 p.m.:Goodwill San Antonio closed all facilities Sunday and reported they will remain closed through Monday. Sunday, February 14, 9:38 a.m.:San Antonio Zoo: The San Antonio Zoo has announced they will be closed Feb. 14 - Feb. 15. Sunday, February 14, 9:03 a.m.:San Antonio Botanical Garden: The San Antonio Botanical Garden will be closed February 14 and 15.

SAN ANTONIO – VIA Metropolitan Transit will host two virtual public hearings to seek the community’s input regarding service improvements proposed for implementation on May 3. VIA officials said the enhancements will increase frequency to meet ridership demand and maintain social distancing. Verbal comments will be accepted during the online public meeting. Comments submitted will be reviewed by VIA. Public comments can be submitted in the following ways:Ad

SAN ANTONIO – A change in administrations in Washington often means a change in policy priorities and a San Antonio councilwoman hopes a new appointment will help the city take advantage of that when it comes to transportation. Ana Sandoval, who represents District 7 on the council, has been appointed to the Transportation and Infrastructure Services committee of the National League of Cities. The Washington, D.C.-based organization helps municipalities lobby for new laws and federal funding. “There will be some new bills coming forward, legislation that will fund the transportation infrastructure throughout the country,” Sandoval said. She believes more federal funding is needed to help in those efforts.

SAN ANTONIO – There are many things we wish to say good-bye to in 2020, but road construction is here to stay. Major progress is expected on the U.S. Highway 281 project in northern Bexar County. The final set of new on-ramps between Loop 1604 and Highway 281 are expected to open in January. And the region’s second set of HOV lanes, on Highway 281 between Stone Oak Parkway and Loop 1604, are projected to open later in the year. While that project is making progress, another project in San Antonio will just be getting started.

SAN ANTONIO – Congress has approved a new stimulus plan. Along with direct payments to individuals and more unemployment assistance, it provides billions in spending to help the transportation sector deal with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. San Antonio International Airport has not been immune to the effects of the pandemic on air travel. Under the CARES ACT passed in the spring, San Antonio International Airport was allocated close to $40 million in the first stimulus package, with lesser amounts for Kelly Field and Stimson Airport. Read more transportation reporting from KSAT:Car crashes in San Antonio plummet during pandemic, data showsEnvironmental concerns linger while trying to expand Loop 1604 to 10 lanes on North SideKSAT Explains: What is the future of transportation in San Antonio?

SAN ANTONIO – In the midst of the Coronavirus pandemic, public transit agencies across the country are pledging to keep passengers safe. VIA is now part of the American Public Transportation Association’s (APTA) Health and Safety Commitments Program, which outlines best practices when it comes to COVID-19 safety protocols. Protocols include requirements for masks and face coverings, frequent disinfection of vehicles and social distancing. The social distancing requirements have prompted a bit of a balancing act for VIA. “And the social distancing has suddenly and effectively shrunk those buses to vans.

In observance of “Rosa Parks Day” throughout the country and to pay tribute to the NAACP activist whose refusal to surrender her bus seat to a white man in December 1955 sparked the modern civil rights era, VIA Metropolitan Transit will offer free rides all day Friday. VIAtrans will also be free Friday, but riders still will have to make reservations in advance. VIA began offering the free rides on “Rosa Parks Day” last year, joining scores of transit agencies that honor the woman “who took a stand by sitting down.” Since 2005, VIA has displayed a special seat dedicated to the legacy of Rosa Parks in each of its vehicles. “People always say that I didn’t give up my seat because I was tired, but that isn’t true,” Parks later wrote. “I was not tired physically … No, the only tired I was, was tired of giving in.”bselcraig@express-news.net

SAN ANTONIO – The man the Bexar County judge and San Antonio mayor have recommended to lead VIA Metropolitan Transit indicated he would plan to push ahead with plans to expand mobility options and improve service. With current chairwoman Hope Andrade reaching a collective eight years on the VIA board of trustees and leaving her role on Nov. 30, the board is expected to elect a new chairman in December. Though the decision is up to the board, Judge Nelson Wolff and Mayor Ron Nirenberg have recommended local businessman Fernando Reyes to get the job. “I think that’s what the citizens of San Antonio passed. Thank you.”A VIA spokeswoman said Andrade is expected to be asked to holdover and preside over the meeting in December when the trustees elect their new chairman.

click to enlarge Courtesy Photo / VIA Metropolitan TransitAdditional funding for VIA was one of the issues on Tuesday's ballot. Some political experts questioned how much support the initiatives would garner during a high-stakes presidential race when the focus was on the top of the ticket. Others questioned voters' appetite for funding the training initiative and VIA by shifting money away from a popular aquifer protection program. However, the numbers suggest many were willing to trust city leaders that the aquifer would be protected under the aegis of the San Antonio Water System, which is now expected to take over the groundwater program. "They understand that when you create a well-trained workforce it attracts jobs," Barberena said.

San Antonio voters approve all three propositionsSan Antonio voters have approved all three propositions, according to voting numbers released from the Bexar County Elections Department. Proposition B - the 1/8 cent tax for workforce development - will fund a workforce training and education program. And, the 1/8 cent tax for SA: Ready to Work will be diverted to transportation after its funding expires at the end of 2025. “I’m grateful to the San Antonio voting public that they support one another, especially during a time of crisis," Nirenberg said. Voters would essentially renew the sales tax for the same purpose, as the sales tax that voters approved in November 2012 will expire in 2021.

The second-ever HOV lane in Bexar County opened Monday in the westbound lanes of I-10 from La Cantera Parkway to FM 3351 (Ralph Fair Road). Bexar County’s only other HOV lane is located in the eastbound lanes of I-10 from Ralph Fair Road to La Cantera Parkway. Officials also said an HOV lane is scheduled to open in 2021 on Highway 281 from Loop 1604 to north of Stone Oak Parkway. HOV lanes are designated lanes along a highway that are reserved for the following vehicles:Vehicles carrying 2 or more peopleBusesMotorcyclesVIA and marked vehiclesTrailer towing is prohibited in HOV lanes. VIA did not provide the exact dates for the opening of the additional HOV lanes.

SAN ANTONIO – VIA is offering free fare services as part of the “Ride VIA to Vote” program on Election Day which is Nov. 3. The complimentary service will be available for regular bus service, VIA Link, and VIAtrans paratransit service throughout the VIA service area. Registered VIAtrans customers must schedule their trip in accordance with VIAtrans policies and procedures by phone or online, according to VIA officials. To find out which route serves your polling place on Election Day, Enter your polling place address into the online trip planner at VIAinfo.net. For more information, you can call the customer information line at (210) 362-2020, or use the free VIA goMobile app to plan your trip to the nearest polling location.

VIA Metropolitan Transit will host two virtual public meetings on Thursday and Tuesday, both at 6 p.m., to invite comment about various service changes that might take effect in January. As with virtually every public transit agency in the country, VIA’s ridership has declined during the pandemic, sometimes as much as 50 percent or more on some of its 90 routes. The proposed service changes include the following:Route 552 (Loop 410/W.W. The following routes are currently not operating:Joint Base San Antonio Routes 16 and 65VIVA Routes 11, 40, and 301Routes 7, 48, 54, 70, and 631Details on these and other proposed service changes are at VIAinfo.net/2021changes. Verbal public comments will be queued during the online public meeting.

SAN ANTONIO – It was January 1979 when Raul Chapa started working for VIA as a bus operator, a job he didn’t think he would stay at for very long. “I had to be face to face with the public, which I was very uncomfortable with,” Chapa said. Courtesy: Raul Chapa (KSAT)It took about a year for things to change for Chapa in an unlikely way. While 41 years of working for VIA had come to an end, Chapa left with some big awards and accomplishments. “It became a super interesting career to the point I loved what I was doing until the day I retired.”Courtesy: Raul Chapa (KSAT)Related:

SAN ANTONIO – Family and friends of Jasper Richardson came together to remember him Wednesday night. He was killed in a head-on crash with a VIA Transit bus off Foster Road near Seguin Road early Sunday morning, San Antonio police say. Richardson’s loved ones described him as a joyful person who cared about making others happy. He wouldn’t want it any other way,” Jasmine said. Man killed in head-on crash with VIA bus on far East Side, police say

SAN ANTONIO – Update:The man killed in a head-on crash with a VIA bus early Sunday morning has been identified by the Medical Examiner’s Office. Jasper Richardson, 29, was killed after his vehicle drifted into the oncoming lane of a VIA bus and crashed head-on, according to police. Original:A man is dead after a head-on crash with a VIA bus on the city’s far East Side, according to San Antonio police. Witnesses say the man’s vehicle drifted into the oncoming lane of a VIA bus, going the opposite direction, when it struck the bus head-on. The driver of the VIA bus and the two to three passengers that were on the bus during the crash were uninjured.

More than two years after it began operating, a “now open” sign still hangs from the side of a giant, 400-space parking garage at the corner of south Highway 281 and Stone Oak Parkway. The Stone Oak Park and Ride facility opened in June 2018 as a place where drivers can park their car and hop on a VIA bus that ran two routes throughout the city: one into downtown and one to the Medical Center. “But I don’t think it’s wrong.”Since its 2018 opening and before the pandemic hit, when VIA temporarily halted the route into downtown due to COVID-19, VIA says buses transported passengers 275,000 times from the Stone Oak garage. And so clearly, they were more likely going to Stone Oak for work, for a job and not necessarily from Stone Oak to get into town,” Arndt said. “People that live in the Woodlands or people that live in Kingwood or Sugarland or Katy, communities much like Stone Oak, right?

BEXAR COUNTY, Texas – San Antonio drivers in high-occupancy vehicles will soon be able to bypass traffic on a section of I-10. The first-ever HOV lane in Bexar County is set to open next week in the eastbound lanes of I-10 from Ralph Fair Road to La Cantera. That HOV lane will be extended by 2023 from north of Stone Oak Parkway to Borgfeld Road, according to TXDOT. All the HOV lanes in Bexar County will be free to use 24 hours a day, seven days a week for permitted vehicles. HOV lanes are designated lanes along a highway that are reserved for the following vehicles:Vehicles carrying 2 or more peopleBusesMotorcyclesVIA and marked vehiclesTrailer towing is prohibited in HOV lanes.

Tom Reel /San Antonio Express-NewsBexar County's first high-occupancy vehicle lanes are set to open on the North Side next week, allowing multi-passenger vehicles to bypass traffic, according to a news release from the Texas Department of Transportation and VIA Metropolitan Transit. The new HOV lanes will open between Ralph Fair Road and La Cantera Parkway eastbound on Interstate 10. The westbound HOV lanes are set to open later this fall. VIA teamed with TxDOT for the new lanes in an effort to reduce traffic congestion, the release said.

It’s often a challenge for major cities, but a particular struggle for San Antonio: how to improve transportation across the city. This week’s episode of KSAT Explains examines what the future of transit could look like for our city and how will we fund that future.

SAN ANTONIO – A former rival of Mayor Ron Nirenberg says he is stepping up to rally opposition against two San Antonio sales tax proposals on the November ballot. He also denied that wading into the sales tax fight is a way to set up another campaign to challenge Nirenberg in 2021, though he believes his mayoral campaign resonated with voters. The proposals he’s opposing, championed by Nirenberg and VIA Metropolitan Transit officials, revolve around new uses for a 1/8 cent portion sales tax. Since the proposals would use the same portion of the sales tax at different times, there would be no change to the 8.25% sales tax rate San Antonio shoppers currently pay -- something to which Nirenberg and VIA officials have repeatedly pointed. The campaigns supporting both sales tax measures provided reactions to Brockhouse’s plans to rally opposition.

SAN ANTONIO – Editor’s note: This content was created exclusively for KSAT Explains, a new, weekly streaming show that dives deep into the biggest issues facing San Antonio and South Texas. On its surface, the connection between transportation and equity throughout the city might not seem obvious. Griffin argues VIA Metropolitan Transit needs more diverse funding resources to be able to provide the transportation options he believes San Antonians not only need but deserve. “Then we seem confused when our education numbers don’t change or our economic development numbers don’t change or health care numbers don’t change as though these things are not interrelated.”When those numbers improve, an entire city can see the benefits. You can watch KSAT Explains: Transportation in San Antonio Part 1 below.

KSAT Explains returned with a new episode that looks at San Antonio’s troubled history with mass transportation. One of the elements of the episode focused on San Antonio’s long history with public transportation dating back to streetcars. RJ Marquez stepped into the breakdown booth to share what he learned while reporting on this issue. You can watch the full episode below.

Thalia Vazquez, 17, is one of thousands who rely on public transportation to get to work. On the day we interviewed Vazquez, which was on a Friday ahead of the Labor Day holiday, the bus was delayed. Vazquez said her family recently received an eviction notice, another reason why it’s crucial for her to keep her job. VIA receives 5/8th of one cent, 1/8th through the Advanced Transportation District funds and half a cent through sales tax. Transit agencies in Houston, Dallas and Austin receive a full cent from sales tax.

VIA Metropolitan Transit announced Thursday that fare collections will resume on Monday, June 1. VIA did say that health and safety measures will remain in place for the time being. In addition to VIA staff and operators wearing face masks, all non-exempt passengers age 10 and older will have to wear a face mask. For people who dont have a face mask, one will be provided by VIA while supplies last. VIA said they will make any more adjustments to help ensure the health and safety of their staff and the public.

VIA will resume collecting fares on June 1Riders don masks and gloves as they wait for a VIA Metropolitan Transit bus. Riders don masks and gloves as they wait for a VIA Metropolitan Transit bus. Photo: Kin Man Hui /Staff Photographer Photo: Kin Man Hui /Staff Photographer Image 1 of / 5 Caption Close VIA will resume collecting fares on June 1 1 / 5 Back to GalleryVIA Metropolitan Transit will resume collecting fares on Monday, June 1. All passengers age 10 or older must wear a face covering to board a VIA vehicle. VIA will continue operating on its 'Essential Service' schedule, which moved several routes to a Sunday schedule.

SAN ANTONIO San Antonios transit system will extend its free rides until May 31 amid the coronavirus pandemic. Fares for VIA bus, VIAtrans and VIA Link service have been suspended since March 21 in order to reduce crowding. Fare collection will begin again on June 1, according to a news release. The health and safety measures instituted by VIA amid the pandemic will remain in place:

Mills lays out how to execute the plan: Stay home, wash you hands and uphold social distancing. The new schedule, which went into effect Monday, hopes to preserve bus service on 14 of its busiest routes, a news release states. VIA has been adding buses to routes when drivers notify dispatchers that a passenger limit of 16 has been reached. Updates on VIAs response to COVID-19 and related service alerts are posted regularly to VIAinfo.net/covid-19. It will be hosted by country singer Garrett T. Capps live from The Lonesome Rose from noon to midnight May 9.

Join VIA Metropolitan Transit for a timely conversation about the agency's operations during the global coronavirus pandemic. Agency officials will discuss that and other issues - and take questions from the community during a Telephone Townhall at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, May 5th. You can register to receive a call from VIA when the event begins by registering at this link: www.VIAreimagined.com/get-involved. You can also watch the live stream from that page without registering. And you can ask questions from either platform.

The VIA vans Wi-Fi is accessible from 100 feet to 200 feet of the vehicle. Last week the vans were rolled out to seven SAHA locations, bringing internet access to about 4,000 San Antonio students. Guzman isnt alone in thinking of the long term; Grant said SAISD would love to be able to see all its students have internet access after the pandemic. Others have also taken up the call to help provide internet access. Were working to identify and align which resources are out there for the San Antonio community.

San Antonio school districts offer Wi-Fi hotspots to students using school buses, VIA vansSan Antonio school districts are partnering with city agencies to provide mobile Wi-Fi service to students. San Antonio school districts are partnering with city agencies to provide mobile Wi-Fi service to students. Photo: Federal Transit Administration Photo: Federal Transit Administration Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close San Antonio school districts offer Wi-Fi hotspots to students using school buses, VIA vans 1 / 1 Back to GallerySan Antonio school districts are partnering with city agencies to provide mobile Wi-Fi service to students. Local school districts began distributing Chromebooks and iPads to students earlier this month when forced to move lessons online. The partnership brought together VIA Metropolitan Transit, the city of San Antonio, San Antonio Housing Authority, San Antonio ISD and Northside ISD.

VIA partners with San Antonio Food Bank delivering meals to those in need during pandemicSince March 31, VIA Metropolitan Transit has delivered meals and supplies prepared by the San Antonio Food Bank to homes and distribution points in the city to lend a helping hand during the coronavirus pandemic, according to a news release. The Food Bank has experienced high demand in recent weeks because of the coronavirus-triggered recession. The Food Bank gave away groceries to about 10,000 families in one day at a South Side flea market. VIA said it will continue to deliver Food Bank supplies as long as resources are available. If you require a food delivery, call the Food Bank at 210-431-8326 or register online at SAFoodBank.org.

Since VIA joined the Food Banks mission to fight hunger and feed hope, operators have distributed more than 650 food packages to nearly 500 locations throughout the city. The San Antonio Food Bank serves an estimated 60,000 individuals each week in one of the largest service areas in Texas. This type of innovation and partnership is San Antonio at its finest, Eric Cooper, President/CEO of the San Antonio Food Bank said. Other VIA Cares initiatives that kicked off this month focus on providing Wi-Fi access for students through a partnership with the City of San Antonio, San Antonio Housing Authority and San Antonio ISD, and matching VIA volunteers with opportunities to serve. Learn more about the Food Banks mission to fight hunger at SAFoodBank.org.

TEMPORARY SERVICE ADJUSTMENTS EFFECTIVE APRIL 6, 2020To continue providing travel options while adjusting to changing conditions, VIA will implement the following temporary service adjustments, beginning Monday, April 6, 2020, to include some reduced service hours and routes. Under the adjusted schedules, all VIA bus routes will be on Saturday schedules Monday-Friday. Routes will run their regular weekend schedules on Saturdays and Sundays. Routes 30, 36, 42, and 515 will no longer serve the extended segments of the routes. FARE RELIEF PERIOD EXTENDED THROUGH APRIL 30, 2020For more information visit viainfo.net or call 210.362.2020

Fare relief period will minimize interactions, help protect passengers and operatorsVIA will implement a systemwide fare relief period for all VIA fixed-route bus service, VIAtrans trips, and VIA Link on-demand services, beginning Saturday, March 21, 2020. At the end of the period, we will evaluate and provide an update for moving ahead. VIA operators, maintenance, safety and customer care teams have been hard at work to keep our customers moving in a clean and safe environment. Fare-free service eliminates the need for passengers to use the farebox, speeds boarding and minimizes crowding at the front door. In the coming days, VIA will continue to monitor developments and utilize every available resource to help secure the health and safety of riders, the public, and transit employees.

Local tech incubator CodeUp has also signed up to provide U-Pass benefits, signaling a program expansion and even more users who can ride fare-free. The VIA U-Pass is designed to provide convenient access to public transportation and help address the challenges of growing student populations with limited and often expensive parking options on or near campus. VIA offers efficient, affordable travel options and provides modern passenger perks like free 4G LTE Wi-Fi on all its buses, instant access to the Bexar BiblioTech e-library for all riders, and several frequent and direct routes. For more information about the U-Pass, or VIAs Semester Pass, visit VIAinfo.net. Schools interested in partnering with VIA to offer the U-Pass can call 210-362-2020.

Thats the future that we all want for San Antonio and Bexar County. We know from experience that as major corporations consider relocating or expanding to San Antonio, one of their primary considerations is the state of our transit system. According to estimates from the Center for Neighborhood Technology, the average San Antonio household spends 23 percent of annual combined income on transportation expenses. Dedicating the expiring one-eighth-cent tax would provide critical annual operating funds to enable VIA to provide a state-of-the-art transit system. San Antonio has talked about improving its public transportation system for decades.

By Andrew JimenezPulse Staff ReporterThe new VIA Reimagined plan for VIA Metropolitan Transit is to make bus rides faster and cheaper. The three major factors that makes VIA Metropolitan Transit key for students is safe transportation, reliable transportation and free rides. Any student who attends any Alamo College can ride for free by showing their student ID to the bus driver. Students have free rides wherever they want to go. Another big thing of the ConnectSA plan of the VIA Metropolitan Transit is solutions and projects that provide an environmentally and financially sustainable transportation network.

We love our traditions in San Antonio, from Fiesta to the rodeo, and up until now underfunding mass transit options. While I believe in the importance of mass transit, I am in no way diminishing the EAPP. However, as the population in San Antonio has increased by 150 percent in the past 35 years, our water usage per person has fallen by half, according to the San Antonio Water System. A recent study by the Brookings Institution showed that the typical American job is accessible via public transit by only about 27 percent of the workforce. The time has come for San Antonio to fully fund our public transportation system.

VIA Partners with Raul Jimenez Thanksgiving Dinner to OfferComplimentary Service for Seniors 55 or OlderSAN ANTONIO (Nov. 12, 2019) VIA Metropolitan Transit is proud to partner once again with the Raul Jimenez Thanksgiving Dinner to provide complimentary transportation for senior citizens. Seniors (ages 55 or older) can enjoy complimentary rides to and from the event at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center on Thursday, Nov. 28, 2019. The transportation, provided courtesy of event organizers, includes regular line service, as well as VIAtrans service for registered patrons. When boarding, passengers who inform the operator that they are attending the Jimenez Dinner, and present a VIA Senior Citizens ID card or identification with proof of age, ride free. Seniors who would like additional information regarding routes and scheduling on Thanksgiving Day may call (210) 362-2020.

What will the Decade of Mobility look like in San Antonio? Picture a modern era for San Antonio and Bexar County. Hes credited with shining a light on the need for better transit options when he parked his car for a month and used VIA exclusively. The City of San Antonio and Bexar County recently provided additional investments to improve frequency and reliability in the VIA system. It proves the adage that just as location is the most important factor in real estate, frequency is key for a successful transit system.

SAN ANTONIO - Rey Saldaa, former San Antonio City Councilman, was elected Tuesday as chairman of the VIA Metropolitan Transit Board of Trustees in a unanimous vote. Saldaa is replacing Hope Andrade, who was first elected as chair in January 2015. And we are eager to keep moving forward under Chairman Saldaas vision for a more mobile future a Decade of Mobility that will change the course for our community.As a San Antonio city councilman, Saldaa represented District 4 four eight years and was recognized as a transit champion. Many might remember how he used only public transit for a month so he could learn and understand how communities use public transportation and how he could make it better. Saldaa pushed for more funding in public transit, which led to a funding and planning partnership with VIA that commits $10 million annually from the city of San Antonio to help cut wait times for transportation.