VIA Now on Google Transit - VIA Metropolitan Transit

“Smart Way SA” &
the Long-Range Plan
VIA is working to put
together a plan to address
future high-capacity transit
need in Bexar County through the year 2035. Called the
Long-Range Comprehensive Transportation Plan, this
effort will explore the use of innovative transportation
solutions such as bus rapid transit, electric streetcar,
light rail, commuter rail, and high-occupancy vehicle
lanes.
The Long-Range Plan, when developed, will outline
policies, corridor improvements, transit technologies,
time lines, and funding options for transportation
upgrades through 2035. The plan will build on VIA’s
existing bus system, and it should be completed by the
summer of 2010.
As the Long-Range Plan is prepared, VIA is reaching
out to the community to gather input. Through a
process called “Smart Way SA,” VIA is soliciting
the ideas and suggestions from residents, workers,
business owners, commuters, and other people who
have a stake in the development of high-capacity transit
corridors. A series of meetings and open houses were
held in early September to share information and gather
feedback, and more will be held as VIA moves into the
next phase of the plan.
If you want to become a part of the process
to produce the Long-Range Comprehensive
Transportation Plan, call 362-2370 or visit
www.SmartWaySA.com. Once there you can learn
more about the project and sign up to receive updates,
future newsletters, and meeting invitations.
VIA Now on Google Transit
Fall 2009
Public transit riders in the San Antonio area now have one more way to plan their trips: Google Transit.
Previously VIA Metropolitan Transit has provided bus riders with the convenience of the Personal Trip
Planner on the agency’s website as well as the assistance of Customer Service representatives on the Information
Line, 210-362-2020. But now VIA route information is also available on Google.
Google Transit is part of Google Maps, and it is accessible when people click the “Get Directions” tab on the
San Antonio map. After entering in a starting location and a destination and then selecting “By public transit,”
riders can get suggestions for trips by bus that include stop information, route numbers, walking times, and travel
times. A link to VIA’s website is also be provided in case more information is needed.
VIA’s presence on Google provides more exposure for the transit agency while offering more convenience
and functionality for riders than is available with VIA’s Personal Trip Planner. Other users of Google Maps can
also take advantage of the trip-planning feature. Instead of just getting driving directions when planning trips
in San Antonio, now users
can choose transit and have
the option of riding the bus
instead.
VIA will offer trip
planning on its website
through both Google Transit
and the agency’s Personal
Trip Planner to give riders
options for planning their
trips. If users tend to prefer
Google Transit, VIA may
eventually decide to use that
tool exclusively.
Fast Transit Facts
• VIA is a metropolitan transit authority (MTA) created
under Texas law. It is not a department of any city or
county government.
• Five other MTAs operate in the state of Texas. They
serve the cities and surrounding areas of Austin,
Corpus Christi, Dallas, Forth Worth, and Houston.
• Beginning operations in 1978, VIA is the longest
running MTA in Texas.
Windtricity Helps VIA Clean the Air
VIA Now on Google Transit
P.O. Box 12489
800 W. Myrtle
San Antonio TX 78212
Main Administrative Office
362-2000
Customer Service and Information
362-2020
VIAtrans Scheduling and Information 362-5050
362-2019 (TDD)
362-5060 (TDD)
VIA Metropolitan Transit was created according to Ch. 451 of
the Texas Transportation Code to provide public transportation
services for the citizens of Bexar County. VIA has prepared
this Rider Reader to keep you informed of VIA services.
We welcome any comments or questions regarding this publication
or VIA - - your transit company.
To enhance the community’s environment
and quality of life by providing regional and
customer-oriented public transportation that
is dependable, cost effective, and enticing to
more riders.
WINDTRICITY HELPS VIA CLEAN THE AIR
WINDTRICITY AYUDA A VIA A LIMPIAR EL AIRE
VIA Metropolitan Transit is now using wind-generated electricity for all of its
power needs.
In July of this year, VIA announced its agreement with CPS
Energy to become the first public agency in San Antonio to get 100
percent of its power from Windtricity. This agreement will supply
VIA with wind power from turbines set up in West Texas for a
period of twelve months, and VIA will end up purchasing about
10-megawatt hours of Windtricity. As VIA gets its power from wind
instead of from coal-fired plants, approximately 7,180 metric tons of
carbon dioxide will be removed from the atmosphere, which will
have the same effect as taking 1,325 cars off the roadways.
As a result of this agreement, CPS Energy has named VIA a
“Platinum” level Windtricity business partner.
In addition to the Windtricity agreement, VIA is also exploring
the use of solar power whenever possible. The agency’s newest
shelters have solar panels to power lighting, and the Frank L. Madla
Transit Center is equipped with a solar installation that
provides power to the facility. This set-up helps save
approximately 14,300 kilowatt-hours per year, and it has
earned VIA a $26,919 rebate from CPS Energy.
VIA’s use of renewable energy resources are just one
part of the agency’s overall environmental efforts.
As an operator of a fleet of buses and vans, VIA’s
primary environmental efforts are focused on the reduction
of vehicle emissions. All revenue vehicles are equipped
with exhaust oxidation catalysts, and those purchased
since 2003 qualify as federal clean-fuel vehicles. VIA’s
maintenance personnel have performed retrofits of older
buses to install reduced emissions engines, and diesel particulate filters are also
used. Also, the downtown streetcars operate on propane, and future bus rapid
transit vehicles will use hybrid-electric technology. VIA will continue to monitor
the development of fuel and propulsion technologies that can help reduce local
air pollution.
VIA also employs rigorous recycling efforts, focusing on waste oil and
lubricants, batteries, antifreeze, paint solvents, office paper, cardboard, scrap
metals, refrigerant, plastics, and glass.
Conservation is also a high priority at VIA, and the agency has adopted an
Energy and Water Conservation Policy to guide its efforts. VIA has retrofitted its
facilities with energy efficient lighting, installed upgrades to the HVAC systems
and windows, and reduced the energy requirements for the climate control
system of the maintenance garage. VIA is also planning to install a microbebased water recycling facility.
VIA Metropolitan Transit ahora está utilizando electricidad generada por el viento para todas
sus necesidades de energía.
.En julio de este año, VIA anunció su acuerdo con CPS Energy para
convertirse en la primera agencia pública de San Antonio en obtener el 100
por ciento de la energía de Windtricity. Este acuerdo servirá para proporcionar a
VIA energía eólica de turbinas instaladas en el oeste de Texas durante un período
de doce meses, y VIA terminará por comprar alrededor de 10 megavatios-hora
de Windtricity. Como VIA obtiene la energía del viento en lugar de hacerlo de
centrales termoeléctricas, se eliminarán alrededor de 7,180 toneladas métricas
de dióxido de carbono de la atmósfera, lo que tendrá el mismo efecto que quitar
1,325 automóviles de las carreteras.
.Como resultado de este acuerdo, CPS Energy nombró a VIA socio comercial
nivel “Platino” de Windtricity.
.Además del acuerdo de Windtricity, VIA también está explorando el uso de
energía solar cuando sea posible. Los refugios (shelters) más nuevos de la agencia
cuentan con paneles solares para la iluminación y el Frank L. Madla Transit
Center está equipado con una instalación solar que suministra energía
a las instalaciones. Esta instalación brinda un ahorro de alrededor
de 14,300 kilovatios-hora por año y con eso VIA a conseguido un
descuento de $26,919 de CPS Energy.
.El hecho de que VIA utilice recursos de energía renovable es sólo
una parte de los esfuerzos generales que realiza la agencia para proteger
el medio ambiente.
.Como operador de una flota de autobuses y camionetas, los
principales esfuerzos para proteger el medio ambiente de VIA se
enfocan en la reducción de emisiones de los vehículos. Todos estos
tipos de vehículos están equipados con catalizadores de escape por
oxidación, y los que se compraron a partir del año 2003 califican como
vehículos federales de combustible limpio. El personal de mantenimiento de VIA ha realizado
mejoras a los autobuses más viejos con el fin de instalar motores de emisiones reducidas, así como
usar filtros de partículas diesel. Asimismo, los tranvías (streetcars) del centro de la ciudad funcionan
con propano y los futuros autobuses de tránsito rápido usarán la tecnología eléctrica híbrida. VIA
continuará monitorizando el desarrollo de combustible y las tecnologías de propulsión que pueden
ayudar a reducir la contaminación local del aire.
VIA también lleva a cabo estrictos esfuerzos de reciclado, concentrándose en petróleo y
lubricantes residuales, baterías, anticongelantes, diluyentes de pinturas, papel de oficina, cartón,
metales reciclables, refrigerantes, plásticos y vidrio.
La conservación también es de alta prioridad en VIA y la agencia ha adoptado una Política
de Conservación de Agua y Energía para guiar sus esfuerzos. VIA ha mejorado sus instalaciones
mediante el uso de iluminación de eficacia energética, mejoró los sistemas de climatización
(HVAC) y las ventanas, y redujo los requerimientos de energía para el sistema de control de clima
del taller de mantenimiento. VIA también tiene planes de establecer una instalación de reciclado
de agua en base a la ecología microbiana.
EPA Awards Engine Grant to VIA
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA, has
awarded a grant to VIA Metropolitan Transit that will
allow the agency to upgrade some of its buses with new
engines.
The $1,013,719 grant was made possible by the
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, and it
will give VIA the funds to replace the diesel engines in 59
of its 40-foot buses with newer, cleaner diesel engines.
The North American Bus
Industries vehicles targeted
for the upgrades will have
their Cummins 8.3 ISC
280 engines replaced with
Cummins 8.9 ISL engines.
The new engines will
emit fewer pollutants,
extend the useful life of
the vehicles they go into,
and reduce the need for
maintenance. The enginereplacement program was already planned, but the EPA
grant allows VIA to upgrade more vehicles than was
originally intended.
The engine replacement is just one of many efforts
VIA engages in to reduce pollution, waste, and energy
demands. Besides the reduction of vehicle emissions, VIA
also works on recycling, conserving energy, and using
renewable energy.
Holiday Reminders:
Thanksgiving
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Buses on “Sunday” schedule
Day after Thanksgiving
Friday, November 27, 2009 Buses on “Saturday” schedule
www.viainfo.net