“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