Peninsula Moves!

Don’t Risk It, Take Transit on NYE: New Year’s Eve is a special time to hang out with friends, celebrate and maybe tip back a few drinks, which means it’s also a perfect opportunity to take advantage of the region’s public transportation network. To further sweeten the deal, agencies like Caltrain, Muni and SamTrans will all be offering up free rides on the night of December 31 and the early-morning hours of January 1. The free rides will begin at 8 p.m. and will last until the start of service operations on January 1. Additionally, Caltrain will be adding extra trains for the big night, with four southbound trains departing San Francisco starting at 12:45 a.m.

New Muni Fares Taking Effect: With the flipping over of a new calendar year, some changes will be taking place among the Bay Area’s transit agencies, notably over at Muni. The San Francisco transit agency will implement a series of fare updates on January 1, including an increase in the Regular Adult Cash Limited Use fare $2.25 to $2.50. Additionally, monthly ”A” Pass Holders, which includes regular service on both Muni and BART, will see a raise from $86 to $91, and holders of discounted fares (Youth, Disabled and Senior Citizen passengers) will pay an extra $11 a month for their pass (a rise from $25 to $36.) It’s not all bad news, however. Youth passengers will now be qualified as 18 and younger, an increase from the previous benchmark of 17 years old.

VTA Adding New Express Service: Responding to the feedback from its passengers, the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority will be offering new express service on State Route 85. Starting on January 3, the Express Route 185 will make three trips in the morning and three in the afternoon, traveling between South Santa Clara County and the city of Mountain View. The bus will take advantage of the HOV lanes on State  Route 85, breezing quickly along the highway will making stops at a series of job centers, including Samsung, Symantec, Synopsis, Siemens and Verisign, among others. It will also have roomy seats, bike racks and Wi-Fi services available onboard.