VTA light rail

VTA light rail
VTA light rail
	A VTA light rail train at Winchester station in February 2019
Overview
Locale	Santa Clara County, California
Transit type	Light rail
Number of lines	3
Number of stations	60
Daily ridership	13,800 (weekdays, Q4 2023)
Annual ridership	4,464,500 (2023)
Website	vta.org
Operation
Began operation	December 11, 1987
Operator(s)	Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority
Number of vehicles	100 Kinki Sharyo low-floor light rail vehicles
Train length	90 ft (27 m) (1 LRV); 180 ft (55 m) (2 LRVs)
Technical
System length	42.2 mi (67.9 km)
Track gauge	4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Electrification	Overhead line, 750 V DC
Top speed	55 mph (89 km/h)
System map
	Legend
	(closed
	2015)
	Children's
	Discovery Museum
	San Jose
	Diridon
	Ohlone/
	Chynoweth
	(closed
	2019)
	(closed
	2019)
Key
	All stations are accessible
	This diagram: view; talk; edit;

The VTA light rail system serves San Jose and nearby cities in Santa Clara County, California. It is operated by the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, or VTA, and consists of 42.2 miles (67.9 km) of network comprising three main lines on standard gauge tracks. Originally opened on December 11, 1987, the light rail system has gradually expanded since then, and currently has 60 stations in operation.

The light rail system has been criticized for being one of the least used in the United States (24.3 passenger trips per revenue hour in 2017) and the most heavily subsidized ($9.30 per passenger trip). VTA leaders have admitted that building light rail was a poor match with adjoining land uses. The system's average weekday daily ridership as of the fourth quarter of 2023 is 13,800 passengers and a total 2023 annual ridership of 4,464,500 passengers.

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e "VTA Facts - Light Rail System Overview" (PDF). Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 20, 2013. Retrieved March 3, 2013.
^ "Transit Ridership Report Fourth Quarter 2023" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. March 4, 2024. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
^ "Transit Ridership Report Fourth Quarter 2023" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. March 4, 2024. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Santa Clara - Valley Transportation Authority - Technical Data" (PDF). Kinkisharyo International, LLC. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 21, 2015. Retrieved March 3, 2013.

[system_overview-1] "VTA Facts - Light Rail System Overview" (PDF). Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 20, 2013. Retrieved March 3, 2013.

[APTAdaily-2] "Transit Ridership Report Fourth Quarter 2023" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. March 4, 2024. Retrieved March 14, 2024.

[APTA_Ridership_Report-3] "Transit Ridership Report Fourth Quarter 2023" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. March 4, 2024. Retrieved March 14, 2024.

[LRV_Tech_Data-4] "Santa Clara - Valley Transportation Authority - Technical Data" (PDF). Kinkisharyo International, LLC. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 21, 2015. Retrieved March 3, 2013.

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