A major residential development being eyed for downtown San Jose has been given the green light from the city, but the project may never be built due to a property dispute with a transit agency. The 26-story Eterna Tower project, which Roygbiv Real Estate Development is hoping to build at 17-31 E. Santa Clara St.,...
Santa Clara County officials request state audit of VTA
A California legislator fighting to change VTA’s leadership is shifting tactics in the wake of public pushback. Assemblymember Marc Berman announced Monday he is not advancing Assembly Bill 2181 this year, which would eliminate VTA’s board of directors on or after July 2023 and shrink the board from 18 to 12 members, at least six...
How Silicon Valley gun rules changed after the VTA shooting
When a disgruntled employee fatally shot nine coworkers at a VTA rail yard last year, Silicon Valley officials vowed to take action. The May 26, 2021 VTA mass shooting is the deadliest gun massacre in the Bay Area’s history, where nine transit workers died from the attack. Another worker, haunted by the event, died by suicide months later. A...
Never forgotten: VTA commemorates fallen San Jose workers
The VTA community gathered Thursday to mourn workers killed in a mass shooting one year ago—and to find a path toward healing. Speaking at the Guadalupe light rail yard in downtown San Jose shortly after dawn, General Manager and CEO Carolyn Gonot addressed a group of workers and families who lost their loved ones in...
San Jose VTA faces lawsuit from family of shooting victim
One year after a disgruntled worker killed nine colleagues at the VTA rail yard in downtown San Jose, the family of one victim is suing for negligence. The family of Lars Kepler Lane filed a lawsuit Thursday against VTA, the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office and Universal Protection Service, VTA’s private security contractor. The suit, filed in...
Editorial: VTA needs a culture change to improve worker morale
One year ago today, nine people lost their lives in a mass shooting among more than 100 workers on site at the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Agency. They ranged in age from 29 to 63. They left families, friends and co-workers who would never hear “good morning” or “good night” again. From that moment on,...
Can San Jose’s VTA fix its broken work culture?
In the wake of the mass shooting at a train yard in downtown San Jose last May, VTA officials promised to improve work culture to make life easier for employees. But after a year, workers say little has changed and they’re not hopeful about the future. VTA employees started publicly complaining about a toxic work culture...
San Jose officials mark anniversary of VTA mass shooting
San Jose officials are holding a day of remembrance for the victims of the VTA mass shooting one year ago. The tragedy, which occurred on May 26, 2021, left nine VTA employees dead, plus the shooter—a disgruntled worker who killed himself as law enforcement entered the building. Shots were fired around 6:30 a.m. during a...
San Jose union objects to VTA work culture consultant
VTA is postponing voting on a contract for a work culture consultant following a furious outburst from the head of the agency’s largest union. The VTA board of directors unanimously agreed Friday to defer approving a $1.9 million two-year contract with Deloitte Consulting to aid with transforming the agency’s work culture. The board made the decision...
Silicon Valley’s VTA ends COVID-19 mask requirement
VTA is ending the COVID-19 mask requirement on its buses and light rail trains, making it one of the first major Bay Area transit agencies to change course. Agency officials announced the end of the mask mandate Wednesday, though strongly recommend passengers and employees wear masks aboard buses, light rail or paratransit vehicles. The agency ended its...