The key to the successful growth and environmental health of any area is the plan for transportation. In 1978 San Antonio voters overwhelmingly approved the creation of VIA to manage mass public transportation for Bexar County. VIA now serves 36 million passengers annually and has consistently earned national honors for excellence in maintenance efficiency and passenger safety in addition to being recognized as one of the most efficient, cost-effective transit operations. VIA Mission Statement To provide public transportation services which are safe, dependable, and cost effective, thereby enhancing the quality of life in our community. Maintaining close ties to the community is a top priority for VIA. In addition to holding regular public meetings to receive comments on service changes or long-term projects, VIA has become involved in many programs to enhance communication with the citizens of Bexar County. Classroom on Wheels The Classroom on Wheels youth education program is designed to help young children understand the environmental benefits of mass transportation. This free presentation brought to the schools in a special 35-foot bus also teaches children how to ride the bus in a safe and proper manner. One-hour facility tours of VIA's maintenance garage and other areas at VIA are also available for small groups of children starting at age five. Class Pass Program VIA's Class Pass Program encourages teachers to utilize VIA's regular bus service for class field trips. Teachers can purchase a VIA Class Pass in advance to save money and allow for more convenient boardings. Trip planning assistance is also part of the program. Adopt-A-Bus Shelter Program The Adopt-A-Bus Shelter Program provides an opportunity for community organizations to select a bus shelter in the VIA service area and maintain the overall appearance of the shelter, report vandalism and/or maintenance problems to VIA. In return for their participation, VIA posts a decal on the shelter with the group’s name. Bike & Ride VIA continues with its Bike & Ride pilot program which offers bicycle racks on selected bus routes. The program was recommended by a Metropolitan Planning Organization study entitled "The Integration of Public Transportation and Bicycle Services". Both modes of transportation are environmentally responsible, can attract a new category of users, and associated costs are economically reasonable. VIA recently purchased additional bike racks to expand the bike-accessible bus fleet. Ozone Season Pass The Ozone Season Pass encourages people to ride the bus on Ozone Action Days as designated by the TNRCC. The passes are valid for unlimited rides on any regular bus service every Ozone Action Day. Children's Art Contest An annual Children's Art Contest is held for school children in grades Kindergarten through 12th grade. The thousands of creative entries received from all over the city are displayed inside VIA's bus fleet. The Best of Show winner's art design has been utilized by VIA for various youth education program materials, including book covers distributed in the public schools. VIA understands that bus service, highway expansion and commuter rail may only solve part of the problem associated with a city's growth and liveability. To address this issue, VIA initiated its most ambitious long-range planning initiative to date...Transit 2025. The goal of Transit 2025 is to develop a community vision for transit in San Antonio. What will San Antonio look like in 25 years? How many more people will live in the city? Where will they work and how will they get there? How do we avoid excessive pollution and traffic congestion? How do we maintain the beauty that is San Antonio? The VIA Board of Trustees commissioned a citizen’s task force to produce a "vision" for our area’s public transportation in the year 2025. This group of citizens met with experts from many fields to discuss several relevant issues. Open discussions were also held with the public, which gave people in the community an opportunity to get involved. The Transit 2025 report identified several key findings: While we enjoy a highway system that affords easy mobility now, future growth will lead to a substantial increase in traffic congestion that will not be relieved by highway expansion. Substantial growth in the region by 2025 will justify 50% more capacity (in terms of passenger miles). The VIA bus fleet should be expanded, modernized, made 100% accessible, more diverse relative to bus sizes and powered by clean fuels and engines. VIA should plan to maximize the use of new technologies to increase service, security, productivity and safety. VIA should study the cost-effectiveness of fixed guideway transit options, such as light rail or busways, needed for a rapid transit, high capacity, seamless transportation system which could be primarily funded with a 1/4 cent increase in sales tax. Now the hard work truly begins as VIA carefully studies how the various future transit solutions will benefit the riders, improve the air quality and make our system more efficient. As VIA conducts studies and begins forming an implementation plan, VIA will continue to provide numerous opportunities for patrons and non-riders to get involved in planning the future of San Antonio. Want to know more about VIA's community involvement? VIA Public Affairs:210-362-2370 Need Bus Route Information? 210-362-2020