SANTA CLARA VTA RIDERS UNION P. O. Box 390069 Mountain View, CA 94039-0069 http://www.vtaridersunion.org/ NEWS RELEASE TO: Editor, News Assignment Desk, Transportation Reporter * FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE * Press Contact (in alphabetical order): Eugene Bradley 24 hr. cell/pager (408)888-2208 email: eegenebradley@yahoo.com PUBLIC TRANSIT AVAILABLE FOR ALL SAN JOSE SHARKS HOME PLAYOFF GAMES Transit Advocacy Group Encourages Fans To Use Public Transit to Stanley Cup Playoff Games at HP Pavilion SUNNYVALE, CA (April 8, 2004) - The Santa Clara VTA Riders Union (SCVTARU - http://www.vtaridersunion.org/), a transit advocacy and watchdog group in Silicon Valley, today reminds all San Jose Sharks fans that public transit options are available to get San Jose Sharks fans to and from the HP Pavilion in San Jose for all Sharks home playoff games. The Sharks will play the St. Louis Blues tonight at 7:00pm at HP Pavilion for Game 1 of the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Game 2 will be played Saturday at Noon at the HP Pavilion. The reason SCVTARU is sending this media advisory is simple: Aside from the free "Sharks Shuttle" that runs throughout downtown San Jose to HP Pavilion, the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) has failed to inform Sharks fans that there are other local and regional public transit options to HP Pavilion. In lieu of this oversight, SCVTARU has taken the initiative and detailed these additional public transit options below. These same options can be found on our web site at http://www.vtaridersunion.org/. Note that SCVTARU is not affiliated with the VTA in any form whatsoever, and that we are doing this solely as a public service to Sharks fans in the Bay Area. Public transit options from the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA), Caltrain, SamTrans, and even Santa Cruz METRO, when utilized, help Sharks fans beat gridlock around the HP Pavilion. In addition, use of public transit helps Sharks fans beat the high cost of parking around the HP Pavilion - parking that costs anywhere from $8 to $15 or more. Should the Sharks reach the Stanley Cup Finals, SCVTARU expects these ticket prices to increase, hence the need to emphasize use of public transit as an alternative to gridlock and parking hassles. San Jose -------- Aside from the free VTA "Sharks Shuttle" which will run along First and Second (north and south) and Santa Clara Streets every few minutes starting one hour before Game 1 (tonight at 7:00pm) and Game 2 (Saturday at Noon), VTA has other buses that serve the HP Pavilion. Specifically, VTA's 22 bus runs along El Camino Real from Menlo Park to Downtown San Jose and ends at Eastridge Mall in East San Jose. It runs 24 hours/day. For Game 1 tonight at 7:00pm, the 300 Limited Stop bus from Palo Alto is a faster bet. Both buses stop in front of HP Pavilion. In addition, the 63, 64, and 65 buses from Almaden Valley stop at San Jose Diridon Station - across the street from HP Pavilion. Sharks fans can score VTA information such as schedules, maps, and fares online at http://www.vta.org/ or by calling VTA at (408)321-2300. San Francisco and the Peninsula ------------------------------- For weeknight Sharks playoff games, Caltrain provides commuter rail service to San Jose Diridon Station - across the street from the HP Pavilion. The last train leaves San Jose Diridon station at 10:30pm or 15 minutes after the game ends, whichever is later. On weekends, Caltrain's RRX substitute bus service (stopping at Millbrae, Hillsdale, Palo Alto) via U.S. 101 to San Jose Diridon Station - across the street from the HP Pavilion. The last RRX bus departing San Jose Diridon station is at 7:52pm. As an alternate for weekend evening Sharks playoff games, Sharks fans can take VTA's Bus Line 22 (marked Menlo Park and not Palo Alto) in front of HP Pavilion to Stanford Shopping Center. There, they can catch the SamTrans 390 bus up the Peninsula along El Camino Real to Daly City, or catch the KX express bus to San Francisco's Transbay Terminal at 1st and Mission streets. For those really late weekend evening games that run overtime, Sharks fans can take the 22 bus in front of HP Pavilion to Palo Alto Caltrain Station. There, they can transfer to the 397 bus to San Francisco which leaves the Palo Alto Caltrain station at 12:45am, 1:45am, and 2:45am respectively. Sharks fans can score Caltrain and SamTrans schedule and fare information by visiting their respective web sites at http://www.caltrain.com and at http://www.samtrans.com respectively. Alternately, Caltrain and SamTrans can be reached by calling 1(800)621-4287. East Bay and Milpitas --------------------- From the Fremont BART station, VTA's 180 Express Bus ends right across the street from the HP Pavilion, at the San Jose Diridon station. The last 180 bus to Fremont BART station departs San Jose Diridon station at 11:10pm. Travel time is 45-60 minutes depending on traffic along Interstate 680. Sharks fans using the 180 bus are advised to purchase an Express Day pass which costs $9.00. This day pass gives you free fare aboard all VTA buses and light rail for that day - including express buses like the 180 - so it is a good bargain. Sharks fans can score VTA information such as schedules, maps, and fares online at http://www.vta.org/ or by calling VTA at (408)321-2300. South San Jose, Morgan Hill, San Martin, and Gilroy --------------------------------------------------- For Sharks fans living in South County, VTA's Line 68 bus serves as their direct line to HP Pavilion. This bus also originates from San Jose Diridon Station - across the street from HP Pavilion. Sharks fans can score VTA information such as schedules, maps, and fares online at http://www.vta.org/ or by calling VTA at (408)321-2300. Campbell/Los Gatos ------------------ Sharks fans in the West Valley can use VTA's 60 and 62 bus lines to connect to Line 22 to take them to and from the HP Pavilion. Line 60 connects with Line 22 at the Santa Clara Caltrain station, while line 62 connects with line 22 at The Alameda and Naglee in San Jose. As with other VTA buses, Sharks fans can score VTA information such as schedules, maps, and fares online at http://www.vta.org/ or by calling VTA at (408)321-2300. Scotts Valley and Santa Cruz ---------------------------- For weekday playoff games, Santa Cruz METRO provides the Highway 17 Express service from San Jose Diridon station (across the street from the HP Pavilion) to the Scotts Valley Transit Center and Santa Cruz (Highway 1 and Soquel Drive). The last bus to Santa Cruz leaves at 10:22pm. Sharks fans in Santa Cruz County can score information on the Highway 17 Express by calling Santa Cruz METRO at (831)425-8600 or by visiting their web site at http://www.scmtd.com/. Avid Sharks fan - and SCVTARU founder - Eugene Bradley plans on attending Game 2 on Saturday at Noon. As we hope many Sharks fans will do, Mr. Bradley intends to beat the high costs of gasoline and the hassles of parking by taking Line 22 from Sunnyvale to the HP Pavilion for Saturday's Game 2. SCVTARU wishes the Sharks the best of luck in bringing "Lord Stanley" to Silicon Valley. ### About the Santa Clara VTA Riders Union -------------------------------------- Founded in October 2000 by Eugene Bradley, the Santa Clara VTA Riders Union is a grassroots-based organization dedicated to ensuring that elected officials improve and implement cost-effective, frequent, and reliable mass transit in Santa Clara County. Our web site is at www.vtaridersunion.org. We are based in Sunnyvale, CA. Our organization has absolutely no affiliation with, nor is endorsed by, the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) in any way whatsoever. Note to Editors and News Desks: More information on SCVTARU can be found at the following URLs: http://www.vtaridersunion.org/whoarewe/who.html http://www.vtaridersunion.org/PR