Silicon Valley cities get funding for ride-share service - San José Spotlight

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Multiple Silicon Valley cities are raking in money for micro-transit programs, which transit advocates say is critical for areas with sparser public transportation.

Sunnyvale has secured a roughly $4.2 million grant from the California State Transportation Agency to cover about half the cost of a micro-transit pilot program for at least five years beginning next year. The grant would give the city nine electric vehicles. It adds to a recent $500,000 VTA grant received by Cupertino and Santa Clara to support Silicon Valley Hopper, a ride-share service where residents can call a car citywide and get to their destination for less than $5. The existing service is funded through fiscal year 2026-27, partially covered by a roughly $8.5 million state grant.

Sunnyvale has yet to choose a service operator, but residents are hoping it selects SV Hopper to expand the service beyond its existing stop at the Caltrain station — something residents say would increase equity in cities with less VTA service.

Sunnyvale Mayor Larry Klein said he’s thrilled the city received the grant because he’s wanted a micro-transit service for years. He wants the program to aid underserved communities such as North Sunnyvale.

“This provides an option for those disadvantaged in the community that don’t have good transportation,” he told San José Spotlight. “And the VTA, while it’s very good along El Camino Real and the Mathilda corridor, it doesn’t meet the needs of everyone.”

Tim Oey, former Sunnyvale Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission chair and resident for about 35 years, said he wants the city to pick SV Hopper. He said the connectivity between all three cities is vital.

“This more on-demand service really fits,” he told San José Spotlight. “Unfortunately, the suburban model that Cupertino, Sunnyvale and Santa Clara are designed around, a normal transit agency just cannot service that well.”

SV Hopper is thriving in Santa Clara and Cupertino, which just received its first $1.1 million from the state grant. The ride-share service has 13 electric cars, with some that are wheelchair accessible.

Seema Lindskog, chair of pedestrian and bike safety organization Walk-Bike Cupertino and resident for about 18 years, said her son uses SV Hopper to get from De Anza College back to high school. She said the service is a real asset for her 90-year-old father-in-law when he visits from Sweden.

“It was like magic because suddenly he’s mobile and it was wonderful because he didn’t have to wait for us to give him a ride anywhere,” she told San José Spotlight. “That’s pretty amazing because it just gave him complete independence and freedom.”

The idea for SV Hopper, operated by New York City-based Via Transportation, largely began due to VTA cutting back its services in Cupertino. It began serving Cupertino in 2019 under a pilot program before expanding to Santa Clara. This summer, it offered free rides to select locations in Cupertino and Santa Clara.Rod Sinks, Fremont Union High School District trustee and Cupertino City Council candidate, was an early supporter of the program. He said the program’s usefulness is expanding beyond high schoolers — who it’s popular with — because when he used the service recently, he sat with three people who weren’t students.

“I’m thrilled that the city is continuing to find resources for this,” he told San José Spotlight. “This helps us reduce traffic and the vehicles are all EVs.”

Klein said he’s delighted Sunnyvale will soon have a micro-transit program like Cupertino and Santa Clara, regardless of whether it’s SV Hopper or another provider.

“Having a clean energy shuttle in our system, in our city, is a big win, and I’m looking forward to it actually being implemented and moving forward,” he said.

Contact Annalise Freimarck at [email protected] or follow @annalise_ellen on X, formerly known as Twitter.

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