Transit app lets riders know real-time capacity of buses

QI am concerned about riding a bus during the pandemic and having to sit close to another passenger. Any advice for me and others who have the same worries?

— MAry Perez,

SAn Jose

AFirst, if someone plops into a seat next to you, ask them to sit farther away if there is room.

But the VTA has a new feature in the Transit app that can now send realtime capacity data so that waiting passengers can see if their bus has enough room to stop and allow more passengers on board. With the current 6-foot distancing public health mandate, VTA has had to operate in “dropoff only” mode for parts of trips, especially along more popular routes. VTA has been using this information to help deploy extra buses to stops most affected.

On the Transit app, a “people” icon now appears with the approaching bus icon, and when touched on the screen, a text balloon pops up to indicate the level of crowding or if the bus is full.

QI’m from Washington state, now living in Gilroy. I have noticed on more than one occasion that Washington State Patrol will pull over an out- ofstate vehicle over an in-state vehicle even though both, including me, should have been pulled over for speeding.

Oregonians are typically savvy about the aggressive policing across the border, but Californians are always surprised how they seem to be constantly targeted.

Be wary when going up to Seattle as it’s been well reported how Californians are not welcomed by Washingtonians. I have found the reverse to be not true. — SAm Kim, Gilroy

AOur highway patrol is so much more sensible, eh?

QWe

have an ongoing problem on Highway 1 between the light at the harbor and the south entrance to El Granada. I thought the shoulders of a state highway were for emergencies and breakdowns and not for parking?

Between Sam’s Chowder

House and Surfer’s Beach, the shoulders have become jammed with parking and dangerous jaywalkers crossing back and forth, thus bringing traffic to a crawl between the two lights. What’s the law here? — Bruce Krutel, El GrAnAdA

AParking on shoulders is only legal if signs are posted saying it’s OK or if there is an emergency. QHow

they set the tolls on Highway 237 is flawed. It’s always 80 cents westbound in the morning, but eastbound is up to $1.30 to Zanker Road and there is hardly any traffic. Now we get on/off at First Street, so maybe all the traffic in the evening is between First and Zanker?

— Jim Linder,

SAn Jose

AAfternoon traffic is almost always heavier in the afternoon and so are the tolls.