Milpitas gets $2.77 million VTA grant for city's SMART program

"The City of Milpitas has been awarded a $2.77 million grant from the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) to support the continuation and expansion of the Milpitas SMART (Simple, Mobile, Access to Reliable Transit) program, an on-demand rideshare service designed to meet the needs of transit-dependent residents. The grant funding comes from VTA's Innovative Transit Service Models Grant Program. The grant will be used to increase the city's SMART fleet and service hours by 50%; start a pilot program to evaluate the feasibility of using autonomous vehicles; develop in-app tools to help users connect with VTA buses and light rail; and reach out to local businesses to support the SMART program. More than 100 SMART rides have been completed since the program launched in late 2022. In July 2025, SMART provided 5,934 rides, 4,537 of which served disadvantaged and transit-dependent users. The program connects riders to schools, healthcare providers, shopping centers and transit hubs."

"The Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority is asking for public input on future trail connections and amenities, as well as regional access between the existing Coyote Valley Open Space Preserve and protected properties within the Coyote Valley Conservation Program Area. The survey is open until Sept. 30. The Authority will use the survey data to develop a plan for potential trail connections between the Coyote Valley Open Space Preserve and over 1,500 acres of recently protected valley floor lands to the north and east through the Coyote Valley Conservation Areas Master Plan. The survey can be accessed at http://bit.ly/4nBsH4t. It is available in four languages: English, Spanish, Chinese and Vietnamese."

Milpitas secured a $2.77 million grant from the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority to continue and expand the SMART on-demand rideshare for transit-dependent residents. Funding will increase the SMART fleet and service hours by 50%, pilot autonomous vehicles, add in-app tools to connect riders with VTA buses and light rail, and engage local businesses. Since late 2022 the program has completed more than 100 rides; in July 2025 SMART provided 5,934 rides, 4,537 serving disadvantaged and transit-dependent users. Separately, the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority is soliciting public input on trail connections between Coyote Valley Preserve and over 1,500 acres of protected lands through a survey open until Sept. 30, available in four languages.

Read at The Mercury News