\u201cThe expansion of SV Hopper makes it easier for residents to get where they need to go by providing affordable, on-demand transportation throughout Santa Clara,\u201d Santa Clara Public Works Director Craig Mobeck told San Jos\u00e9 Spotlight. \u201cBy extending service to North Santa Clara, this program improves access to jobs, schools, shopping, regional transit and other key destinations while strengthening first- and last-mile connections that complement our existing public transportation network.\u201d<\/p>\n
The expansion is expected to serve about 28,600 North Santa Clara residents. City officials said the service is intended to complement existing bus, light rail and commuter rail service by expanding affordable transportation options for older adults, students, low-income riders and people with disabilities.<\/p>\n
Unlike Uber or Lyft, SV Hopper picks riders up and drops them off at nearby street corners instead of their exact destination. Riders can request trips through the SV Hopper app or by phone, allowing drivers to transport multiple passengers traveling in similar directions. Fares cost $3.50 per ride, with discounted $1.75 fares available for students, older adults, low-income riders and people with disabilities. Each additional passenger costs $1.<\/p>\n
Coverage increases<\/p>\n
Growing SV Hopper\u2019s coverage area has long been part of the cities\u2019 plans. Cupertino and Santa Clara jointly secured about $3.6 million in grant funding \u2014 $2.9 million from the state\u2019s Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program and $727,000 from VTA\u2019s Measure B Innovative Transit Program \u2014 for the Santa Clara expansion in two phases.<\/p>\n
The expanded service is projected to cost approximately $5.8 million between July 2026 and November 2027. The current grant funding will support SV Hopper through November 2027, with Cupertino and Santa Clara sharing the remaining costs based on the size of each city\u2019s service area.<\/p>\n
With North Santa Clara joining the system, the city\u2019s share of the local, non-grant-funded costs will increase from 42% to 61%, while Cupertino\u2019s share will decrease from 58% to 39%.<\/p>\n
\u00a0Matthew Schroeder, Cupertino\u2019s senior transportation planner, told San Jos\u00e9 Spotlight the funding pays for all operating costs through the cities\u2019 contract with Via Transportation, which runs SV Hopper. That includes vehicle operations, drivers, dispatching, app technology, customer support, fleet maintenance, accessibility services and data reporting.<\/p>\n
The expansion also includes additional drivers and an increase in the fleet to 16 electric vehicles. Schroeder said Cupertino, Santa Clara and Via Transportation will continue monitoring vehicle deployment, driver hours, routing performance, peak demand and rider feedback to maintain service reliability.<\/p>\n
Officials said the expansion is expected to generate more commuter trips by connecting North Santa Clara\u2019s employment centers with existing service to Caltrain, ACE and Amtrak. Because North Santa Clara has more jobs than residential neighborhoods, Schroeder said the cities anticipate an increase in first- and last-mile transit trips.<\/p>\n
District 1 Councilmember Albert Gonzalez said the expansion will help residents who don\u2019t drive,\u00a0particularly in neighborhoods with limited parking.<\/p>\n
\u201cSV Hopper expanding to District 1 is one way to help residents who are looking for alternate forms of transportation,\u201d Gonzalez told San Jos\u00e9 Spotlight. \u201cIt\u2019s a plus for our community. It\u2019s going to benefit us in the long run.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gonzalez said many residents living in affordable housing along Calle de Mundo have limited parking, prompting some households to sell their cars and depend on other ways of getting around.<\/p>\n
\u201cSV Hopper is much more direct, in a way VTA isn\u2019t,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
SV Hopper completed more than 103,000 rides in 2025 and averages about 9,000 rides each month, according to Cupertino officials.\u00a0But not every rider has been satisfied with the service.<\/p>\n
During the May 5 Cupertino City Council meeting, Peggy Griffin, an older adult who frequently uses SV Hopper, said she has experienced lengthy afternoon waits while helping people use the service to travel to medical appointments after they stopped driving.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen we got to one of the doctors \u2026 it dropped us off okay, but picking us up, it took 20 minutes of \u2018no ride available\u2019 before she even got an offer for a ride,\u201d Griffin said at the meeting. \u201cThen the ride was 31 minutes for a wait. So it was 50 minutes before she even got a car to pick her up.\u201d<\/p>\n
Still, Griffin said she sees the service as valuable enough that riders should pay more if it helps improve reliability.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think that the cost of the rides needs to increase,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s too low.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"In-line](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/interactive-321838904008.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\n