The bottom line.
In Silicon Valley, city leaders are easing the area’s long-rooted congestion with a simple solution: microtransit. With coverage across Cupertino and Santa Clara, Silicon Valley Hopper has established itself as a one of the nation’s most successful microtransit programs in terms of social and environmental impacts.
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Cupertino built a thriving transit program by centering service design in community needs and collaborating with neighboring cities to upgrade mobility across Silicon Valley. Their success won them an $8.5 million grant in 2023 — from an unexpected source, California’s Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (TIRCP). This program typically supports rail infrastructure to reduce gas emissions, but Cupertino was awarded given the service's role in connecting riders to Caltrain stations. With this long-term funding, Cupertino was able to join forces with Santa Clara to expand the service with more vans and greater coverage, transition to an EV fleet, and commit to operating the service for an additional four years.
“I am proud of everything the Silicon Valley Hopper program has achieved in the last year by connecting residents to easy and cost-effective transportation. Its popularity has already paved the way for significant expansion, geographically and environmentally.”
— Sheila Mohan, Mayor of Cupertino, California
