VTA stated in its Limited Stop Line 323 Overview “there has been a recent surge of Santa Clara County residents using public transportation.” 

Brandi Childress, media spokesperson for Santa Clara Valley VTA, admits that since the beginning of the Eco Pass Program 17 years ago, the economy has changed drastically, and the program has not picked up its pace. Because of the increased use of public transit, VTA will begin its production of a new BRT line, which will cut down the time-consuming commute of De Anza students. It is important to VTA to end the over-crowding problem for Line 23. 

Childress explained, “Due to increased demand on Line 23, in October 1, 2012, VTA will introduce a Limited 323 service that will provide faster and more direct service between De Anza College and downtown San Jose by supplementing Line 23.”

The Limited 323 line will begin on South Stelling Road, along Parking Lot A, and continue to downtown San Jose. Limited 323 will run weekdays only, between 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. every 15 minutes. Limited 323 will have only 28 stops compared to the 94 stops of Line 23. Unlike Line 23, Limited 323, the route down Stevens Creek Boulevard, continues straight into San Carlos, not stopping at Valley Fair Transit Center, but there will be a stop between Valley Fair and Santana Row. The change of the BRT will not affect pricing of the Eco Pass stickers or De Anza students. 

The bigger BRT project will provide services from De Anza College to the Transit Mall in downtown San Jose, but the BRT project still has miles to go before it is a finished production. 

“We are currently in preliminary planning of this corridor,” said Childress, “and we expect revenue service to begin in late 2017.”

Final plans for the BRT project will be finalized by September 2015.