VTA light rail service halted; trainee tests positive for COVID-19

SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority halted light rail service after a worker tested positive for COVID-19.

Transit unions posted a memo sent by the VTA, that a light rail operator trainee tested positive.

VTA announced that it took swift action, and shut down service at 11:30 p.m. Wednesday. Six trains were running at the time, and the transit agency made sure that no passengers were stranded onboard trains or at station platforms.

Operators were told to shelter-in-place and would be instructed later on whether to self-quarantine or take a coronavirus test.

All trains will now be thoroughly cleaned.

VTA said that it had several sanitized trains ready to go for such a scenario, but for now, only buses are running. 

Ridership on light rail trains has dropped 82% since Santa Clara County instituted a stay-at-home order earlier this month.