Cupertino reviews SV Hopper microtransit update; council gives nonbinding support to pursue grants

City staff on Tuesday briefed the Cupertino City Council on the performance and funding needs of SV Hopper, the city’s branded microtransit service, and requested council support to pursue federal and state grants to sustain the program.

Matt Schroeder, senior transportation planner, told the council SV Hopper began as a 2019 pilot and has since expanded to serve Cupertino, El Camino Hospital, Sunnyvale and Mountain View Caltrain stations. He said the fleet is all‑electric with 12 vehicles and one spare, including three wheelchair‑accessible vehicles, that rides cost $3.50 (with discounted fares for students, seniors, low‑income riders and people with disabilities) and that the program averages about 9,000 riders per month. Schroeder said “almost 60% of the program is funded through grants,” with the remainder shared between Cupertino and Santa Clara based on geographic service area; he added that Santa Clara’s share will increase starting in July as its service area grows.

Schroeder and David Stillman, transportation manager, described operational metrics: roughly 511 daily ride requests in a typical snapshot, a 93% offer rate for presented riders, a roughly 63% completion rate, a 7% seat‑unavailability rate during peak periods and average wait times near 17 minutes on many weekdays. Staff also noted a ridership spike tied to a VTA strike last year that brought riders to Hopper, and they said the app now delivers GTFS Caltrain trip‑planning data and is planning Clipper integration later this year.

Council members pressed staff on partnerships and long‑term commitments. Council Member Mohan asked whether Santa Clara had provided a written commitment; Stillman said the partner has not provided a formal written pledge but remains in ongoing discussions. Vice Mayor Chao asked whether SV Hopper could prioritize local, shorter rides during peak periods to avoid vehicles being pulled out of core coverage for long Caltrain trips; staff said they are discussing algorithm and partner options with Via (the platform operator) and exploring connecting long trips through other TNCs to reduce drag on the local fleet.

Two members of the public described user experiences and ideas. Peggy Griffin, a senior Hopper user, urged the council to study rejection rates and consider fare changes after recounting a pickup delay that left a rider waiting nearly 50 minutes. Sandra Rao, a resident who said she polled Cupertino voters, urged staff to consider partnering with local colleges and school districts to focus service where student and family demand is highest.

On the procedural question of whether council could formally act during a study session, the city attorney advised that the council could take a straw poll. The mayor took a nonbinding straw poll on whether staff should pursue grant funding opportunities; several members indicated general support. Staff said it would pursue appropriate grant cycles — including the TRSIP (Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program) cycle 8 application in partnership with ACE — and return to council for acceptance of any awards and for decisions about program phase changes.

Next steps: staff will pursue grant opportunities, continue talks with potential partners, and return to the council with recommended grant acceptance items and more detailed cost‑share or fare proposals.