VIA Metropolitan Transit

VIA Metropolitan Transit (or simply VIA) is the mass transit agency serving San Antonio, Texas, USA. It began operation in 1978 as a successor to the San Antonio Transit System.

In addition to the entire city of San Antonio, VIA serves many other Bexar County municipalities, including Alamo Heights, Balcones Heights, Castle Hills, China Grove, Converse, Elmendorf, Kirby, Leon Valley, Olmos Park, Shavano Park, St. Hedwig and Terrell Hills. It also serves unincorporated portions of the county, including Kings Point and Losoya. While VIA does not directly serve some Bexar County municipalities such as Hill Country Village, Hollywood Park, Live Oak, Selma, Schertz, Universal City and Windcrest, many of these suburbs are within driving proximity of outlying park and ride facilities.

The majority of the system utilizes transit buses. VIA also provides Downtown San Antonio with a streetcar (the "E") free circulator service utilized by office workers and tourists.

History

Public Transport Corporation

The Public Transport Corporation was a State Government of Victoria owned corporate body formed under the Transport Act 1983 which operated passenger and freight trains, trams and bus services.

The Corporation was also responsible for directly operating some bus services and procuring bus services from private operators. The Public Transport Corporation was established on 1 July 1989 as a result of the passage and commencement of the Transport (Amendment) Act 1989 to manage the responsibilities of the State Transport Authority and the Metropolitan Transit Authority. In suburban Melbourne it traded as The Met while in regional Victoria it operated as V/Line.

The operational rail activities of the corporation were franchised in 1999 by the Kennett Government through the intermediary of a new agency, the Director of Public Transport, a statutory office within the Department of Transport. The Director was required entered into franchise agreements with private rail and tram companies for the on the ground delivery of public transport services. The land and infrastructure assets of the Public Transport Corporation were transferred to another new agency, VicTrack who then leased those assets to the Director of Public Transport, which in turned sub leased the assets to the new private operators.