So every day she takes Route 60 from near her home off of Winchester Boulevard. She transfers to Route 36 at Westfield Shoppingtown Valley Fair in Santa Clara, which takes her to a YMCA in San Jose.

"It's very important to me," she said of the bus service.

The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority has modified its proposed route changes in Los Gatos because of feedback it received from a small but vocal group of riders that includes Gusakova.

The agency is scheduled to implement a new "community bus" system this summer that will use shuttle-style vehicles for two new lines in town. As part of the proposal, VTA had planned to use the last stop of the new Vasona Light Rail Extension in Campbell as a hub, modifying the routes of existing routes 60, 27, 38, 62 and express line 101.

At two Feb. 24 meetings in Los Gatos, however, daily riders told VTA representatives that the route changes would cause at least one additional transfer to their daily routines, adding cost, time and hassle to their transportation plans.

The agency's new plans call for Route 60 to still come as far south as Winchester Boulevard and Knowles Drive, near both medical offices and senior housing. The new routes, 48 and 49, will head south into town via Winchester and Los Gatos boulevards from there.

"A lot of people showed interest in having the bus go a little farther--to the hospital area there," agency spokeswoman Lupe Solís said. "Based on all that input, we extended that section."

The proposal will go to the transportation authority's board of directors May 6. Los Gatos Town Councilman Joe Pirzynski is chairman of that board.

Council members generally supported VTA's proposal at study sessions both last and this year, with the hope that the smaller buses would be used by more residents to relieve traffic and parking congestion in town. Sponsorship by community businesses may allow for the buses to operate free of charge to riders.

Councilman Steve Glickman, who serves on the agency's policy committee, attended the Feb. 24 meetings and later told VTA staff members that he would like to see the changes that riders requested put into the final plans. He said he was happy to hear that the agency responded to the input it received.

"We're very pleased that VTA has chosen Los Gatos to pilot this community bus service, but it will succeed or not depending on how well it meets the needs of the community," he said. "We're not done, but I'm very excited about this."

Gusakova and other riders said they were pleased with the changes.

"Otherwise, I would need a second bus," she said. "I hope it will be OK."

Bill Sedgwick, Gusakova's neighbor at Villa Vasona, said he, too, depends on Route 60. Sedgwick, who has impaired vision, travels to downtown Los Gatos daily. Under the new plan, he would take route 48 into town.

"I hope it doesn't affect me too much," Sedgwick said. "It's a damn good bus system."

The VTA Board of Directors is scheduled to discuss the community bus plan May 6 at 5:30 p.m. in the board chambers at 70 W. Hedding St., San Jose. Anyone who wishes to provide input before then may do so by phone at 408.321.2300, via the web at www.vta.org or in writing to 3331 N. First St., San Jose, 95134.