VTA braces for record-breaking surge in FIFA World Cup crowds 6 times bigger than Super Bowl

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) -- The FIFA World Cup comes to the Bay Area in June and Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) is preparing to activate nearly its entire system as the South Bay is preparing for crowds six times the size of the Super Bowl.

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"Even though transporting record numbers of riders six times back and forth to the stadium within two and a half weeks is going to be the biggest challenge we've ever had, we have had a solid and successful plan of doing this for the last 12 years," Stacey Hendler Ross with VTA told ABC7 Eyewitness News.

ABC7 Eyewitness News got an exclusive experience getting behind the wheel of a VTA bus as part of this report.

WATCH: ABC7's Amanda del Castillo get a crash course in VTA operator training

VTA is preparing to move a record number of the 260,000 people expected to flood the Bay Area for six matches between June 13th and July 1st.

"We'll probably have about 30 extra trains - train cars being used on our light rail system over and above what we use for normal service," Hendler Ross explained. "That could be close to 90% of our resources, just for light rail. We'll also employ our buses of course, and we have several hundred buses out on the streets throughout the county."

Safe and reliable transit is a responsibility taken on by thousands of VTA employees.

"Preparation, specifically for these events, began about two years ago. But bus and light rail operators know the same job they have to do. So, they're going to be doing the same job every day, all day. It's just going to be with bigger crowds this time," Hendler Ross said.

Public transportation is highly encouraged, as the World Cup experience is putting community events across the Bay Area.