Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit District

Highway 17 Express bus at San Jose Diridon

Santa Cruz METRO was created in 1968 as a special district within Santa Cruz County with taxing authority.[3] Service was initially to the cities of Santa Cruz, Capitola and Live Oak. Santa Cruz METRO extended service to Watsonville, Scotts Valley and the San Lorenzo Valley in 1974.

In 1979, voters approved a measure to change the financing of Santa Cruz METRO from a property tax to a 1/2 cent sales tax.

The Amtrak Thruway Highway 17 Express service between Santa Cruz and San Jose started as an emergency bus service after the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake closed Highway 17.

A strike in September 2005 lasted for 35 days and stranded up to 23,000 riders.[4]

In 2011 fixed route service was severely cut then restored mere months later.[5]

In 2012 Santa Cruz METRO received grant funding to construct the Judy K. Souza Operations Facility.[6]

• Route 4 – Harvey West/Emeline
• Route 10 – UCSC via Main Gate – High
• Route 15 – UCSC via Laurel West
• Route 17 – Highway 17 Express
• Route 18 – UCSC via Main Gate – Mission
• Route 19 – UCSC via West Gate – Bay
• Route 20 – UCSC via Main Gate – Delaware/Western
• Route 35 – Highway 9/Scotts Valley
• Route 35E – Highway 9/Scotts Valley via Emeline
• Route 40 – Highway 1 - Davenport
• Route 41 – Empire Grade - Bonny Doon
• Route 42 – Davenport/Bonny Doon
• Route 55 – Cabrillo – Rio Del Mar
• Route 66 – Live Oak/17th
• Route 68 – Broadway/Portola
• Route 69A/69W – Capitola/Cabrillo/Airport
• Route 71 – Soquel/Freedom
• Route 72 – Green Valley – Hospital
• Route 72W – Green Valley – Corralitos
• Route 74S – Pajaro Valley High School/Hospital
• Route 75 – Green Valley – Wheelock
• Route 79 – East Lake
• Route WC – Watsonville Circulator
• Route 91X – Cabrillo Express

• Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit District