Reimagine METRO

 

 

 

Reimagine Metro Banner

 

 

 

Waves of change are coming! Santa Cruz METRO is reimagining bus routes and frequencies to better meet our community's needs. Our goals are to:

  • Increase the amount of transit service
  • Make transit more useful and attractive for many people’s trips
  • Make transit more relevant to the community’s needs

 

 

Through a comprehensive initiative supported by a state grant available until 2026, METRO is delivering better frequency, expanded service, and faster connections. Thanks to our riders and their valuable feedback, the improvements are already making a difference!

 

 

Ridership is Growing

43% of respondents reported they now ride METRO more often!

 

Since the first wave of Reimagine METRO rolled out in late 2023, ridership has increased by an impressive 23%. Specific groups, like K-12 students, UCSC riders, and Cabrillo College riders, have seen even more significant growth—up to 147%!

 

 

Our Service is More Frequent

Added Convenience: 20-minute or better frequency on our most popular routes.

 

With more frequent departures, METRO is making travel easier and more flexible. Riders can expect more frequent buses on routes like 1, 2, 18, and 19, and new all-day service options.

 

 

We’ve Added More Service

More Night & Weekend Service: The service you love, every day of the week.

 

From late-night weekday routes to robust weekend service, METRO's expanded schedule means you can travel when you need it most. Select routes now run until midnight, and weekend service matches weekday frequencies on most routes for even greater convenience.

 

 

Access is Expanding

100,000+ Santa Cruz residents are within a 10-minute walk of frequent transit service.

 

As part of the Reimagine METRO initiative, accessibility improvements are bringing transit closer to where you live, work, and play.

 

 

Cross-County Service is Faster

Every 10 Minutes, 7 Days a Week: Buses now depart between Watsonville and Santa Cruz more frequently than ever before.

 

 

We’re Listening to Rider Feedback

Did you know? 86% of riders support METRO’s service improvements.

 

Rider feedback has been key to shaping the Reimagine METRO program, ensuring the new services reflect the needs of the community.

 

 

 

 

The first wave of Reimagine METRO service changes was implemented in December 2023 with additional phases rolled out through 2024 and 2025. Thanks to our riders' support of the Reimagine METRO service changes:

  • Ridership has increased 23% since the first wave was implemented in September 2023
  • UCSC, Cabrillo College, and K-12 ridership have grown substantially, increasing by 27%, 27%, and 148% respectively as of March 2024.
  • Productivity in FY24 Q3, measured as riders per revenue hour, increased by 4% year over year.

 

Here is a brief overview of where we are and where we are headed.

 

 

Final Reimagine METRO Phase 2 Improvements 

 

Changes implemented in September 2025:

  • UCSC Route 16 is returning!
    This popular route, scheduled around class times, provides additional service on the Laurel and Bay corridors and increases bus capacity to and from campus.

  • Faster Direct Service Between San Lorenzo Valley and Santa Cruz on Weekdays
    A frequent request from customers, Route 35X (operating weekdays starting at 7:20am from Mountain Store and 7:50am from Country Club) will now go from Boulder Creek, Ben Lomond, and Felton directly to Santa Cruz, bypassing Scotts Valley Drive during peak hours on weekdays.

  • More Highway 17 Express Weekday Santa Cruz – San Jose Direct Service
    Since most Highway 17 Express passengers are traveling between Santa Cruz and San Jose Diridon Station, the number of weekday direct trips (bypassing Scotts Valley) has been increased, including some mid-day trips for the first time in many years. The total number of weekday round trips has increased from 27 to 29.

  • New Route 34: Santa Cruz - Scotts Valley Drive, plus school service to Vine Hill Elementary and Scotts Valley High School
    Scotts Valley Drive will be served by a new dedicated route - Route 34 – which operates from 7:00am to 5:00pm from River Front Transit Center to the Scotts Valley Transit Center. Route 34 will also serve Vine Hill Elementary, Scotts Valley Middle School and High School at the start and end of regular school days.

  • Route 55 Now Serves Popular Shopping Destination Aptos Village
    Responding to another popular request, Route 55 now serves Aptos Village throughout the day.

 

 

Reimagine METRO Phase 2: The Waves of Change Are Bringing You More Buses & More Frequency

 

 

September 2024

  • Increased weekend service on Route 35 that matches weekday service levels.

 

June 2024

  • The Wave Hits Route 1 every 15-minutes from 6AM - 9PM and will now serve Soquel Ave. instead of Water St.
  • Routes 18 & 19 continue to provide service every 15-minutes.
  • Hwy-17 Express will now operate every 30-minutes during peak periods.
  • Route 90X will now operate every 30-minutes on weekdays and hourly on weekends (Temporarily Suspended Through September 2025).

 

March 2024

  • More evening service. Routes 2, 3B and 73 will provide service until midnight.
  • More express service. Route 90X will operate 6 morning trips and 6 evening trips, in both directions.
  • New Route 78. New all-day service on West Beach Street, Ohlone Parkway, and to the new County Social Service offices at Westridge. This route will also serve Watsonville Community Hospital and Freedom Centre.

 

 

Reimagine METRO Phase 1: Straighter more direct routes.

 

December 2023 Improvements

  • Higher frequency at UCSC. In September 2023, METRO introduced service every 15 minutes on Routes 18 and 19.
  • Simpler and more direct service between Santa Cruz and Watsonville. Routes 1 and 2 now offer faster service from Watsonville to Santa Cruz, by both taking Highway 1 between Watsonville and Aptos. Route 90X provides added express service at peak hours.
  • Simpler and more frequent service in Watsonville. Most Watsonville residents now live near a route that runs at least every 30 minutes on weekdays.
  • East-west service in Santa Cruz. The introduction of Route 3 piloted a direct service between UCSC, Downtown Santa Cruz, and Live Oak. METRO will suspend the direct service in June 2024 until a layover facility is constructed at UCSC, which will allow buses to maintain better on time performance.
  • More direct service between the San Lorenzo Valley and Santa Cruz. All trips on Route 35 now head directly to Downtown Santa Cruz. Emeline St is served by Route 4.

 

 

 

Major Service Increases

 

Santa Cruz METRO intends to increase service by over 40 percent through the Reimagine METRO service restoration and expansion plan, thanks to new funding and intensified operator recruitment. This will make it possible to improve frequencies and increase service in many places. The Reimagine METRO Network includes:

  • Frequent service in east Santa Cruz, Live Oak, Soquel, Aptos and Watsonville.
  • Saturday and Sunday frequencies that match weekdays on most routes, including Routes 1, 2, 3, 17, 20, 35, 75.
  • More consistent service on Highway 17. More service from Santa Cruz to San Jose, every 30 minutes, every day.

 

View Phase 2 Report

 

 

Benefits of METRO’s Fast, More Frequent and Reliable Service

METRO’s reimagined bus system with WAVE SERVICE will double ridership to more than 7 million rides per year. This equates to a VMT reduction of 9,852,903 miles per year and a CO2 emission reduction of 40,068 metric tons per year. Meaning less congestion and emissions in Santa Cruz County. That’s transformational.

 

METRO with the new WAVE SERVICE brings livable transportation alternatives to residents—no matter what age, income or race. Equitable and easy to use transportation options for everyone, including freedom of travel to education, job access, health care. All signs of a healthy community. Finally, but certainly not least, METRO with WAVE SERVICE brings opportunities to better align housing opportunity with quality transportation, which will bring enhanced State and federal funding opportunities.

 

 

Project Timeline

    • March 2023 (Complete): Phase 1 Public Outreach and Existing Conditions
    • May 2023 (Complete): Early Wins defined
    • July 2023 (Complete): Alternatives Report
    • July-August (Complete): Phase 1 Public Outreach:
    • September 22 (Complete): Public Hearing Meeting
    • December 2023: Phase 1 Reimagine METRO begins with Winter Service Schedule
    • February 2024(Complete) Public Review and Feedback on Phase 2 Plan
    • March 2024 (Complete): Additional Phase 1 changes
    • June 2024 – December 2024 (Complete): Additional service increases will be implemented based on public feedback on the Phase 2 Plan