Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit District

Santa Cruz METRO

Bike rack on the Amtrak Thruway Motorcoach Highway 17 Express
Headquarters 110 Vernon Street,
Santa Cruz, CA
Service area Santa Cruz County
Service type bus service, paratransit, express bus service
Stations Amtrak - METRO Center/Pacific Station, 920 Pacific Ave., Santa CruzCoordinates: 36°58′15.3″N 122°01′29.8″W / 36.970917°N 122.024944°W
Website scmtd.com

Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit District (SCMTD), or simply Santa Cruz METRO, provides bus service throughout Santa Cruz County, California.

Santa Cruz METRO also operates the Amtrak Thruway Motorcoach Highway 17 Express service between Santa Cruz (city) and San Jose Amtrak Station, thanks to a partnership with Amtrak California, Capitol Corridor, and the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority.

Complete transit itineraries between Santa Cruz and San Francisco Bay Area cities and major airports are available from iridethebus.org.

History

Santa Cruz METRO was created in 1968 as a special district within Santa Cruz County with taxing authority.[1] 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 Motorcoach 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.[2]

In 2011 fixed route service was severely cut then restored mere months later.[3]

In 2012 Santa Cruz METRO received grant funding to construct the Judy K. Souza Operations Facility.[4]

Year Round Routes

Routes operating only during UCSC terms

Complete Bus Fleet

Fleet Numbers Thumbnail Year Manufacturer Model Number Engine Transmission Notes
811-816 1971 GMC TDH-3301
817-818 1973 GMC TDH-3302A
819-823 1973 GMC T6H-4523N
824-825 1973 GMC TDH-3302A
826-827 1974 GMC T8H-5307A
828-830 1974 GMC T6H-4523N
831-833 1974-75 GMC T6H-4523N
834-836 1975 GMC T6H-4523N
837-839 1975 GMC T8H-5307A
840-845 1976 GMC T6H-4523N
846-851 1977 AMG 9635B-6
858-880 1979 Grumman Flxible 870 (45102-8-1)
881-886 1979 Gillig/Neoplan ??
  • These buses were manufactured in a joint venture between
    Gillig & Neoplan
8004-8005 1980 Gillig/Neoplan ??
  • These buses were also manufactured in a joint venture between Gillig & Neoplan
8070-8074 1980 Grumman Flxible 870 (53102-8-1)
8050-8064 1981 Gillig Phantom (3596T)
8065 1982 Gillig Phantom (3596T)
8066-8069 1984 Gillig Phantom (30TB96)
8075-8099 1988 New Flyer D35
8100-8107 1989 New Flyer D40
  • First buses designated for use on the HWY 17 Express
8108 1981 Flyer D901A (10235)
9801-9818 1998 New Flyer D35LF
9819-9830 1998 New Flyer D40LF
10 2002 New Flyer C40S
  • This prototype was created from a 1998 C40 that had its section to Suburban.
2201-2208 2002 New Flyer C40LF
2210-2224 2002 New Flyer D35LF
2225-2238 2002 New Flyer D40LF
2301-2311 2003 Orion 05.501
  • Last high floor buses purchased for the HWY 17 Express.
    Originally diesel powered and later converted to CNG.
2406 2003 Ford/Goshen GC-II
2601-2602 2006 New Flyer C40LF
2801-2813 2008 New Flyer C40LF
  • 2801-2805 - suburban config
1001-1005 2010 New Flyer C40LFR
  • HWY 17 Express
1201-1211 2012 New Flyer C40LFR
8301-83?? 1982 GMC RTS T8J 204
  • Ex Golden Gate Transit buses purchased for the HWY 17 Express.
    Original fleet numbers are unknown. Since Retired
9831-9840 1984 Gillig Phantom (40TB966V92) Cummins M11 Allison Transmission B400R
  • Ex-SamTrans 853, 856, 858, 866, 869, 871, 873, 877, 878, & 880.
  • Originally had Detroit Diesel 6V92TA and Allison HT-747.

References

  1. ↑ "History of the Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit District". Santa Cruz Public Libraries. Retrieved 2008-06-24.
  2. ↑ "Strikes halts Santa Cruz bus service, strands 23,000 riders". Associated Press. Retrieved 2008-06-24.
  3. ↑ "Just-enacted METRO route cuts may be revisited: Unexpected revenues may lead to restored services". Santa Cruz Sentinel. Retrieved 2012-11-06.
  4. ↑ "Final portion of METROBase pie to break ground Oct. 26". Santa Cruz Sentinel. Retrieved 2012-11-06.

External links