METRO Real-Time Soft Launch

See Route Schedule: 10 15 17 18 19 20 35 35E 4 40 41 42 55 66 68 69A 69W 71 72 72W 74S 75 79 UC WC     See Route Map: 10 15 17 18 19 20 35 35E 4 40 41 42 55 66 68 69A 69W 71 72 72W 74S 75 79 UC WC

Effective: May 01 - Sep 13 2023

Santa Cruz METRO is pleased to announce  METRO Real-Time services. 

Go to rt.scmetro.org to try it out and subscribe to Service Alert Notifications.

 Or text "SCM XXXX" to 41411 (where XXXX is a stop ID)

We are nearly complete in equipping the last of our entire fleet of buses with the necessary equipment to report real-time location and estimated arrival times via website, SMS text message, and Google Transit Real-Time feed for all transit apps.

At this finalizing stage, we caution that NOT EVERY BUS in service on the road is reporting their location to the real-time system.

On rt.scmetro.org check the route you are interested in on the map. If you see a live bus updating location on the route map, then arrival predictions will be available.

There is no longer information available on cruzmetro.com. This site will soon be taken down permanently.

Summer Service starting June 8, 2023

Highlighted Service changes:

Route 35 – Highway 9/Big Basin State Park

Weekends: Five trips will depart from Scotts Valley Transit Center (SVTC) to serve Big Basin Redwoods State Park, also serving stops along the route including Mt. Hermon Rd, Graham Hill Road, and Highway 9. From Santa Cruz, customers can ride Route 35 and transfer to the Big Basin bus at Scotts Valley Transit Center. An alternative is to park at SVTC, where parking is free for daytime use by METRO riders, and then ride the Big Basin Route 35 bus to the State Park. Parking at Big Basin State Park is limited and requires an advance reservation and $6 parking fee.

Route 71 – Soquel/Freedom

Weekdays/Weekends: The 10:45pm departure from Santa Cruz Metro Center to Watsonville will serve Crestview Dr and Lincoln St rather than Clifford. The 11:45pm departure from Santa Cruz Metro Center will go into service at 11:35pm from the Boardwalk at Cliff & Beach (Stop ID 1318) for Summer only.

School Term Service

Weekdays: UCSC “ST” service will only operate through June 15, then return in the Fall 2023 schedule. San Lorenzo Valley School Term “ST” service will resume August 10, 2023.

Route-specific Schedule Changes between Spring and Summer schedules - Routes not specifically mentioned below will continue to operate the same schedule as Spring 2023 Service.

Route 10 – UCSC via Main Gate - High

See Route Schedule: 10 UC     See Route Map: 10 UC

Weekdays/Weekends: Departure and arrival times have been adjusted by a few minutes along the route.

Weekdays: The 7:10am departure from Santa Cruz Metro Center has been moved to 7:25am, and the 3:10pm trip has been moved to 2:55pm.

Highway 17 Express

See Route Schedule: 17     See Route Map: 17

Weekdays/Weekends: Departure times along the route have been adjusted to account for summer traffic.

Route 19 – UCSC via West Gate – Bay

See Route Schedule: 19 UC     See Route Map: 19 UC

Weekdays: Departure and arrival times have been adjusted by a few minutes along the route.

Route 35 – Highway 9/Scotts Valley/Boulder Creek

See Route Schedule: 35     See Route Map: 35

Weekdays/Weekends: Two stops will be discontinued – Scotts Valley Dr & Willis Rd (Stop ID 1742) and Scotts Valley Dr & Johnston Way (Stop ID 2633). The timepoint at San Lorenzo Valley High School has been adjusted by a few minutes.

Weekends: Five round trips will depart from Scotts Valley Transit Center, at 7:55am, 9:55am, 12:10pm, 2:10pm, and 4:10pm, to serve Big Basin Redwoods State Park. Unlike Summer 2022 Big Basin service, these trips are in addition to regular Route 35 service.

Route 71 – Soquel/Freedom

See Route Schedule: 71     See Route Map: 71

Weekdays/Weekends: The 10:45pm departure from Santa Cruz Metro Center will now serve Crestview/Lincoln rather than Clifford. The 11:45pm departure from Santa Cruz Metro Center will go into service at 11:35pm from the Boardwalk at Cliff & Beach (Stop ID 1318) for Summer only.

Spring Service starting March 16, 2023

Highlighted Service changes:

Route 69A has been reinstated, but with a modified route to serve Cabrillo College.

Route 69W will return to its previous route (Fall 2022 service) and frequency. Watsonville Hospital will no longer be served by Route 69W, but will be served by Route 69A, as it was in Fall 2022.

Since Route 69A has returned, the Watsonville Circulator will also return to its Fall 2022 routing that did not include Watsonville Hospital.

Three Highway 17 Express weekday morning northbound trips will continue on past San Jose Diridon to San Fernando & 7th St to serve downtown and SJSU. Three weekday afternoon/evening southbound trips will begin from San Jose Diridon and serve Santa Clara St and San Fernando & 7th stops, then continue on to 10th Street, I-280 and Hwy 17 to Scotts Valley and Santa Cruz. All downtown/SJSU trips will include service to both Scotts Valley Transit Center and Scotts Valley Drive.

Route-specific Schedule Changes between Winter and Spring schedules - Routes not specifically mentioned below will continue to operate the same schedule as Winter 2022-23 Service.

Route 19 - UCSC via West Gate -Bay

See Route Schedule: 19     See Route Map: 19

Weekdays: Three trips have been suspended: 6:35am, 11:05pm, and 11:35pm.

Route 69A – Capitola/Airport

See Route Schedule: 69A     See Route Map: 69A

Weekdays/Weekends: This route has been reinstated, but the route has been modified. From Santa Cruz to Watsonville, the bus will exit Hwy 1 at Park Ave to serve the following four stops on Soquel Dr: Soquel Dr & Willowbrook Ln (Stop ID 1836); Soquel Dr & Lower Perimeter Rd (Stop ID 2722); Soquel Dr & Cabrillo College Dr (Stop ID 1840; Soquel Dr & State Park Dr (Stop ID 1848). Then the bus will get back on Hwy 1 at State Park Dr to Airport Blvd to complete the route to Watsonville Transit Center. From Watsonville to Santa Cruz, the route will operate from Watsonville Transit Center through Watsonville as it did in Fall 2022 and then enter Hwy 1 at Airport Blvd. The bus will exit at State Park Dr to serve the following four stops: Soquel Dr & E Ledyard Way (Aptos Library) (Stop ID 1849); Soquel Dr & Cabrillo College Dr (Stop ID 1839); Soquel Dr & Porter Gulch Rd (Stop ID 1838); Soquel Dr & Merrill Rd (METRO Stop ID: 1837). Then the bus will get back on Hwy 1 at Park Ave and continue to Santa Cruz Metro Center via Capitola Mall using the same route as Fall 2022.

Watsonville Circulator

See Route Schedule: WC     See Route Map: WC

Weekdays/Weekends: Due to the return of Route 69A, the Watsonville Circulator will return to its Fall 2022 routing – no service to Watsonville Hospital.