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Protect Our Monterey Bay, One Ride at a Time
One Ride at a Time is a campaign that gives everyone in Santa Cruz County an opportunity to protect our extraordinary natural resources just by simply riding the bus.
Our home, the Monterey Bay region, is the hottest hotspot for biodiversity in North America according to a study conducted by The Nature Conservancy. Its dynamic confluence of land and sea creates unique ecosystems and supports iconic wildlife from secretive mountain lions to majestic blue whales.
Beginning in January 2023, every ride on a METRO bus donates to our partners in protecting the environment, the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Foundation and the Bay of Life Fund.
Hop on board and join us in protecting our Monterey Bay, one ride at a time!
Two Ways to Join Us
Desktop
- Create an account at scmtd.com/gosantacruz, the online ridesharing portal administered by GO Santa Cruz County.
- Once you have an account, use the portal to log your bus trips. You’ll earn 10 points for each trip with a maximum of two rides per day that count towards your point accruals.
- When you reach 250 points, or 25 rides, use the portal to select one of our nonprofit partners to receive a $10 donation.
- You can also see the greenhouse gas emissions reductions you’ve made by riding public transit and compete against other riders to see who can make the biggest impact.
Mobile
- Download the Commute Tracker app from the App Store or the Google Play store.
- Setup your account and select CRUZ511.org.
- Follow the prompts to allow Commute Tracker to automatically log your trips by turning on location tracking.
- When you reach 250 points, or 25 rides, you can select a nonprofit partner to receive a $10 donation.
For more help setting up Commute Tracker, visit: scmtd.com/ctsetup.
One Ride at a Time Buses
METRO will gradually release pairs of buses wrapped with photographer Frans Lanting’s iconic images of the Monterey Bay from the Bay of Life Project. By the end of 2024, about 30 wrapped buses will be traveling throughout Santa Cruz County and featuring inspiring images of whales, sea otters, mountain lions, redwoods and more.
The beautifully wrapped One Ride at a Time buses will remind us of the positive impact we make every time we choose transit over a personal vehicle.
One Ride at a Time in the Community
Throughout 2023 and 2024, METRO will support the campaign with advertising, social media, and community outreach events at the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Exploration Center and more, and featuring the wrapped buses and Lanting’s powerful photos.
The first pair of bus wraps will be unveiled in January 2023, in time for Lanting and Eckstrom’s Bay of Life exhibit at the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History, which opens on January 21, 2023.
Why Metro Is Leading this Campaign
METRO’S mission is to provide environmentally sustainable transportation to Santa Cruz County. Every ride on a METRO bus takes cars off the road and significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
METRO is also converting its entire bus fleet to zero-emissions buses (ZEBs). By the end of 2023, METRO will have 9 ZEBs deployed in the county with more coming every year. Starting in 2022, METRO has pledged that all new bus purchases will be ZEBs.
One Ride at a Time is an opportunity to not only educate the public about the benefits of public transit and the unique natural resources of the Monterey Bay but inspire people to take action.
Our Campaign Partners
One Ride at a Time is made possible by a partnership between METRO, Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission (SCCRTC), the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, Bay of Life Fund, and renowned photographer-writer team Frans Lanting and Chris Eckstrom.
