Service Alerts
General Announcements
METRO Spring Schedule Service Alert
See Route Schedule: 55 78 /*= JText::_('COM_BULLETINS_SEE_ROUTE_MAP')*/?>
Effective: Mar 15 - Jun 19 2024
Please note the below route changes:
Route 78: Currently not serving Westridge Drive. Westridge Drive service will begin when the South County Government Service Building opens May 1st.
Route 55: Due to the closure of the Capitola Avenue crossing, Route 55 will detour via Bay, Porter and Soquel Avenue until summer 2025.
Quarterly Service Changes
Spring Service (Mar 14, 2024 - Jun 19, 2024)
Spring Service starting March 14, 2024
Highlighted Service Changes:
River Front Transit Center
Santa Cruz Metro Center (Pacific Station) closed in February 2024. METRO has been operating from a temporary facility, River Front Transit Center (see page X). As a result of this move, there were route and schedule changes in downtown Santa Cruz; see the schedule and maps for Routes 1, 2, 3, 4, 18, 19, 20, 35, 40, 41, 42, 90X, and Highway 17 Express. Route and schedule changes implemented in February for the relocation to River Front Center remain in effect for the Spring schedule.
Reimagine METRO – Phase 1 Additional Changes
New Route 78 And Simplified Route 72
Route 72 will now serve Green Valley Rd in both directions, and will no longer serve the hospital or Social Security. A new route, Route 78, will provide all-day service in Watsonville on West Beach Street, Ohlone Parkway, and to the new South County Government Service Center on Westridge Dr. This route will also serve Watsonville Community Hospital, the Social Security office, and Freedom Centre.
Service has been extended later into the evening on Routes 1, 2, 3A, 3B, 19, and 73.
More frequent 90X Express Service Between Watsonville and Santa Cruz
Route 90X will run every 30 minutes rather than every 60 minutes in the peak hours, doubling the number of trips available.
Service to Big Basin Redwoods State Park Returns
Five round trips will serve Big Basin on weekends from Scotts Valley Transit Center.
School Term (“ST”) Service:
San Lorenzo Valley School District
Weekdays: San Lorenzo Valley school term “ST” service will operate March 14, 2024 and from March 18 – June 6, 2024, except for the following dates: April 1-5 (Spring Break), and May 27, 2024 (Memorial Day).
Route 1 – Soquel/Cabrillo/Airport
See Route Schedule: 1 /*= JText::_('COM_BULLETINS_SEE_ROUTE_MAP')*/?>
ADDITIONAL EVENING SERVICE
Weekdays/Weekends: A new trip has been added at 8:30pm departing from Santa Cruz River Front Center. Three evening departures from Santa Cruz will start from the Boardwalk at Cliff & Beach (Stop ID 1318) at 8:45pm, 9:45pm, and 10:45pm, then continue to River Front Center to depart on the hour at 9:00pm, 10:00pm, and 11:00pm.
Route 2 – Capitola/Cabrillo/Main
See Route Schedule: 2 /*= JText::_('COM_BULLETINS_SEE_ROUTE_MAP')*/?>
ADDITIONAL EVENING SERVICE
Weekdays: Trips have been added at 8:15pm, 9:45pm, 10:45pm, and 11:45pm from Santa Cruz to Watsonville.
Weekends: Trips have been added at 8:15pm, 8:45pm, 9:45pm, and 10:45pm from Santa Cruz to Watsonville. Trips from Watsonville to Santa Cruz have been added at 9:15pm and 10:15pm.
Route 3A – UCSC/Capitola Mall/Live Oak via East Cliff
See Route Schedule: 3A /*= JText::_('COM_BULLETINS_SEE_ROUTE_MAP')*/?>
ROUTE CHANGE AND ADDITIONAL EVENING SERVICE
Weekdays: Two additional evening trips will depart Capitola Mall at 7:32pm and 8:32pm. The schedule has been changed so that Route 3A will be scheduled to depart from River Front Transit Center to UCSC at :50 past the hour from 7:50am – 8:50pm. Departure times have also changed elsewhere along the route.
Weekends: The schedule has been changed so that Route 3A will be scheduled to depart from River Front Transit Center to UCSC at :25 past the hour from 7:25am – 8:25pm. Departure times have also changed elsewhere along the route.
Route 3B – UCSC/Capitola Mall/Live Oak via 17th/Brommer
See Route Schedule: 3B /*= JText::_('COM_BULLETINS_SEE_ROUTE_MAP')*/?>
ADDITIONAL MORNING AND EVENING SERVICE
Weekdays: Two additional evening trips will depart Capitola Mall at 9:58pm and 10:58pm. The schedule has been changed so that Route 3B will be scheduled to depart from River Front Transit Center to UCSC at :20 past the hour from 6:20am – 11:20pm. Departure times have also changed elsewhere along the route.
Weekends: Three additional morning trips will depart Capitola Mall at 6:30am, 7:30am, and 8:30am. One additional evening trip will depart Capitola Mall at 10:34pm. The schedule has been changed so that Route 3B will be scheduled to depart from River Front Transit Center to UCSC at :55 past the hour from 6:55am – 10:55pm. Departure times have also changed elsewhere along the route.
Route 4 – River/Harvey West/Emeline
See Route Schedule: 4 /*= JText::_('COM_BULLETINS_SEE_ROUTE_MAP')*/?>
Weekdays: Departure and arrival times have been adjusted by a few minutes along the route.
Route 19 – UCSC via West Gate – Bay
See Route Schedule: 19 /*= JText::_('COM_BULLETINS_SEE_ROUTE_MAP')*/?>
ADDITIONAL EVENING SERVICE
Weekdays: Two additional trips will depart at 11:00pm and 11:30pm from River Front Center.
Weekends: One additional trip will depart at 11:05pm from River Front Center.
Route 35 – Highway 9/Scotts Valley
See Route Schedule: 35 /*= JText::_('COM_BULLETINS_SEE_ROUTE_MAP')*/?>
Weekends: Seasonal service to Big Basin Redwoods State Park returns. There are five round trips to the state park departing approximately every two hours, from mid-morning to late afternoon. Headsigns on buses that serve Big Basin will display “35B.” As a reminder, service starts and ends at Scotts Valley Transit Center; transfer to or from a Santa Cruz Route 35 for service along Scotts Valley Dr and Santa Cruz.
Route 72 – Green Valley – Pinto Lake
See Route Schedule: 72 /*= JText::_('COM_BULLETINS_SEE_ROUTE_MAP')*/?>
ROUTE CHANGE
Weekdays: Outbound from Watsonville Transit Center, Route 72 will go from Main St direct to Green Valley Road to serve Green Valley Road in both directions. Route 72 will no longer serve Watsonville Hospital or the Social Security office. Instead, service to both of those destinations will be available on a new route, Route 78.
Route 73 – Soquel/Freedom/Cabrillo
See Route Schedule: 73 /*= JText::_('COM_BULLETINS_SEE_ROUTE_MAP')*/?>
MORE FREQUENT SERVICE; EARLY MORNING AND LATE EVENING SERVICE
Weekdays: 16 additional trips have been added. Service frequency is now every 20-30 minutes in the morning and afternoon peak, and every 60 minutes mid-day and in the evening. A late evening trip leaves Cabrillo at 11:40pm.
Weekends: 5 additional trips have been added. Service frequency is now hourly from Cabrillo to Watsonville from 7:00am – 11:00pm, and from Watsonville to Cabrillo from 6:00am – 10:00pm.
Route 78 – Ohlone/Watsonville Hospital
See Route Schedule: 78 /*= JText::_('COM_BULLETINS_SEE_ROUTE_MAP')*/?>
NEW ROUTE
Weekdays/Weekends: This new route will serve the new South County Government Service Center once it opens (expected opening May 1, 2024); the Social Security office; Watsonville Community Hospital, and Freedom Centre. The route includes W. Beach St, Ohlone Parkway, Harkins Slough Rd, Westgate Dr, Nielson St, Hangar Way, Holm Rd, Airport Blvd, and Freedom Blvd.
Route 90X – Watsonville – Santa Cruz Express
See Route Schedule: 90X /*= JText::_('COM_BULLETINS_SEE_ROUTE_MAP')*/?>
MORE FREQUENT SERVICE
Weekdays: Six trips have been added in each direction; service will be provided every 30 minutes in both directions in the morning and afternoon peak hours, instead of every 60 minutes. From Watsonville, Water and Poplar Ave (Stop #1903) will be added as a stop; Soquel Ave & San Juan Ave (Stop #1796) and Water & N. Branciforte Ave (Stop #1899) will no longer be served. From Santa Cruz, Water and Poplar Ave (Stop # 2728) will be added as a stop; Soquel Ave & Frederick (Stop #1795) and Water & N. Branciforte Ave (Stop #1900) will no longer be served.