The Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit District’s annual Stuff the Bus Food Drive will return for another year to support local families facing food insecurity during the holidays.
Santa Cruz Metro
Santa Cruz Metro ridership campaign video wins statewide award
A video promoting Santa Cruz Metro’s “One Ride at a Time” campaign, which showcased the agency’s efforts to support environmentally sustainable transit, won the California Association of Public Information Officials’ 2025 STAR Award for Best Promotion of a Public Agency.
Santa Cruz Metro service expansion back on track after delays, but future funding uncertain
After a winter setback, Santa Cruz Metro’s plan to boost service and double ridership is fully underway, with some new hydrogen fuel-cell buses hitting the road. Now, the transit agency will have to find money to sustain it in future years – likely in the form of a sales tax ballot measure in 2026.
Santa Cruz Metro offers free fares next Wednesday for California Clean Air Day
Santa Cruz Metro is again participating in California Clean Air Day by offering free fares countywide, including trips on the Highway 17 Express and ParaCruz, on Wednesday, Oct. 1.
Santa Cruz Metro CEO appointed to board of public transportation nonprofit
Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit District CEO Corey Aldridge has been appointed to the board of directors of the American Public Transportation Association, the agency announced in a news release.
Metro celebrates Earth Day with free rides countywide, including Highway 17 Express
On Tuesday, April 22, Santa Cuz Metro will offer free fares for all riders across Santa Cruz County in celebration of Earth Day.
Carmageddon: When will Santa Cruz Metro’s new hydrogen buses be road-ready?
The 53 new hydrogen-fuel cell buses will slowly trickle in to Santa Cruz Metro throughout the year, but each must go through a testing process before it is ready to hit the road. The agency is also working out plans for fueling stations and maintenance facility upgrades necessary for the new vehicles.
Reimagine Metro hits speed bump due to aging buses, but expansion plans on tap for fall, CEO says
The major service changes to Santa Cruz Metro are still doable, said CEO Corey Aldridge, even if few of the transit agency’s new hydrogen buses are road-ready. Additional maintenance staff and shifts will help turnaround on the current aging fleet’s repairs, and Metro is confident it can complete its service changes by September.
Santa Cruz Metro and I owe Lookout readers and Metro riders an apology
The exciting, new transportation services planned by Santa Cruz Metro are not happening, at least not yet, writes Lookout politics columnist Mike Rotkin. The plans included 15-minute service time on major routes, bus-priority traffic signals and more. But the poor state of the current fleet makes the timeline impossible until at least summer, when 53 hydrogen-fueled buses Metro purchased in September 2023 are due to arrive. That is reduced from the planned 57, due to costs. Metro apologized for the delay at a December meeting of the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission meeting, but Rotkin thinks the board, of which he is a member, should have seen this problem coming and asked better questions.
Santa Cruz Metro fares are free Wednesday for Clean Air Day
The Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit District will participate in California Clean Air Day by offering free fares throughout Santa Cruz County, including trips on the Highway 17 Express and ParaCruz, on Wednesday, Oct. 2.

