Santa Cruz Metro seeing early success with Reimagine METRO Phase 1 program

May 23, 2024

Key highlights of the success of the program includes FY 2024 Q3 ridership surged by 23 percent after the launch compared to the prior year.

Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit District (Santa Cruz Metro) is seeing success with its Reimagine METRO Phase 1 program. The agency says the success is a direct result of the service changes and improvements that were implemented on Dec. 21, 2023.

Key highlights of success from Reimagine METRO Phase 1 includes:

Overall, Fiscal Year 2024 Q3 ridership surged by 23 percent after the launch compared to the prior year.
Specific segments also witnessed substantial ridership growth, with UCSC, Cabrillo College and K-12 ridership escalating by 27.1 percent, 26.8 percent and 147.6 percent, respectively.
Productivity, measured as riders per revenue hour, increased by 23 percent year over year.

Santa Cruz Metro notes the successful implementation of Reimagine METRO Phase 1 has substantially enhanced the quality and accessibility of transit services within Santa Cruz County.

“Santa Cruz Metro is grateful for the unwavering support from our community as we work to enhance our transportation system for everyone,” said Corey Aldridge, Santa Cruz Metro CEO and general manager. “It’s rewarding to see our community embracing the additional service we have implemented. We remain committed to creating a more accessible, reliable and environmentally friendly transit system. We look forward to showcasing even more service and increased frequency this summer and fall.”

The agency is set to roll out more service improvements in summer and fall 2024, including 20 percent more service starting June 20, which will include 15-minute frequency on Route 1 from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., 30-minute frequency on the Highway-17 Express during peak periods and 30-minute frequency on Route 90X on weekdays and hourly on the weekends.