Santa Cruz METRO is selling single-ride tickets in advance to expedite bus boarding for passengers to help keep buses on time, and reduce the need for bus riders to carry cash.
The single-ride tickets can be purchased at any METRO customer service booth, as well as ticket vending machines located at METRO transit centers and Cabrillo College. Single-ride tickets are $2 each for local Santa Cruz County service and $7 for the Highway 17 Express bus.
Previously, METRO riders had to have a bus pass or pay with exact cash when boarding a bus as the fare boxes do not give change.
“We want to make METRO as accessible as possible for riders,” said Alex Clifford, CEO of Santa Cruz METRO. “Making it possible for people to purchase ride tickets in advance with a credit or debit card is one small way to reduce barriers to transit.”
Single-ride tickets can be purchased individually, or loaded onto a Cruz Pass for use by families, groups or to be ready for future trips. METRO Customer Service booths are located at the Pacific Station in Santa Cruz and Watsonville Transit Center. Ticket vending machines are also located at those facilities as well as Scotts Valley Transit Center and Cabrillo College.
METRO operates 26 year-round routes throughout Santa Cruz County. Local fares are $1-$2 with day passes available for $6 or less. Highway 17 fares are $3.50-$7 with Day Passes available for $14.
ABOUT SANTA CRUZ METRO
Established in 1968, Santa Cruz METRO provides fixed-route and Highway 17 commuter service to Santa Cruz County, transporting about 5 million passenger trips a year. METRO also provides paratransit service to Santa Cruz County with its ParaCruz service, providing about 72,000 trips per year. METRO’s operating budget in FY19 is $52 million. Today it operates 98 buses on 26 fixed routes and serves the cities of Santa Cruz, Capitola, Watsonville, and Scotts Valley, as well as the unincorporated areas of Aptos, Soquel, Live Oak, Bonny Doon, Davenport, and the San Lorenzo Valley in the Santa Cruz Mountains. For more visit www.scmtd.com.