Efficient, cleaner-running vehicle replace aging equipment

Santa Cruz METRO has acquired 18 new vehicles to replace aging vehicles with more efficient and cleaner-running equipment.

Acquisition of the new vehicles is made possible by Measure D, which was approved by Santa Cruz County voters in 2016, and by SB 1, which was approved by the California Legislature and signed into law by Governor Brown in 2017.

“To make progress toward our greenhouse gas reduction goals and ensure reliable service for riders, replacement of older buses is a top priority,” said Bruce McPherson, Chair of the METRO Board. “These new vehicles would not be possible without funding from Measure D and SB-1. We are extremely thankful to local voters who passed Measure D, as well as Governor Brown and the state legislature for passing SB-1 at the state level.”

The additions to the fleet include three Paul Revere buses, three ParaCruz Cut-Away buses and 12 ParaCruz Vans. The new vehicles help METRO in its ongoing effort to replace obsolete vehicles for both fixed-route and ParaCruz functions, preserving the service METRO provides to the general public, the elderly and the disabled. The vehicles have been incorporated into current routes and services, replacing older vehicles.

Measure D, which is a half-cent sales tax throughout Santa Cruz County, provides approximately $3 million annually for transit and paratransit services. SB-1, also known as the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017, generates $5 billion annually statewide, of which approximately $3 million is provided to METRO for operating and infrastructure support.

 

ABOUT SANTA CRUZ METRO

Established in 1968, Santa Cruz METRO provides public transportation service that enhances personal mobility and creates a sustainable transportation option in Santa Cruz County through a cost-effective, reliable, accessible, safe, clean and courteous transit service. METRO operates 26 year-round routes throughout the county and one additional route when UC-Santa Cruz is in session. Learn more at www.scmtd.com.