Matro ParaCruz shuttle parked on the street in front of bushes and trees

Accessibility

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Route(s): 18, 19

Fall Service Change eff. 9/10!

Routes 18 & 19 Fall Service (eff. 9/10/26): Weekdays: Will return to separate Monday/Wednesday/Friday and Tuesday/Thursday schedules and 15-minute peak frequency. Weekends: Will operate at 20-minute frequency; Routes 18B/19B discontinued.

Route(s): 2, 2N

Fall Service Change eff. 9/10!

Route 2/2N Fall Service (eff. 9/10/26): Weekdays/Weekends: Departure times from Santa Cruz and Watsonville will be adjusted slightly so Routes 1 and 2 arrive at Cabrillo to facilitate transfers. These stops will no longer be timepoints but will remain as regular stops: Main & S Green Valley Rd and Capitola Rd & 7th Ave.

Route(s): 2

Stop 1899 Temporary Relocation

Effective April 14, 2026, Stop 1899 at Water & N Branciforte (inbound to Santa Cruz) has been temporarily relocated due to nearby construction. The temporary stop is located further up the hill, before the intersection, at approximately 1007 Water Street. Thank you for your patience.

Route(s): All

2026 Santa Cruz County Fair

Service to the County Fair will operate September 16-20, 2026. The route will begin at the South County Government Center on Westridge Dr, where parking is available to park and ride, then proceed to Watsonville Transit Center Lane 2, and then continue to the County Fairgrounds with stops along the way. Return service will also serve both the Transit Center and the Government Center. Receive discount admission when taking the bus!

Route(s): 11, 20

Fall Service Change eff. 9/10!

UCSC Routes 11, 16, 18B/19B, & 20 Fall Service (eff. 9/10/26): Trip departure and arrival times have been adjusted along the route. Route 16 returns for school year. Routes 18B/19B discontinued.

Route(s): 1

Fall Service Change eff. 9/10!

Route 1 Fall Service (eff. 9/10/26): Weekdays/Weekends: Departure times from Santa Cruz and Watsonville will be adjusted slightly so Routes 1 and 2 arrive at Cabrillo to facilitate transfers. These stops will no longer be timepoints but will remain as regular stops: Airport Blvd (Freedom Centre) and Soquel Dr (Dominican Hospital). Service from the Boardwalk is discontinued until 2027.

Route(s): 35, 35X

Fall Service Change eff. 9/10!

Route 35/35X Fall Service (eff. 9/10/26): Weekdays/Weekends: Trip departure and arrival times have been adjusted along the route. These stops will no longer be timepoints but will remain as regular stops: Scotts Valley Dr & Granite Creek Rd and Hwy 17 & Pasatiempo Dr . Weekdays: The 9:00pm outbound trip from Santa Cruz will serve both Mountain Store and Country Club, following the pattern of the 10:00 and 11:00 trips.

Route(s): 73

Fall Service Change eff. 9/10!

Route 73 Fall Service (eff. 9/10/26): Weekdays/Weekends: Trip departure and arrival times have been adjusted along the route. Main & Ohlone Pkwy will no longer be a timepoint but will remain as a regular stop. Weekdays: All trips will now serve Capitola Mall. The route will operate at a 40-minute frequency between the start of service and approximately 5:00pm.

Route(s): 41

Fall Service Change eff. 9/10!

Route 41 Fall Service (eff. 9/10/26): Weekdays: Trip departure and arrival times have been adjusted along the route.

Route(s): 72, 72W, 75

Fall Service Change eff. 9/10!

Route 72/72W & 75 Fall Service (eff. 9/10/26): Weekdays: Main & S Green Valley Rd (Stop ID 1144) will no longer be a timepoint but will remain as a regular stop. Route 75, Weekdays: Trip departure and arrival times have been adjusted along the route.

Route(s): 55

Fall Service Change eff. 9/10!

Route 55 Fall Service (eff. 9/10/26): Weekdays/Weekends: Stockton Ave & Esplanade (Stop ID 1862) will no longer be a timepoint but will remain as a regular stop.

Route(s): 78, 79

Fall Service Change eff. 9/10!

Route 78 & 79 Fall Service (eff. 9/10/26): Weekdays/Weekends: Trip departure and arrival times have been adjusted along the route.

Route(s): 17

Fall Service Change eff. 9/10!

Route 17 Fall Service (eff. 9/10/26): Weekdays/Weekends: Trip departure and arrival times have been adjusted along the route. Weekdays: Trips that served only Scotts Valley but not Santa Cruz have been discontinued; all trips will serve Santa Cruz.


Service & Features

Service Animals

Attendants

Life Support

Mobility Devices & Training

Discount Fares

ID Cards

Policies

Services & Features

In cooperation with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), METRO is committed to providing transportation services that can be used by all of our customers. The information below describes the accessibility features and services offered across all of METRO’s services.

All METRO Vehicles Are Accessible

  • Priority seating is available for older adults and customers with disabilities.
  • All METRO buses have “kneeling” capabilities, which permit the front entry door to be lowered to ease entry and exit of the bus.
  • If you have difficulty climbing steps, ask the bus operator to “kneel” the bus for you before you enter or exit the front entry.
  • All METRO buses are equipped with ramps or lifts to accommodate passengers who have difficulty climbing stairs, or who use mobility devices.
  • For passengers using mobility devices, there are reserved areas with securement systems to provide a safe ride.
  • If you have special needs, please notify your bus operator; they are trained to assist with the mandatory securement of any mobility device.
  • For more information regarding METRO’s Mobility Program, call the Mobility Training Coordinator at (831) 420-2576 during business hours.

Fixed-Route Features

  • In the event of a passenger lift failure, the bus operator will call for guaranteed back-up service, if another bus heading to the passenger’s destination will not arrive within 30 minutes.
  • If a METRO bus cannot be provided, our ParaCruz paratransit service will be used.
  • Every METRO bus is equipped with a Call Stop Announcement System that will announce every bus stop (except those within 600 feet of an earlier stop).
  • Upon boarding, you may ask the bus operator for help in finding your destination.

Service Animal Accessibility

A service animal is defined as any animal that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability.

Passengers with disabilities may be accompanied on a METRO bus or ParaCruz vehicle by a service animal specifically trained to assist them.

  • The owner must be in control of the animal at all times.
  • Any working service animal should not be petted or handled by any person other than the owner.

For complete information, see METRO’s Service Animal Policy.

Service dog laying on ground at the feet of person in wheelchair

Attendants

One Personal Care Attendant (PCA) can ride free with a fare-paying passenger who presents a Discount Photo ID Card.

Life Support Equipment

Individuals required to use respirators, portable oxygen, and other life support equipment are permitted to board with them unless it would violate Federal Regulations (49 CFR Parts 100 – 199) concerning the transportation of hazardous materials.

Mobility Devices

All mobility devices are allowed to access our vehicles regardless of weight or size. We will attempt to carry any wheelchair or mobility device that can physically and safely be accommodated on either our fixed-route or ParaCruz vehicles.

Boarding is permitted as long as the device can maneuver the ramp or be picked up by the lift, and the passenger can maneuver the device into the passenger area in a forward-facing position for securement.

METRO vehicles utilize a multi-point securement system, including lap belts and shoulder harnesses (and safety restraint bars on fixed-route buses).

For Your Safety

Securement of mobility devices is mandatory.

METRO requests that you lock the brakes on your mobility device while using the lift and while the bus is in motion. While traveling in a scooter, the bus operator will suggest transferring to a passenger seat once your scooter has been secured.

Mobility Training

Many customers find that our fixed-route buses provide greater flexibility and independence while being less expensive than our paratransit service. Our Mobility Program provides free training to individuals who want to learn how to:

  • Ride the bus safely and confidently
  • Use passenger lifts, ramps, kneeling bus steps, and other special features
  • Handle unique mobility situations
  • Make connections between buses
  • Obtain a Discount Photo ID Card
  • Purchase discounted fares and passes
  • Read the Headways Bus Rider’s Guide
  • Plan a trip using the METRO website

Complimentary Stokes Straps (for protecting your wheelchair from tie-down scratches) are available to training participants.

For more information, contact the Mobility Training Coordinator at (831) 420-2576.

Senior Couple Enjoying Journey On Bus

Discount Fares & Passes

Older adults and people with disabilities are eligible for discount fares and passes.

Qualifying individuals must present one of the following forms of verification below to a bus operator upon boarding, or to a Customer Service Representative or METRO Pass Vendor when purchasing a discount pass

Older Adults and People with Disabilities must present one of the following.

Older adults (age 65 and over):

  • A METRO Discount Photo ID Card (described below)
  • A Discount Photo ID Card issued by another transit agency
  • A Senior Citizen ID Card
  • Identification that displays date of birth (e.g. passports & birth certificates)
  • Current State Driver’s License, or current State ID Card
  • A Medicare ID Card

People with disabilities:

  • A METRO Discount Photo ID Card (described below)
  • A Discount Photo ID Card issued by another transit agency
  • A Medicare ID Card
  • A valid ID Card for a California Disabled Person Parking Placard
  • A Disabled Veteran’s ID Card

Discount Photo ID Cards

To make it easier for seniors and people with disabilities to ride public transit, we offer a METRO-issued Discount Photo ID Card. The Discount Photo ID provides proof of eligibility for METRO discount fares and passes. It also qualifies you to ride with attendants at no extra fare and/or children at the discount fare. People with METRO’s Discount Photo ID can use the card to qualify for the discount fares offered by other transit agencies.

Application Criteria for Older Adults

  • Must be at least 65 years old
  • Must submit one of the forms of identification listed above (except Medicare ID).

Application Criteria for People with Disabilities

  • Must submit one of the forms of identification listed above.

OR

  • Must present a complete Professional Verification of Disability Status form. The form must be completed by a medical practitioner or other professional verifying your disability.

Where to Apply

Visit Customer Service at our Transit Centers in downtown Santa Cruz and Watsonville during business hours.

Processing and Replacement Fees

  • $2.00 to process a new Photo ID Card
  • $2.00 for the first replacement of a lost card
  • $5.00 for the replacement of a lost card thereafter

How to Obtain the Application Forms

  1. Read the Discount Fare Program Rider Guide.
  2. Print the Discount Fare Program Application.
  3. Present your completed application at the Santa Cruz or Watsonville Customer Service Booth, or mail to the address provided in the application.

You may also request the forms from Customer Service at our Transit Centers in downtown Santa Cruz and Watsonville.

Attendants

If you have a disability, including legal blindness, and need help traveling, one Personal Care Attendant (PCA) can ride with you at no extra fare when the need is certified. If you need a PCA, ask your medical provider to indicate the need on your application. Your card will be marked with a green dot. 

Children

K-12 students ride free on local routes through METRO’s Youth Cruz Free Program. On the Highway 17 Express, children under 46” tall may ride for free with a fare paying adult. When your card is issued, please notify the Customer Service Representative if you will be traveling with a dependent child. 

Accessibility Policies and Procedures

Request for Reasonable Accomodation

Santa Cruz METRO does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities in the provision of transportation services and is committed to ensuring that no person, solely by reason of his or her disability, is excluded from participation in, is denied benefits of, or is subjected to discrimination under any Santa Cruz METRO’s programs or activities. 

Santa Cruz METRO considers all requests for reasonable modifications of its policies, practices or procedures when necessary to avoid discrimination on the basis of disability. Santa Cruz METRO is not required to grant requests for reasonable modifications that would fundamentally alter the nature of the Santa Cruz METRO services, programs or activities; are not needed for access to Santa Cruz METRO services, programs or activities; or present a direct threat of injury to other persons or property. Due to the fact-specific nature of requests, individual decisions and one-time modifications are not precedential. If a modification is determined later to be unnecessary for the requesting individual to use the requested transit service, a fundamental alteration, or unsafe for other person(s) or property, Santa Cruz METRO may discontinue or change the modification. 

If a customer believes they have been discriminated against by Santa Cruz METRO on the basis of a disability, they may submit a Request for Reasonable Modification using our online Cutsomer Service Report form and selecting “Request for Reasonable Accomodation” from the dropdown menu. They may also complete the request for Reasonable Modification form (Appendix D), which is available in English and Spanish.

If an individual is unable to write because of a disability and needs assistance in completing any form, District staff will assist by scribing the complaint by phone. Please contact our Customer Service Department at 831-425-8600.  

Requests for reasonable modifications are handled by Santa Cruz METRO’s Chief Operating Officer (COO), who can be reached as follows:  

By Phone: 831-426-6080 or Fax 831-426-9471

By email: mross@scmetro.org

By US mail: 
Santa Cruz METRO 
Attention: Margo Ross (COO)  
110 Vernon Street
Santa Cruz, CA 95060  

Santa Cruz METRO 
Attention: Margo Ross (COO)  
110 Vernon Street
Santa Cruz, CA 95060  

COO will evaluate all requests for reasonable modifications, and provide a written response to the individual requestor within ten (10) business days. 

Download our ADA Complaint Procedure in English or Spanish.

Accessible Information Request

You may request accessible information online using our Customer Service Report form and selecting “Accessible Information Request” from the dropdown menu.

Title VI Discrimination Complaint

You may file a Title VI Discrimination Complaint online using our Customer Service Report form and selecting “Title VI Discrimination Complaint” from the dropdown menu.

Accessibility Policies

Our policies related to accessibility, ParaCruz, discounted fares, and other services and programs for people with disabilities can be found in our Resource Library.