Santa Cruz METRO Launches Art in Transit Bus Wrap Photo Contest

Community members invited to submit original photography inspired by nature, sustainability, and wildlife in the Monterey Bay 

For Immediate Release
Date: Tuesday, July 22, 2026
Contact: Danielle Frost
(831) 420-2550
dfrost@scmetro.org

Santa Cruz, CA (July 22, 2026) — Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit District (METRO) is inviting the public to participate in the new Bus Wrap Photo Contest, a creative competition that celebrates the beauty, wildlife, and landscapes of the Monterey Bay through original photography. 

As part of METRO’s One Ride at a Time initiative, the contest will give participants the opportunity to submit original photography that reflects the region’s natural beauty, environmental stewardship, and the role public transit plays in connecting the community. Selected winning submission(s) will be featured on a full METRO bus wrap and highlighted in official METRO marketing materials. This competition and resulting bus wraps are funded entirely through METRO’s Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (TIRCP) grant. These restricted capital funds cannot be used to operate bus service or pay other operating expenses.  

The contest builds on METRO’s existing One Ride at a Time bus wrap series, which features imagery from local photographers showcasing iconic scenes from across the Monterey Bay, from redwood forests to coastal wildlife.  

“We are excited to invite the community to help shape this campaign in a new and meaningful way,” said Danielle Frost, Chief Communications & Marketing Officer. “This contest is an opportunity to celebrate local creativity while highlighting the places, ecosystems, and everyday experiences that make the Monterey Bay and Santa Cruz County so special.” 

The contest is expected to include multiple categories, including a community photography category and an employee photography category. Proposed submission themes include nature, sustainability, transit, and environmental stewardship. 

Photography submissions are expected to include high-resolution horizontal images taken within the Monterey Bay and Santa Cruz County, along with a title, location, and brief artist statement.  Final submission requirements, contest rules, and waiver details are available on METRO’s website scmetro.org/artintransit. Contest closes August 21, 2026. 

Winning artists will receive public recognition through having their photo featured as a bus wrap that will be seen throughout the county, social media channels, and press outreach, with their work featured as part of the One Ride at a Time marketing campaign. 

Contest details, submission instructions, and deadlines will be announced at scmetro.org/artintransit. To learn more about the One Ride at a Time initiative, visit scmetro.org/onerideatatime. 

About Us  

Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit District (METRO)  

Established in 1968, METRO’S mission is to provide environmentally sustainable transportation to Santa Cruz County. METRO directly operates county-wide, fixed-route and Highway 17 commuter service, with connections to Santa Clara County and Monterey Salinas Transit at our Watsonville Transit Center. The agency also operates ParaCruz paratransit service. Today, METRO operates a fleet of 104 buses on 20 fixed routes and 32 paratransit vehicles.  

Every ride on a METRO bus takes cars off the road, significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions, and supports economic opportunity and quality of life in our community. Moving into the future, METRO strives to increase transit ridership to 7 million trips annually within the next five years, transition to a zero-emissions fleet with a mix of hydrogen and electric vehicles, and increase affordable housing at METRO-owned transit centers to 175 units in the next 10 years.  

For more information, visit scmetro.org.