Santa Cruz METRO Leaders Selected for Statewide Transit Advisory Roles
Corey Aldridge and John Urgo will help shape California transit funding, planning and policy priorities
For Immediate Release
Date: Tuesday, July 29, 2026
Contact: Danielle Frost
(831) 420-2550
dfrost@scmetro.org
Santa Cruz, CA (July 29, 2026) — Santa Cruz METRO is proud to announce that two members of its executive leadership team have been selected to serve in influential statewide transit advisory roles.
METRO CEO Corey Aldridge has been appointed to the California Transit Association’s new Transit Funding Task Force, while Chief Planning and Innovation Officer John Urgo has been selected to serve on the California Transit Advisory Committee (CALTAC).
California Transit Association Executive Committee Chair Erin Rogers appointed Aldridge to the new Transit Funding Task Force, which will advise Association staff on priorities for upcoming negotiations concerning Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund expenditures. This includes the appropriation of remaining legislative discretionary funding and the potential revision of investment priorities outlined in Senate Bill 840. The task force will also identify and evaluate potential new state revenue sources for public transit operations and help guide the Association’s efforts to secure additional funding during the 2027–28 Legislative Session.
“I am honored to join the Transit Funding Task Force at a critical time for public transportation agencies throughout California,” said Aldridge. “Transit systems need reliable, long-term funding to maintain essential service, respond to rising operating costs and continue investing in cleaner, more connected communities. I look forward to working with transit leaders from across the state to identify practical funding solutions that support agencies and the people who rely on them.”
Aldridge has nearly 20 years of leadership experience in public transportation. Since joining METRO in 2024, he has guided initiatives focused on increasing ridership, transitioning to a zero-emission fleet and incorporating affordable housing into transit properties. Aldridge also serves on the Board of Directors of The Bus Coalition, a national advocacy organization dedicated to increasing federal investment in public transportation.
Urgo will bring METRO’s planning and project-development experience to CALTAC, which provides strategic input and technical guidance for the implementation of key California Department of Transportation documents and policies. These include Caltrans District Transit Plans, Director’s Policy and future updates or successor documents.
Committee members coordinate with multiple Caltrans divisions and programs, partner agencies and transit advocates from across California.
“It is a privilege to represent Santa Cruz METRO on the California Transit Advisory Committee,” said Urgo. “Transit planning works best when state, regional and local partners collaborate closely and incorporate the experiences of the communities they serve. I look forward to contributing to policies and plans that make public transportation faster, more reliable, more sustainable and easier to access throughout California.”
As METRO’s Chief Planning and Innovation Officer, Urgo oversees service planning, long-range planning, capital projects and grant programs. His team is leading METRO’s efforts to grow ridership, develop affordable housing on METRO-owned properties and improve bus speed and reliability along major corridors.
Through these appointments, Aldridge and Urgo will help bring a Central Coast perspective to statewide discussions concerning the policies, plans and funding needed to support the future of public transportation in California.
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.
In FY26 METRO provided 5.5 million fixed-route trips and 55,000 ParaCruz trips connecting residents to employment, schools, and medical appointments. In the last three years METRO’s ridership has increased over 70%, now 10% above pre-COVID levels, resulting in the agencies highest ridership levels since 2011.
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.