City of Santa Clarita Transit is a local bus service, administered by the City's transit division, that serves the City of Santa Clarita, California and nearby surrounding unincorporated areas. In 2022, the system had a ridership of 2,111,800, or about 9,000 per weekday as of the third quarter of 2023. Daily operations and maintenance of the fleet are under contract with MV Transportation.[3] City of Santa Clarita Transit routes connect with services operated by Metro and Metrolink.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Works contracts with City of Santa Clarita Transit to provide fixed route and Dial-A-Ride services in some unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County that are near the city limits of Santa Clarita. These areas include the communities of Castaic, Forest Park, Stevenson Ranch, Sunset Pointe, and Val Verde.
History
Santa Clarita Transit bus in the original 1991 livery
The City of Santa Clarita assumed responsibility for local transit in 1991 from Los Angeles County, which had developed an embryonic transit network. A small City staff provides supervision over a contract operator. Over time, the local fixed route network and dial-a-ride service was expanded. Under City management, a number of new regional express services to various points in the San Fernando Valley, West Los Angeles, Antelope Valley, and downtown Los Angeles were added or improved.[4]
MV Transportation
In mid-2007 Santa Clarita Transit entered into a contract with MV Transportation and underwent a branding overhaul. The agency was renamed "City of Santa Clarita Transit" and buses received a new green and blue livery which reflect the colors of the city logo.[5] The livery debuted in August 2007 on 2 brand new 60-foot (18 m) articulated buses. Also receiving an overhaul are the city's bus stops through a $2-million dollar Bus Stop Improvement Program. This included replacing 51 Clear Channel advertising shelters, benches, and trash cans. In addition, 40 additional stops will receive new non-advertising shelters, as well as a number of stops receiving new non-advertisement benches. An element of public art will be added to approximately 15 bus stops. The program's purpose is threefold, bus stops will become more uniform in look and features, the advertisement on benches will be eliminated, and public art will have a large expansion.[6] The overhauls are major parts of the city's efforts to make transit more attractive to citizens.
Starting in 2010, City of Santa Clarita Transit began Summer Beach bus service to Santa Monica State Beach, from Canyon Country, and Newhall. They were separated into two routes servicing each destination to Santa Monica State Beach. However, the 2023 Summer Beach Bus, is no longer serving Santa Monica State Beach, it instead is serving Ventura Harbor at Spinnaker Drive. The service stops at Via Princessa Metrolink Station & McBean Regional Transit Center. This service is only operated during the summer.
2023 Transit Service Workers Strike
On September 15, 2023, after over a year of negotiations with MV Transportation, transit service workers represented by Teamsters Local 572 voted to go on strike until a fair contract is reached. MV Transportation was notified of the decision to strike on September 28.[7]
The strike officially began on October 9, halting all bus and paratransit services across the city. The strike forced Santa Clarita Transit and William S. Hart High School District to negotiate an emergency contract with charter bus company Transit Systems in order to provide limited school tripper services to select schools and infrequent bus services along routes 1, 2, 5, 6, and 12.[7] Santa Clarita City Council has declined to enter into contract negotiations as a third party.[8]
As of December 3, the strike is ongoing with limited bus service along select lines and limited Dial-a-Ride service for those with urgent medical appointments.[9][10]
The Old Rd, Lyons Ave, McBean Pkwy, Soledad Canyon Rd, Sierra Hwy
Serves Newhall Station, Hart High School, McBean Regional Transit Center, Valencia Town Center, Santa Clarita Station, and College of the Canyons Canyon Country Campus
6
Stevenson Ranch
Faulkner Dr & Thurber Wy
Santa Clarita
Shadow Pines Bl & Grandifloras Rd
The Old Rd, Lyons Ave, McBean Pkwy, Soledad Canyon Rd
Serves Newhall Station, Hart High School, McBean Regional Transit Center, Valencia Town Center, and Santa Clarita Station
7
Stevenson Ranch
Middleton st & Ramblewood St
Santa Clarita
Tamarack Ln & Seco Canyon Rd
Magic Mountain Pkwy, McBean Pkwy, Newhall Ranch Rd, Copper Hill Dr
Serves Six Flags Magic Mountain, College of the Canyons, McBean Regional Transit Center, Valencia Town Center, and Valencia High School
Serves Saugus High School, Valencia Town Center, McBean Regional Transit Center, College of the Canyons, California Institute of the Arts, and Hart High School
Station Link Routes
Station Link service provides service from the Santa Clarita Metrolink station to local places of employment within the Santa Clarita Valley. Station Link service operates on weekdays peak periods (6-9am, 4-6pm) only except route 501, which as of February 2023, makes morning and afternoon trips excluding midday even on Saturdays and Sundays, select holidays included.
Service operates in a loop beginning and ending at the Santa Clarita Metrolink station.
Serves Valencia Industrial Center.
School Supplementary Routes
Supplemental School Day Service routes (also known as Tripper Service), provide service to and from local Junior High and High Schools from residential areas. Supplemental School Day Service routes are numbered in the 600's. This service is only operated on weekdays when schools are in session. Trips are timed with school bell schedule.
Routes include:
Route 620 – Arroyo Seco Jr. High School & Saugus High School
Route 621 – Arroyo Seco Jr. High School & Saugus High School
Route 622 – Rio Norte Jr. High School
Route 623 – Rio Norte Jr. High School
Route 624 – Valencia High School
Route 626 – La Mesa Jr. High School
Route 627 – La Mesa Jr. High School
Route 628 – Golden Valley High School
Route 629 – Golden Valley High School
Route 630 – Golden Valley High School & Bowman High School
Route 632 – Canyon High School
Route 633 – Saugus High School
Route 634 – Rancho Pico Jr. High School & West Ranch High School
Route 636 – Valencia High School & West Ranch High School
Route 637 – Arroyo Seco Jr. High School
Route 638 – Arroyo Seco Jr. High School & Saugus High School
Route 639 - Saugus High School
Route 640 – Arroyo Seco Jr. High School & Saugus High School
Route 641 – Placerita Jr. High School & Hart High School
Route 642 – Bowman High School & Canyon High School & La Mesa Jr. High School
Route 643 – Arroyo Seco Jr. High School & Saugus High School
Route 644 – La Mesa Jr. High School
Commuter Express Routes
Commuter Express provides service to and from to major places of employment outside of the Santa Clarita Valley (Routes 796-799), and also provides service from areas outside of the Santa Clarita Valley to major places of employment inside the Santa Clarita Valley (Routes 791-794). All Commuter Express Routes run on weekdays only, except for Route 757, which runs seven days a week.
On weekdays service operates in a counter-clockwise loop in Santa Clarita making several stops, on weekends service operates directly to the McBean Regional Transit Center.
In Santa Clarita: Valencia Boulevard, Orchard Village Road, Newhall Avenue Express Portion: Sierra Highway, I-5, SR 118 In the San Fernando Valley: De Soto Avenue
Serves Newhall Metrolink Station, Chatsworth Metrolink Station
797
Santa Clarita
Santa Clarita Station
Century City
Century Park West & Solar Wy
In Santa Clarita: Valencia Boulevard, Orchard Village Road, Newhall Avenue Express Portion: I-5, I-405 In West LA: Westwood Boulevard, Wilshire Boulevard
In Santa Clarita: Valencia Boulevard, Orchard Village Road, Newhall Avenue Express Portion: I-5 In Downtown LA: Alameda Street, 1st Street, Hope Street
Exact cash fare is required. Under 5, up to 3 per fare-paying rider, ride for free. Passes are stored on reusable Transit Access Pass (TAP) cards that cost $2 each. Customers can also store cash-value on their TAP card that can be used with any Los Angeles county transit agency that accepts TAP. Since February 2018 fares are available for purchase on the Token Transit mobile ticketing app.[11]
The following table shows City of Santa Clarita Transit fares,[12] effective January 1, 2020:
Fare Type
Regular
Senior (60+)/ Disabled
Notes
Local, School, Station Link
Single Ride
$1
Free
Local Day Pass
$2.50
1
Monthly Pass
$34
1
Dial-A-Ride
Single Ride
$2
Commuter Express Route 757
Single Ride
$3
$1.50
Monthly Pass
$110
$55
1
EZ transit pass + Zone 3
$176
$70.5
1, 2, 3
Interagency Transfer
$.55
1
Commuter Express Routes 791, 796
Single Ride
$4
$2
Monthly Pass
$150
$75
1
EZ transit pass + Zone 4
$198
$80
1, 2, 3
Interagency Transfer
$.55
1
Commuter Express Routes 792, 794, 797 & 799
Single Ride
$4.50
$2.25
Monthly Pass
$170
$85
1
EZ transit pass + Zone 5
$220
$89.5
1, 2, 3
Interagency Transfer
$.55
1
Notes:
TAP card required.
The EZ transit pass is a monthly pass good for local travel on 21 different public transit carriers throughout the Greater Los Angeles region.
Senior discount eligibility starts at age 62 for EZ transit pass.
Fleet
The City of Santa Clarita transit fleet consists of 95 Standard Vehicles and 33 Paratransit vehicles as of September 2022.[13][14][15]
On November 6, 2017, Bus 102 was totaled in a fatal multi-vehicle accident on Sierra Highway.[16]
