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 2023, the system had a ridership of 2,111,800, or about 12,000 per weekday as of the third quarter of 2024. 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. Beginning in the 2023 Summer Season, the service exclusively services Ventura Harbor, starting and ending from Via Princessa station and stopping at the McBean Regional Transit Center in both directions. The beach bus is identified by route number, 103, only in operation from June to Labor Day in September, only on Saturdays and Sundays. [7]
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.[8]
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.[8] Santa Clarita City Council declined to enter into contract negotiations as a third party.[9]
The strike ended on December 3rd, 2023. Teamsters Local 572 reached an agreement with MV Transportation. Buses returned to operation on December 4th, the strike lasted 55 days.
Fixed-route Service
Local routes
Santa Clarita Transit operates 38 bus lines: 9 Local routes, 2 Station Link routes, 20 School Tripper routes, and 9 Commuter Express routes.[10]
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 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.
Route
Terminals
via
Notes
501
Santa Clarita Santa Clarita station
Santa Clarita Six Flags Magic Mountain Employee Gate
Valencia Bl, Tourney Rd, Magic Mountain Pkwy
Service operates in a loop beginning and ending at Santa Clarita station
502
Santa Clarita Santa Clarita station
Castaic Commerce Center Dr & Witherspoon Pkwy
Newhall Ranch Rd
Service operates in a loop beginning and ending at Santa Clarita station
Serves Valencia Industrial Center
School Tripper 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.[11]
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 632 – Canyon High School
Route 633 – Saugus High School
Route 634 – Rancho Pico Jr. High School & West Ranch High School
Route 635 – Ranch 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 640 – Arroyo Seco Jr. High School & Saugus High School
Route 641 – Placerita Jr. High School & Hart 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.[12]
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 station and Chatsworth 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
