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 , the system had a ridership of , or about per weekday as of . Daily operations and maintenance of the fleet are under contract with MV Transportation. 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
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.
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.City of Santa Clarita, CA – Purchasing: Solicitations The livery debuted in August 2007 on 2 brand new 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.City of Santa Clarita, CA – CITY BUS SHELTERS GET A FACE LIFT 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.
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.
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. Santa Clarita City Council declined to enter into contract negotiations as a third party.
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.
RouteTerminalsviaNotes1CastaicSloan Canyon Rd & The Old RdSanta ClaritaMcBean Regional Transit CenterThe Old Rd, Commerce Center Dr, Newhall Ranch Rd, McBean Plwy Serves Valencia Commerce Center, Valencia Industrial Center and Valencia Town Center2Val VerdeVal Verde ParkSanta ClaritaMcBean Regional Transit CenterDel Valle Rd, Chiquito Canyon Rd, Henry Mayo Dr, Newhall Ranch Rd, McBean PlwyServes Val Verde Park, Valencia Commerce Center, Valencia Industrial Center and Valencia Town Center3ValenciaMiddleton St & Ramblewood StSanta ClaritaTamarack Ln & Seco Canyon RdMagic Mountain Pkwy, McBean Pkwy, Newhall Ranch Rd, Seco Canyon Rd Serves Six Flags Magic Mountain, College of the Canyons, McBean Regional Transit Center and Valencia Town Center4Santa ClaritaLARC RanchSanta ClaritaNewhall stationBouquet Canyon Rd, Tournament Rd, Lyons AveServes Valencia Town Center, McBean Regional Transit Center, College of the Canyon and California Institute of the Arts5Stevenson RanchFaulkner Dr & Thurber WySanta ClaritaSierra Hwy & Vasquez Cyn RdThe Old Rd, Lyons Ave, McBean Pkwy, Soledad Canyon Rd, Sierra HwyServes Newhall station, McBean Regional Transit Center, Valencia Town Center, Santa Clarita station and College of the Canyons Canyon Country Campus6Stevenson RanchFaulkner Dr & Thurber WySanta ClaritaShadow Pines Bl & Grandifloras RdThe Old Rd, Lyons Ave, McBean Pkwy, Soledad Canyon Rd Serves Newhall station, McBean Regional Transit Center, Valencia Town Center, and Santa Clarita station7ValenciaMiddleton St & Ramblewood StSanta ClaritaTamarack Ln & Seco Canyon RdMagic Mountain Pkwy, McBean Pkwy, Newhall Ranch Rd, Copper Hill Dr Serves Six Flags Magic Mountain, College of the Canyons, McBean Regional Transit Center and Valencia Town Center12Santa ClaritaMcBean Regional Transit CenterSanta ClaritaHeller Cir & Maitland LnRailroad Av, Sierra Hwy, Whites Canyon Rd Selected trips serve the Via Princessa station Serves Valencia Town Center and Newhall station14Santa ClaritaHeller Cir & Maitland LnSanta ClaritaNewhall stationBouquet Canyon Rd, Tournament Rd, Lyons Av 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. RouteTerminalsviaNotes501Santa ClaritaSanta Clarita stationSanta ClaritaSix Flags Magic Mountain Employee GateValencia Bl, Tourney Rd, Magic Mountain Pkwy Service operates in a loop beginning and ending at Santa Clarita station502Santa ClaritaSanta Clarita stationCastaicCommerce Center Dr & Witherspoon PkwyNewhall 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.
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.
RouteTerminals Via Notes757 Santa ClaritaMcBean Regional Transit CenterNorth HollywoodNorth Hollywood stationIn Santa Clarita: Sierra Highway, Railroad Avenue, Valencia Boulevard, McBean Parkway (Weekdays only)Express Portion: I-5, CA-170 (Hollywood Freeway) 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 Serves Newhall station on weekdays791Warner CenterTopanga Canyon Bl & Victory BlSanta ClaritaTechnology Dr & Av HallIn Santa Clarita: Avenue Scott, Valencia Boulevard, McBean ParkwayExpress Portion: I-5, SR 118In the San Fernando Valley: Topanga Canyon Boulevard Serves Chatsworth station792Century CityCentury Park West & Solar WySanta ClaritaAv Stanford & Technology DrIn Santa Clarita: Avenue Scott, Valencia Boulevard, McBean ParkwayExpress Portion: I-5, I-405In West LA: Westwood Boulevard, Wilshire Boulevard Serves UCLA794Downtown LALos Angeles Union StationSanta ClaritaAv Stanford & Technology DrIn Santa Clarita: Avenue Scott, Valencia Boulevard, McBean ParkwayExpress Portion: I-5 Serves Downtown Burbank station796Santa ClaritaSanta Clarita stationWarner CenterVictory Bl & Topanga Canyon BlIn Santa Clarita: Valencia Boulevard, Orchard Village Road, Newhall AvenueExpress Portion: Sierra Highway, I-5, SR 118In the San Fernando Valley: De Soto Avenue Serves Newhall station and Chatsworth station797Santa ClaritaSanta Clarita stationCentury CityCentury Park West & Solar WyIn Santa Clarita: Valencia Boulevard, Orchard Village Road, Newhall AvenueExpress Portion: I-5, I-405In West LA: Westwood Boulevard, Wilshire Boulevard Serves Newhall station and UCLA799Santa ClaritaSanta Clarita station Downtown LA8th St & Spring StIn Santa Clarita: Valencia Boulevard, Orchard Village Road, Newhall AvenueExpress Portion: I-5In Downtown LA: Alameda Street, 1st Street, Hope Street
Transfer Stations McBean Regional Transit Center Santa Clarita station Newhall station Via Princessa station Vista Canyon Multi-Modal Center (Future) North Hollywood station (757) Chatsworth Metrolink station (791) Downtown Burbank station (794) Union Station (Los Angeles) (794)
Fleet City of Santa Clarita Transit is housed in the city's Transit Maintenance Facility. The facility has been gold LEED certified.
Active fleet