Calif. agency to seek grants to purchase electric buses
In addition to approving the purchase of 30 buses, Santa Cruz Metro also honored a bus driver who saved a lost toddler.

Santa Cruz Metro

Santa Cruz Metro
WATSONVILLE, Calif. — Santa Cruz Metro’s board gave a green light to seek grants for adding electric buses to its fleet, the Santa Cruz Sentinel reported.
Metro currently shoulders a structural shortfall of $11 million coming out of the economic downturn in 2009 and is in the process of raising fares and reducing service. The agency hopes to help resolve its deficit by going after grants instead of using its own funds.
Metro leaders honored bus driver Pedro Garcia, who swerved to avoid hitting a toddler walking back and forth between the lanes, trapped like a deer in headlights, during the dark early morning hours.
The boy, who was reported missing, wandered out of a nearby apartment. For the full story, click here.
More Technology

From Hardware to Digital Partner: Luminator Charts Its Next Chapter
CEO Magnus Friberg discusses Luminator’s shift toward becoming a digital partner, the growing importance of software and interoperability, and how AI can help agencies improve operations and passenger experience.
Read More →
Beyond the Checklist: A Structured Approach to Transit Maintenance
Reliability-Centered Maintenance helps transit agencies move beyond routine checklists to focus limited resources on the assets and failures that have the greatest impact on safety, reliability, and service.
Read More →
NJ TRANSIT Advances Bus Technology Upgrades Across Statewide Fleet
More than 1,500 buses now feature upgraded technology designed to improve arrival predictions and provide free Wi-Fi, with deployment expected to reach nearly 2,000 buses by the end of 2026.
Read More →Building a Flexible Path to Transit Electrification
John Hroncich discusses BAE Systems’ modular and scalable approach, lessons learned from decades of real-world operations, and how agencies can identify electrification strategies that fit their fleets.
Read More →
Biz Briefs: Alstom Lands Canadian Contract, LYT to Supply California TSP, and More
In METRO's latest installment, we take a look at recent news from Complete Coach Works, Beep, FlixBus, and more partnerships making headlines across the transportation sector.
Read More →
From Legacy Silos to Conversational Intelligence
What if transit leaders could ask any operational question and get a trusted answer in seconds? Conversational AI is transforming how agencies use their data.
Read More →
USDOT Announces Rail Vehicle Replacement Grants, Chattanooga AV Shuttle Funding
More than $191 million in federal funding will help three transit agencies replace aging rail vehicles and support a new autonomous shuttle service in Chattanooga.
Read More →
Bus Tech Talk: Keeping Transit Technicians Ahead of the Technology Curve
LA Metro’s Obed Mejia discusses technician training, evolving maintenance technology, fleet replacement, and strategies for getting the most out of today’s transit fleets.
Read More →
Biz Briefs: RIPTA Unveils New Frontrunners, Clevland RTA Adds New Siemens, and More
In METRO's latest installment, we take a look at recent news from Siemens, Prevost, Dodge, and more partnerships making headlines across the transportation sector.
Read More →
Why Simulating Pedestrian Movement Has Become Essential for Modern Rail Stations
Pedestrian microsimulation is helping rail planners identify bottlenecks, test station designs, and prepare complex transit hubs for growing passenger volumes.
Read More →
