Locals protest potential cuts to bus routes in Santa Cruz County

About 50 people gathered at the Watsonville Metro Station to call attention to a couple of dozen bus routes in Santa Cruz County that could potentially be eliminated, changed or reduced.

“Public transpiration is a civil right and our community is entitled to it,” said Lona Noe of Watsonville.

The Santa Cruz Metro said “Santa Cruz Metro currently has a financial structural deficit that requires a shrinking of the operating budget therefore a reduction in the level of bus service provided.”

“You have to put people in front of profits,” said Watsonville Mayor Felipe Hernandez. “So for me these bus lines that they’re cutting are a vital service for the community.”

The Metro Forward Transit Plan says to stay afloat, it must make a $6.5 million reduction in next year’s budget.

Metro says increased operating costs have contributed to its deficit, while funding sources have been flat or declining. Then there are health care benefits and retirement plans for employees, add to that, flat ridership and the economic downturn.

“Well there’s gonna be some layoffs for our drivers,” said Santa Cruz Metro Transit bus driver Dan Stevenson. “We probably will be asked to do more as bus drivers. You know working more hours, less break times.”

Riders told KION proposed route changes and eliminations could mean some people will just not have a way to get to where they need to go.

“I don’t want to go back to the 70’s or the 80’s where there’s hardly any buses around here,” said Yolanda Perez who takes the bus to work.

Students also say with university routes potentially on the chopping block, they may also lose their means of getting to class.

“By the time September rolls around and they’ve made the cuts, I’d be without the bus I was expecting to be riding,” said Cabrillo College student Christopher Michael. “I think that’s a lot of people.”

The group said they plan to hold more protests and meetings to explore other solutions.

Santa Cruz metro also said its holding pop up meetings, open houses and online discussions about the cuts along with looking at ways to increase ridership.

A final decision will be made this summer.