The restoration of bus services between Santa Clara County and Monterey County was celebrated with twin county events on Oct. 30.
The public transit service will reconnect passengers between Santa Clara County and Monterey County, with the start of Monterey-Salinas Transit’s (MST) Bus Line 59 running between Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority’s (VTA) Gilroy Transit Center and Salinas Intermodal Transit Center/AMTRAK.
The restored service, which was suspended in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, is restarting with a funding partnership between MST and Santa Clara VTA.
“MST Line 59 offers an affordable, dependable and planet friendly option for the community we serve to connect with the people, places and opportunities that are important to them,” said Carl Sedoryk, MST general manager and CEO.
The service will provide Monterey County residents with an option to reach Gilroy, San Jose, the San Francisco Bay area, Hollister and beyond through connections on Santa Clara VTA, Caltrain and San Benito Express. Visitors from the north can reach Salinas, the Monterey Peninsula, South Monterey County and Paso Robles by connecting to MST in Gilroy. Once in Gilroy, passengers have multiple connection options to continue travelling north, including Santa Clara VTA’s Rapid 568 and 68 bus lines and Caltrain service to San Jose and San Francisco.
“This transit service is a vital connector for thousands who rely on public transit in our communities,” said Greg Richardson, Santa Clara VTA assistant general manager and CFO. “Santa Clara VTA is proud to be able to contribute to the restoration and innovation throughout the communities it serves.”
Caltrain recently added a fourth roundtrip between Gilroy and points north.
“With the restoration of MST Line 59, it represents a tighter connection with Santa Clara VTA and Caltrain to the greater Bay Area and our regional economy,” said Dev Davis, San Jose City councilmember and Caltrain’s vice chair and member of the Santa Clara VTA board.
“This service is so important to continue to build up options for transit, as Gilroy continues to attract residents looking for more affordable housing. The need for mobility options has never been greater," said Gilroy Mayor Marie Blankley.
