By Councilwoman Marsha McLean
Did you know that You’ve Got a Friend at City Hall? In Santa Clarita, dedicated City staff in dozens of departments and divisions work to keep the City running smoothly, solve problems and improve the quality of life for residents in countless ways. The You’ve Got a Friend at City Hall campaign was launched to shine a light on these teams, putting faces and names to the services and showing the community that the people behind the desks are also their neighbors who live, work and play in Santa Clarita. Each feature in this campaign introduces a new division and provides a glimpse of the people and projects that help shape our City’s quality of life. This month, the spotlight turns to an operation that quite literally keeps our City moving: Santa Clarita Transit.
Santa Clarita Transit plays a vital role in ensuring that transportation in our community is accessible, convenient and sustainable. One of its central missions is to promote mobility for seniors, as well as members of the disabled community. Through the Dial-a-Ride program, Santa Clarita Transit offers curb-to-curb trips designed specifically for seniors aged 60 and over and individuals with disabilities. When paired with the general public on-demand Go! Santa Clarita service, Santa Clarita Transit offers a number of flexible and inclusive options for residents to get where they need to go.
Education is another cornerstone of Santa Clarita Transit’s work. The team actively engages with the public to increase awareness of the transportation alternatives available throughout the City. Riders can learn how to plan their trips using the online trip planner, receive real-time updates through social media and access how-to videos that explain everything from purchasing a TAP Card to transferring between systems. This outreach not only makes the system more approachable, but also encourages residents to leave their cars at home, helping to reduce traffic congestion and improve air quality.
Santa Clarita Transit also understands the value of connection beyond City limits. To expand travel options, the team actively collaborates closely with regional partners, including Metrolink, LA Metro and the Antelope Valley Transit Authority. These partnerships allow riders to move seamlessly between systems, making it easier to commute to work, visit family in neighboring areas or attend events across Southern California. By coordinating schedules and services, Santa Clarita Transit ensures that Santa Clarita residents have access to a larger transportation network that meets their varied needs.
Perhaps most impressively, Santa Clarita Transit is making bold strides toward a greener and cleaner future with its zero-emissions initiatives. Earlier this year, the City introduced its fully electric van into the Go! Santa Clarita fleet, eliminating as much carbon each month as planting 57 trees and letting them grow for 10 years. This fall, seven new hydrogen fuel cell buses will join the fleet, offering a clean, quiet and efficient alternative to traditional fuel. These buses will be supported by the region’s first combined hydrogen production and refueling station, built with the capacity to expand as our fleet grows. That means we’ll be making our own hydrogen right here at home and then fueling our buses with it, instead of trucking it in like other stations you see around Southern California. This is a huge step forward for clean, local energy!
These efforts are part of the City’s long-term Zero Emissions Transition Plan, which aligns with California’s Innovative Clean Transit mandate, requiring all public transit to operate zero-emission buses by 2040. Santa Clarita plans to replace a portion of its fleet each year, transitioning from compressed natural gas vehicles to battery-electric and hydrogen fuel cell models. Infrastructure upgrades, from additional charging facilities to expanded hydrogen production capacity, will evolve alongside these fleet changes to ensure the system is ready for a fully zero-emission future.
The inclusion of Santa Clarita Transit in the You’ve Got a Friend at City Hall campaign is an opportunity to show residents the human side of public transportation. It’s a reminder that public transit isn’t just about buses and schedules, it’s about people working together to connect a community. By promoting mobility for all, educating the public, working with regional partners, investing in infrastructure and embracing technology, the Santa Clarita Transit team is shaping a system that supports the City’s present, while also preparing for its future.
For more information about routes, schedules, programs and upcoming transit initiatives, visit SantaClaritaTransit.com. There, you’ll find trip-planning tools, rider alerts and resources to help make your journey as smooth and convenient as possible.
Councilwoman Marsha McLean is a member of the Santa Clarita City Council and can be reached at mmclean@santaclarita.gov.
