A much needed commuter bus link between Santa Clarita and the San Fernando Valley will debut Sunday, March 5, with daily service from the McBean Transfer Station in Santa Clarita to the Sylmar Metrolink Station in the Valley. The new Route 8 bus will run on a seven-day schedule with buses departing about every 30 minutes, weekdays from 5:50 a.m. to 9:45 p.m., Saturdays from 6:20 a.m. to 9:45 p.m. and Sundays from 7:20 a.m. to 7:45 p.m. “We are very excited to offer Route 8 in direct response to requests by the citizens of Santa Clarita for easy access to the San Fernando Valley and beyond,” said Dianna Boone, Santa Clarita Transit Manager. “Linking two hubs of transportation is key to allowing riders the most options in terms of jobs, health centers, schools and hopping.” For the past two years Santa Clarita Transit held public meetings, polling residents on what services they felt would best benefit the area. The consistent answer was for a bus route between Santa Clarita and the San Fernando Valley. Route 8 was developed through the cooperative efforts of the City of Santa Clarita and Metro, with additional funding from the Job Access Reverse Commute Grant program. Buses will be run by Santa Clarita Transit. “As Santa Clarita and the surrounding area continue to grow, links between it and Metro’s Los Angeles transit options will become increasingly important to maintaining a high quality of life for Santa Clarita residents, many of whom work in Los Angeles. This new bus Route 8 – a joint project of Metro and Santa Clarita Transit – is a strong first step,” said Metro CEO Roger Snoble. The fare will be $1 each way, or $25 per month, with purchase of a Santa Clarita Transit local monthly pass. Metro’s EZ Transit monthly passes and interagency transfers from Metro to Santa Clarita local service will also be accepted at full fare.

Bus schedules are available online at www.santaclaritatransit.com for Santa Clarita local and commuter buses, or by calling (661) 294-1287.