San Diego MTS bus system

The San Diego MTS bus system of the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) operates 97 bus routes in the city of San Diego and the rest of the southern half of San Diego County, California, as of April 2020^[update].^[1]^[2]

There are 85 "MTS Bus" fixed-route services, nine "Rapid" bus rapid transit routes, and the "MTS Access" paratransit service. In 2023, the system had a ridership of 33,068,400, or about 118,600 per weekday as of the first quarter of 2024.

Routes are operated by private contractors and by the San Diego Transit Corporation (SDTC), a subsidiary of the MTS. The SDTC operates 27 routes based out of Downtown San Diego (Imperial Avenue Division), Transdev operates 73 routes based out of Chula Vista (South Bay Division) and El Cajon (East County Division) and operates the "MTS Access" paratransit service that are operated with mini-buses based out of Kearny Mesa (Copley Park Division). All buses and division facilities, even those used by contractors, are owned by the MTS.

MTS serves San Diego proper and the surrounding East County and South Bay regions,^[3] while the North County area is served by the North County Transit District's BREEZE bus system.^[4]

Routes marked as having "frequent service" operate with 15-minute or better frequency during weekday base hours.

Routes[edit]

Rapid Routes[edit]

Type	Route	Terminals		Via	Annual ridership (FY 2023)^[5]	Links	Notes
SuperLoop Rapid^[7]	201/202	University City UTC Transit Center		La Jolla Village Dr, Nobel Dr	2,452,699	Schedule	Frequent service Loop service 201 operates counterclockwise 202 operates clockwise
SuperLoop Rapid^[7]	204	University City UTC Transit Center		Executive Dr, Judicial Dr, Nobel Dr	70,422	Schedule	Weekdays only Loop service, operates clockwise
Rapid	215	Downtown San Diego Santa Fe Depot	College Area SDSU Transit Center	El Cajon Bl	1,271,180	Schedule	Frequent service
	225	Downtown San Diego Santa Fe Depot	Otay Mesa Otay Mesa Transit Center	SR 125, I-805	495,535	Schedule
	227	Imperial Beach Imperial Beach Pier	Otay Mesa Otay Mesa Transit Center	Coronado Av, SR 905	215,097^[8]	Schedule	Frequent service
	235	Downtown San Diego Santa Fe Depot	Escondido Escondido Transit Center	I-15	1,035,247	Schedule	Frequent service
	237	Mira Mesa Miramar College Transit Station	University City UTC Transit Center	Mira Mesa Bl	151,933	Schedule	Weekday peak only
Rapid Express^[6]	280	Downtown San Diego Pacific Hwy & Grape St	Escondido Escondido Transit Center	I-15, SR 163	50,070	Schedule	Weekday peak only
Rapid Express^[6]	290	Downtown San Diego Pacific Hwy & Grape St	Rancho Bernardo Rancho Bernardo Transit Station	I-15, SR 163	51,994	Schedule	Weekday peak only

Local Routes[edit]

Route	Terminals		Via	Annual ridership (FY 2023)^[5]	Links	Notes
1	Mission Valley Fashion Valley Transit Center	La Mesa La Mesa Boulevard station	El Cajon Bl	707,665	Schedule	Frequent service
2	Downtown San Diego Front St & B St	North Park 30th St & Adams Av	Broadway, 30th St	535,750	Schedule	Frequent service
3	Chollas View Euclid Avenue station	Hillcrest Front St & Arbor Dr	Ocean View Bl	827,961	Schedule	Frequent service
4	Downtown San Diego 12th & Imperial Transit Center	Skyline Hills Paradise Valley Rd & Meadowbrook Dr	Imperial Av	505,378	Schedule
5	Downtown San Diego 10th Av & Broadway	Chollas View Euclid Avenue station	Market St	389,179	Schedule
6	Mission Valley Fashion Valley Transit Center	North Park 30th St & University Av	Camino De La Reina	245,394	Schedule
7	Downtown San Diego Front St & B St	Redwood Village University Av & College Av	University Av	1,731,404	Schedule	Frequent service
8	Old Town Old Town Transit Center	Clairemont Balboa Avenue Transit Center	Grand Av, Mission Bay Dr	511,208	Schedule	Frequent service
9/9A	Old Town Old Town Transit Center	Pacific Beach Jewell St & Garnet Av (Monday–Saturday) Mission Bay Park Sea World (Sunday)	Ingraham St, Sea World	259,822	Schedule	Route 9A does not enter Sea World
10	Old Town Old Town Transit Center	Redwood Village University Av & College Av (weekdays) City Heights City Heights Transit Center (weekends)	University Av	870,403	Schedule	Makes limited stops east of Albatross St
11	Downtown San Diego 1st Av & Broadway	College Area SDSU Transit Center	Adams Av, 1st Av	467,450	Schedule
12	Downtown San Diego City College Transit Center	Skyline Hills Paradise Valley Rd & Meadowbrook Dr	National Av, Skyline Dr	850,892	Schedule	Frequent service
13	National City 24th Street station	Grantville Crawford St & Zion Av (Kaiser Hospital)	Fairmount Av	1,490,154	Schedule	Frequent service
14	Grantville Grantville station	La Mesa Baltimore Dr & Lake Murray Bl	70th St, Camino Del Rio	37,146	Schedule	Weekdays only
18	Grantville Grantville station		Camino Del Rio	12,846	Schedule	Weekdays only Loop service, operates counterclockwise
20	Downtown San Diego 10th Av & Broadway	Rancho Bernardo Rancho Bernardo Transit Station	I-15, Fashion Valley Transit Center, SR-163	360,223	Schedule	Express service
25	Mission Valley Fashion Valley Transit Center	Kearny Mesa Kearny Mesa Transit Center	Aero Dr, SR-163	37,693	Schedule	Weekdays only
27	Kearny Mesa Kearny Mesa Transit Center	Pacific Beach Bayard St & Garnet Av	Garnet Av, Balboa Av	213,310	Schedule
28	Old Town Old Town Transit Center	La Playa Anchorage Ln & Shelter Island Dr	Rosecrans St	214,790	Schedule
30	Old Town Old Town Transit Center	University City UTC Transit Center	La Jolla Bl	1,017,256	Schedule	Frequent service
31	University City UTC Transit Center	Mira Mesa Miramar College Transit Station	Miramar Rd	77,216	Schedule	Weekday peak only
35	Old Town Old Town Transit Center	Ocean Beach Cable St & Newport Av	Midway Dr, Cable St	318,441	Schedule	Frequent service
41	Mission Valley Fashion Valley Transit Center	Torrey Pines Gilman Transit Center (UCSD)	Genesee Av	759,248	Schedule	Frequent service
43	Kearny Mesa Kearny Mesa Transit Center	Clairemont Balboa Avenue Transit Center	Clairemont Mesa Bl	386,007	Schedule
44	Old Town Old Town Transit Center	Kearny Mesa Kearny Mesa Transit Center	Linda Vista / Mesa College	683,179	Schedule	Frequent service
60	University City UTC Transit Center	Chollas View Euclid Avenue station	I-805, I-15, SR-15	55,598	Schedule	Weekday peak only Express service
83	Old Town Old Town Transit Center	Downtown San Diego America Plaza station	Reynard Way / Mission Hills	14,106	Schedule	Weekdays only
84	Point Loma Cabrillo National Monument	Point Loma Sub Base Gate	Rosencrans St (Sub Base) or Catalina Bl (Cabrillo Monument)	12,473	Schedule	Weekdays only
88	Old Town Old Town Transit Center	Mission Valley Fashion Valley Transit Center	Hotel Circle	88,452	Schedule	Monday–Saturday only
105	Old Town Old Town Transit Center	University City UTC Transit Center	Morena Bl, Clairemont Dr	192,420	Schedule
110	Downtown San Diego Front St & B St	Mira Mesa Camino Santa Fe & Flanders Dr	I-15, SR-163	17,646	Schedule	Weekday peak only Express service
115	College Area SDSU Transit Center	El Cajon El Cajon Transit Center	Jackson Dr, Fletcher Pkwy	189,961	Schedule
120	Downtown San Diego 4th Av & C St	Kearny Mesa Kearny Mesa Transit Center (weekdays) Serra Mesa Sharp Memorial Hospital (weekends)	Fashion Valley Rd, Linda Vista Rd	483,432	Schedule	Frequent service Makes limited stops south of Fashion Valley Transit Center
701	Chula Vista H Street station	Chula Vista Palomar Street station	Main St, Hilltop Dr, F St	296,390	Schedule
704	Chula Vista E Street station	Chula Vista Palomar Street station	Naples St, Orange Av	291,968	Schedule
705	Chula Vista E Street station	Chula Vista Southwestern College	E St, Otay Lakes Rd	146,765	Schedule	Monday–Saturday only
707	Chula Vista Eastlake Pkwy & Olympic Pkwy	Chula Vista Southwestern College	Eastlake Pkwy	82,390	Schedule	Weekdays only
709	Chula Vista H Street station	Chula Vista Olympic Pkwy & Eastlake Pkwy	H St	534,694	Schedule	Frequent service
712	Chula Vista Palomar Street station	Chula Vista Southwestern College	Palomar St	434,158	Schedule	Frequent service
815	El Cajon El Cajon Transit Center	El Cajon Main St & Oakdale Av	Main St	262,403	Schedule	Frequent service
816	El Cajon El Cajon Transit Center	Rancho San Diego Cuyamaca College	Washington Av, Jamacha Rd	82,034	Schedule	Weekdays only
832	Santee Santee station		Cuyamaca St, Woodglen Vista Dr, Magnolia Ave	31,578	Schedule	Loop service, operates clockwise
833	Santee Santee station	El Cajon El Cajon Transit Center	Graves Av	53,920	Schedule
834	Santee Santee station		Mission Gorge Rd	20,796	Schedule	Weekdays only Loop service, operates clockwise
838	Granite Hills East County Square	Alpine Viejas Casino	Alpine Bl	105,830	Schedule
848	El Cajon El Cajon Transit Center	Lakeside Mapleview St & Ashwood St	Winter Gardens Bl	218,127	Schedule
851	La Mesa Spring Street Station	La Presa Spring Valley Shopping Center	Bancroft Dr, Sweetwater Rd	44,973	Schedule	Weekdays only
852	San Diego Orange Av & 54th St	La Presa Grossmont Transit Center	University Av	200,986	Schedule
854	La Presa Grossmont Transit Center	El Cajon Grossmont College	Lake Murray Bl	33,583	Schedule	Weekdays only
854X	La Presa Grossmont Transit Center	El Cajon Grossmont College	SR-125	33,583	Schedule	Express service. Operates when Grossmont College is in session for Fall and Spring semesters
855	La Mesa Spring Street station	Rancho San Diego Jamacha Bl & Folex Way	Campo Rd	156,213	Schedule
856	College Area SDSU Transit Center	Rancho San Diego Cuyamaca College	College Av, Jamacha Bl	373,080	Schedule	Frequent service
864	El Cajon El Cajon Transit Center	Granite Hills East County Square	Madison Av	238,460	Schedule
872	El Cajon El Cajon Transit Center		Chase Av, Magnolia Av	29,232	Schedule	Weekdays only Loop service, operates counterclockwise
874/875	El Cajon El Cajon Transit Center		Washington Av, Parkway Plaza, Broadway	230,852	Schedule	Loop service 874 operates clockwise 875 operates counterclockwise
901	Downtown San Diego 3rd Av & B St	Otay Mesa West Iris Avenue Transit Center	Silver Strand Bl	512,372	Schedule
904	Coronado Glorietta Bl & 2nd Av	Coronado Silver Strand Bl & Av de las Arenas	Orange Av	67,772	Schedule	During summer: frequent service, fare-free
905	Otay Mesa West Iris Avenue Transit Center	Otay Mesa Otay Mesa Transit Center	SR 905, Otay Mesa Rd	398,812	Schedule
906/907	Otay Mesa West Iris Avenue Transit Center	San Ysidro San Ysidro Transit Center	Beyer Bl, San Ysidro Bl, Calle Primera	824,801	Schedule	Frequent service Loop service 906 operates clockwise 907 operates counterclockwise
909	Otay Mesa Otay Mesa Transit Center	Otay Mesa Southwestern College Otay Mesa	Otay Mesa Rd, Britannia Bl	40,149	Schedule	Weekdays only
916/917	Chollas View Euclid Avenue station		Streamview Dr, Massachusetts Av	107,619	Schedule	Loop service 916 operates clockwise 917 operates counterclockwise
921	San Diego UTC Transit Center	Mira Mesa Miramar College Transit Station	Mira Mesa Bl, Barnes Canyon Rd	186,603	Schedule	Weekdays only
921A	Torrey Pines Gilman Transit Center (UCSD)	Mira Mesa Miramar College Transit Station	Mira Mesa Bl, Mesa Verde Park	186,603	Schedule	Weekends only
923	Ocean Beach Point Loma Av & Sunset Cliffs Bl	Downtown San Diego 9th Av & C St	Voltaire St, Harbor Dr	113,318	Schedule	Weekdays only
928	Kearny Mesa Kearny Mesa Transit Center	Mission Valley Fashion Valley Transit Center	Ruffin Rd	125,303	Schedule
929	Otay Mesa West Iris Avenue Transit Center	Downtown San Diego 1st Av & Broadway	Highland Av, 3rd Av	1,180,640	Schedule	Frequent service
932	National City 8th Street station	Otay Mesa West Iris Avenue Transit Center	National City Bl, Broadway	623,475	Schedule	Frequent service
933/934	Otay Mesa West Iris Avenue Transit Center		Imperial Beach Bl / Palm Av	1,095,907	Schedule	Frequent service Loop service 933 operates counterclockwise 934 operates clockwise
936	College Area SDSU Transit Center	Spring Valley Orville St & Brucker Av	College Grove / Skyline Drive	299,196	Schedule	Frequent service
944	Sabre Springs Sabre Springs Transit Station	Poway Hilleary Pl / Hilleary Park Dr	Poway Rd	37,693	Schedule	Monday–Saturday only
945/945A	Rancho Bernardo Rancho Bernardo Transit Station	Poway Temple St / Midland Rd	Pomerado Rd, Poway Rd	83,693	Schedule	Monday–Saturday only 945A operates weekday peak-only via Espola Rd to serve Poway High School
955	National City 8th Street station	College Area SDSU Transit Center	43rd St / Euclid Avenue station / 54th St	805,316	Schedule
961	National City 24th Street station	Encanto Encanto/62nd Street station	30th St / Plaza Bonita / Woodman St	407,638	Schedule	Frequent service
962	National City 8th Street station	Spring Valley Orville St & Brucker Av	Plaza Bl / Paradise Valley Rd	356,058	Schedule	Frequent service
963	National City 8th Street station	Paradise Hills Saipan Dr & Potomac St	Plaza Bl / Reo Drive	109,486	Schedule	Frequent service
964	Mira Mesa Camino Ruiz & Capricorn Way	Scripps Ranch Alliant International University	Miramar College Transit Station	78,325	Schedule	Weekdays only
965	City Heights City Heights Transit Plaza		University Av / Azalea Park / Home Av	37,981	Schedule	Monday–Saturday only Loop service, operates counterclockwise
967	National City 8th Street station	Alta Vista Division St & Ava St	D Av / Division St	27,497	Schedule	Weekdays only
968	National City 8th Street station	National City Westfield Plaza Bonita	4th St / Euclid Av	44,426	Schedule	Weekdays only
985	University City UC San Diego Central Campus station	Torrey Pines Torreyana Rd & Science Park Rd	N Torrey Pines Rd	22,896	Schedule	Weekday peak only
992	East Village City College station	San Diego San Diego International Airport	Broadway / Harbor Dr	288,060	Schedule	Frequent service

Rural Routes[edit]

Route	Terminals		Via	Annual ridership (FY 2023)^[5]	Links	Notes
888	El Cajon Parkway Plaza	Jacumba Hot Springs Campo St & Old Hwy 80	Alpine / Guatay / Pine Valley / Campo	788	Schedule	Monday and Friday peak only Operates flag stop service and off-route by appointment
891	El Cajon El Cajon Transit Center	Borrego Springs Christmas Cir & Palm Canyon Dr	Shelter Valley / Ramona	246	Schedule	Friday peak only Operates flag stop service and off-route by appointment
892	El Cajon El Cajon Transit Center	Borrego Springs Christmas Cir & Palm Canyon Dr	Ranchita / Ramona	232	Schedule	Thursday peak only Operates flag stop service and off-route by appointment
894	El Cajon Parkway Plaza	Tecate Tecate Rd & Thing Rd Campo Hwy 94 & Buckman Springs Rd (Cameron Corners) Lake Morena Lake Morena Dr & Gladiola Dr (Oak Shores Malt Shop)	Tecate / Campo / Morena Village	42,321	Schedule	Weekdays only Operates flag stop service and off-route by appointment

Bus fleet[edit]

Active fleet[edit]

Make/Model	Fleet Numbers	Year	Divisions	Notes
ElDorado National AeroElite	3001–3006	2014	Copley Park	Cutaway buses
ElDorado National AeroElite	3101–3131	2016	Copley Park	Cutaway buses
Gillig Low Floor CNG 40	201–223	2015	Kearny Mesa
	801–826	2013	Imperial Avenue
	901–912	2014	Kearny Mesa
	1401–1410	2017	Kearny Mesa	Painted in the Rapid livery
	1701–1738	2020–2021	Kearny Mesa Imperial Avenue	1701–1722 are 2020 models 1723–1738 are 2021 models
	2001–2014	2015	South Bay
	2101–2136	2017	South Bay
	2201–2238	2022	South Bay
	2301–2306	2013	East County
	2307–2324	2013	South Bay
	2401–2418	2014	South Bay
	2419–2438	2015	South Bay
	2601–2632	2021	South Bay
	2781–2787	2018	South Bay	Used exclusively on route 992, equipped with luggage racks
	2791–2795	2021	South Bay
	8201–8213	2015	East County
	8301–8338	2016	East County
	8351–8356	2019	East County
Gillig Low Floor Plus EV 40'	1601–1602	2020	Imperial Avenue
Gillig Low Floor Plus EV 40'	1603–1607	2021	Imperial Avenue	These buses are painted red instead of green.
MCI D4500CT CNG	8531–8554	2020	East County	Painted in Rapid Express livery, used on routes 280 & 290
New Flyer C40LFR	601–621	2011	Imperial Avenue
	701–731	2012	Imperial Avenue
	2901–2922	2012	South Bay
	2923–2927	2011	South Bay	Originally numbered 622–626.
New Flyer XE40	1501–1506	2019	East County Kearny Mesa South Bay
New Flyer XE60	7551–7562	2023	South Bay	Exclusively used for Rapid route 227
New Flyer XN60	1101–1129	2013	Kearny Mesa	Painted in Rapid livery, used for Rapid route 235. Being retired. Ten buses sold to Santa Cruz METRO.
	1201–1218	2013	Kearny Mesa Imperial Avenue	Painted in Rapid livery, used for Rapid route 215
	1301–1313	2015	Kearny Mesa	Painted in the standard livery, but regularly assigned to Rapid routes
	1801–1826	2021	Imperial Avenue	Painted in the standard livery, used on routes 7, 10 & 13
	1901–1924	2023	Kearny Mesa	Painted in Rapid livery, used for Rapid routes 201, 202 & 235
	7401–7410	2017	South Bay	Painted in the standard livery, used on route 929
	7501–7517	2017–2018	South Bay	Painted in Rapid livery, used for Rapid route 225

On Order[edit]

Make/Model	Fleet Numbers	Year	Notes
New Flyer XN40	(138)	2024–2027	New 5 year contract with New Flyer to supply CNG & Battery Electric Buses. These will likely replace the 600-, 700-, and 2900-series C40LFR buses and the 800- and 2300-series Gillig buses.
New Flyer XE40	(91)	2024–2027	New 5 year contract with New Flyer to supply CNG & Battery Electric Buses.
New Flyer XE60	(34)	2024–2027	New 5 year contract with New Flyer to supply CNG & Battery Electric Buses.

Notes[edit]

References[edit]

^ "About MTS". San Diego Metropolitan Transit System. 14 May 2015. Retrieved April 13, 2020.
^ "Bus Routes". San Diego Metropolitan Transit System. 24 August 2015. Retrieved April 13, 2020.
^ "San Diego Regional Transit Map" (PDF). San Diego Metropolitan Transit System. September 2019. Retrieved April 13, 2020.
^ "North County Transit District System Map" (PDF). North County Transit District. October 8, 2017. Retrieved April 13, 2020.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Annual Service Performance Report" (PDF). San Diego Metropolitan Transit System . November 2, 2023. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
^ ^a ^b "Rapid Bus Service | San Diego Metropolitan Transit System". www.sdmts.com. 22 May 2015.
^ Routes 201/202 and 204 were formerly known as SuperLoop until the introduction of Rapid in 2015. Some parts of the MTS website still use the names "SuperLoop Rapid 201/202" and "SuperLoop Rapid 204" for these routes, however.^[6]
^ From predecessor route 950

External links[edit]

[aboutMTS-1] "About MTS". San Diego Metropolitan Transit System. 14 May 2015. Retrieved April 13, 2020.

[routes-2] "Bus Routes". San Diego Metropolitan Transit System. 24 August 2015. Retrieved April 13, 2020.

[mts-map-3] "San Diego Regional Transit Map" (PDF). San Diego Metropolitan Transit System. September 2019. Retrieved April 13, 2020.

[nctd-map-4] "North County Transit District System Map" (PDF). North County Transit District. October 8, 2017. Retrieved April 13, 2020.

[sdmts-report-5] "Annual Service Performance Report" (PDF). San Diego Metropolitan Transit System . November 2, 2023. Retrieved November 15, 2023.

[RapidBusService-6] "Rapid Bus Service | San Diego Metropolitan Transit System". www.sdmts.com. 22 May 2015.

[SuperLoop-7] Routes 201/202 and 204 were formerly known as SuperLoop until the introduction of Rapid in 2015. Some parts of the MTS website still use the names "SuperLoop Rapid 201/202" and "SuperLoop Rapid 204" for these routes, however.^[6]

[8] From predecessor route 950

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[7]

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[6]

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