Monterey-Salinas Transit (MST) is the primary public transportation provider in Monterey County, with a concentration of services found in the cities of Monterey, Marina, and Salinas. It also provides regional services beyond the county, with lines operating as far as San Jose to the north, Santa Cruz to the northwest, and Paso Robles and Templeton to the south. Its specialty is providing frequent services to various military installations in Monterey County, with operations to Presidio of Monterey, Naval Postgraduate School, and Fort Hunter Leggett.
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Service Types, Fares, and Passes
Monterey-Salinas Transit operates four, distinct trip types, each with their own fares.
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Trip Type |
MST Lines |
Adult Fare |
Discount Fare |
Local |
3, 14, 26, 43, 46, 69, On Call Marina, On Call South County |
$1.50 |
$0.75 |
Primary (Base) |
Del Ray Oaks, JAZZ, 1, 2, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 16, 18, 19, 24, 25, 27, 41, 42, 44, 45, 47, 48, 49, 70, 74, 75, 76, 84, 85, 91*, 92*, 93*, 94*, 95* |
$2.50 |
$1.25 * - fare is $0.75 |
Regional |
20, 21, 22, 23, 28, 29, 56, 72, 78, 84, 85 |
$3.50 |
$1.75 |
Commuter |
55, 82, 86 |
$12.00 |
$6.00 |
In addition, the following passes are offered to passengers:
Pass Type |
Valid Routes |
Adult |
Discount |
31-Day Super |
All |
$190 |
$95 |
31-Day Basic |
Local and Primary Upcharges listed on right |
$95 Regional: add $1 Commuter: add $9.50 |
$47.50 Regional: add $0.50 Commuter: add $4.75 |
7-Day Super |
All |
$50 |
$25 |
Day Pass |
Local, Primary, and Regional Upcharges listed on right |
$10 Commuter: add $2 |
$5 Commuter: add $1 |
Summer Youth |
All |
N/A |
$38 |
MST and the Military
MST offers free bus passes to active duty service members, Department of Defense employees, and NAF employees who commute to work from out-of-area military facilities. These passes are processed by members of the county's military facilities, namely Fort Hunter Leggett, Naval Postgraduate School, Presidio of Monterey, and Camp Roberts. Once an application has been processed a military employee receives a Department of Transportation debit card with a preloaded monthly federal transit benefit. Funds on the debit card allow the purchase of a Military GoPass valid for unlimited use on all MST lines for 31 consecutive days upon first use. Funds on the debit card are replenished on the tenth of each month.
Note: for entry to the following military facilities, namely:
- Presidio of Monterey (on Routes 22, 55, 69, 70, 72, 74, 75, 76, 78, and Presidio Shuttle) - passengers boarding the bus inside the Presidio ride for free
- Fort Hunter Liggett (on Routes 82 and 85)
JAZZ
Monterey-Salinas Transit operates the JAZZ, a bus rapid transit (BRT) service operating between Monterey and Sand City. It is named after the famed Monterey Jazz Festival that celebrates the region's jazz culture, held in late Summer. Operating daily, the JAZZ runs on three routes, namely:
Combined service frequency operates as follows:
On and Off Board Amenities |
Vehicle Fleet
Monterey-Salinas Transit operates a mostly-Gillig fleet, with a sizable subfleet consisting of cutaway vans (operated under contract to MV Transportation).
High-Floored Buses
These include:
- Gillig Phantom 35-footer and 40-footer buses
- Motor Coach Industries D4500CT commuter bus
Low-Floored Buses
These include:
- Gillig Advantage LF35 and LF40 buses (some in the JAZZ livery)
- Gillig Advantage LF40 Suburban Coach (one-door)
Ford E450 Aerotech Cutaway Vans
These are primarily used on low-density services throughout the county, as well as community shuttles.
MST RidesMonterey-Salinas Transit operates Rides, a paratransit service operating in tandem with MST's bus services. MST Rides ADA service is available during the hours of operation of MST’s regular fixed-route bus service operating within a corridor. Rides service is available for trips up to 3/4 mile of a fixed route bus line, and fares vary based on distance:
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