VTA Route 121 Is Gone: New Commute Options for Morgan Hill & GilroyWhy the Lockheed Martin express bus was discontinued, and what Morgan Hill & Gilroy commuters have left.
/If you used to take VTA Route 121 — the express bus from Gilroy and Morgan Hill to Lockheed Martin in Sunnyvale — you already know: it’s gone. The route was discontinued in the January 12, 2026 VTA service change. Here’s what happened and what’s left.
Why it was killed
Route 121 was a sponsored express, which meant Lockheed Martin was picking up part of the operating cost to make the route viable for VTA. That sponsorship ended. VTA crunched the ridership numbers on its own — without the sponsorship — and the route didn’t pencil out. Service ended on January 12, 2026 along with several other 2026 transit service plan changes.
What’s left for Lockheed and Sunnyvale commuters
Your realistic options now:
Caltrain + VTA. Take Caltrain north to Mountain View or Sunnyvale, transfer to a VTA bus or light rail to reach Lockheed. Longer than the old express. Works if you’re already at a Caltrain station.
- Route 68. Runs San Jose to Gilroy corridor. Not direct to Sunnyvale but connects to other north-south routes.
- Routes 568 / 84 / 85. These form a network across north Santa Clara County. A combination gets you there but with transfers.
- Vanpool. VTA coordinates vanpool groups. If you can find or start one from your neighborhood, this is the most time-efficient option.
- Drive. Honest answer: a lot of former Route 121 riders went back to driving. It’s what happens when a direct transit option disappears.
What we’re watching
Whether any employer in the north valley steps up to sponsor a new express. Whether VTA adjusts other routes to pick up the slack. And whether the broader 2026 Transit Service Plan by city gets any further changes during the year.
The bigger picture
Sponsored transit is fragile. When the sponsor leaves, the route usually dies with them. South Valley commuters depend heavily on Caltrain and a few key VTA connections — and any one of them disappearing has a real impact on households.
For more, see our Caltrain 2026 guide and our Morgan Hill to San Jose commute guide.
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Sources:
Gilroy/Morgan Hill - Lockheed Martin Route 121 — VTA
- January 12, 2026 Service Changes — VTA
- 2026 Transit Service Plan by City — VTA