A centralized cross-connect (DS0)-time slot routing scheme for multiple bandwidth communication circuit cards is executed by a supervisory control card installed in a distributed backplane of a time division multiplex (TDM)-based communication system equipment shelf. The distributed backplane supports a plurality of TDM time slots, and has a plurality of card slots in which communication circuits cards are installed. A relational database provides a transport association among the TDM time slots of the backplane and DS0 communication channels of communication circuits cards that allows any DS0 communication channel of any port of any communication circuit card to be associated with any TDM communication transport time slot of the backplane. The supervisory control card controls the transport of DS0 communication channels in selected TDM communication transport time slots in accordance with the contents of the relational database.