Santa Barbara MTD’s Board of Directors has adopted a goal of a 100 percent zero-emissions fleet by the year 2030.

Santa Barbara MTD has long been a forerunner in the battery-electric bus space, having run the first electric bus fleet in the United States back in 1991. MTD still boasts the second largest active electric bus fleet in California with 14 fully battery-electric buses out of a total fleet of 112.

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is expected to adopt new Innovative Clean Transit Standards in 2019, mandating phased future purchasing of buses for California transit operators be zero-emission. The goal MTD adopted today would meet those requirements on a faster schedule.

“We are committed to making this happen. The whole team at Santa Barbara MTD is proud of our pioneering work in battery-electric transit, and we look forward to continuing to lead the industry towards a zero-emissions future,” said Jerry Estrada, General Manager of Santa Barbara MTD.

“Meeting this goal will be a challenge, but our partners in the region and in the transit industry have made a commitment to helping us get there. The MTD Board of Directors knows that it is the right thing to do for our agency, our community, and our planet,” said MTD Board Chair Dave Davis.

Michael Chiacos, Director of Energy and Climate Programs at Community Environmental Council lauded the goal adoption, saying, “Community Environmental Council congratulates Santa Barbara MTD for continuing their electric bus leadership with this 100% electric bus goal. Zero emission electric buses powered by renewable energy will be cleaner for our air, quieter for our neighborhoods, and show the world we can lead on climate change solutions. CEC hopes MTD’s leadership will spur other fleets and the public to consider electric vehicles, which are now surprisingly affordable and available in dozens of models.”

“We salute the MTD board for adopting a 100% electric bus goal. Diesel pollution causes cancer, asthma and contributes to climate change. It is particularly important to show a commitment to carbon-free transportation now as California grapples with a year-round fire season driven by climate change,” said Katie Davis, Sierra Club Santa Barbara Group Chair. “By setting this goal, MTD can plan this transition, build the necessary charging infrastructure, send a market signal to bus manufacturers, and set Santa Barbara on the path to 100% clean, quiet electric buses powered by 100% renewable energy.”

Santa Barbara MTD has been operating connecting “first mile/last mile” shuttle service for the Pacific Surfliner train since it was retimed back in April of 2018 to better match commuter hours. As of October 1st, the shuttle route formerly terminating at Hollister and Patterson (known as East Goleta Amtrak Shuttle) has been rerouted and now serves UCSB, the largest employer in Santa Barbara County.

When the Surfliner train arrives at the Goleta Amtrak Station on the early morning trip, the new UCSB/East Goleta Amtrak Shuttle (Line 91) is waiting just off the platform. Riders with a valid train ticket board the connecting shuttle for free.

The UCSB/East Goleta Amtrak Shuttle runs from the Goleta Amtrak Station and heads east on Hollister through Old Town Goleta, with stops at Hollister & Pine, Hollister & Kellogg, UCSB Elings Hall, and UCSB North Hall Bus Loop.

In the afternoon, the bus goes in the reverse direction, picking up at the following stops (in order) prior to dropping off at the Goleta Amtrak Station to catch the 4:25pm train: UCSB North Hall Bus Loop, UCSB Elings Hall, Hollister & Ward, Hollister & Kellogg, and Hollister & Nectarine.

West Goleta Amtrak Shuttle (Line 90) runs between the Goleta Amtrak Station and Hollister at Palo Alto (LogMeIn Campus), serving major Goleta business parks and Camino Real Marketplace along the way.

Santa Barbara Amtrak Shuttle (Line 92) runs between the Santa Barbara Amtrak Station and serves Downtown locations between the station and Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital.

The Santa Barbara County Association of Governments (SBCAG) contracts with Santa Barbara MTD to provide this connecting service.

Commuters can get more information by calling (805) 963-3366 or by emailing info@sbmtd.gov. Maps with route and stop details and estimated times are included below.

SANTA BARBARA – Santa Barbara MTD has announced the launch of a new one-day pass for the Downtown and Waterfront Shuttle routes.

The new day pass costs only one dollar and allows for unlimited rides in any direction on MTD’s zero-emissions battery-electric shuttles. The pass is valid for one calendar day after first use, and is only valid on the Downtown and Waterfront Shuttles. Unused passes do not expire.

Day passes are available for purchase at MTD’s Transit Center at 1020 Chapala Street, and the Administrative Offices at 550 Olive Street, both in Santa Barbara. Other locations will soon be sales outlets such as the Visitor Center, museums, and hotels.

“We are excited to offer an even easier way to enjoy State Street and the Waterfront. Whether you are shopping, visiting the Zoo, or enjoying a meal in the harbor, you can park once and rely on the shuttle to get you to your destination,” said Jerry Estrada, General Manager of Santa Barbara MTD.

MTD operates the Downtown-Waterfront Electric Shuttle in partnership with the City of Santa Barbara.

SANTA BARBARA – Santa Barbara MTD’s Board of Directors has unanimously passed a resolution opposing Proposition 6, a measure placed on the November ballot that would repeal Senate Bill 1 (SB 1), which funds crucial transit and transportation infrastructure projects.

SB 1 was passed by the state legislature and signed by Governor Jerry Brown in 2017, ensuring funding for public transportation, road safety improvements, and repairing local streets, highways, bridges and overpasses. Santa Barbara MTD benefits in the following ways from these funds:

• Around $1.3 million annually in increased State Transit Assistance (STA) for capital and operating expenses
• State of Good Repair (SGR) funds helping fund the purchase of needed new buses
• Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (TIRCP) funds for facility improvements and maintenance

If Proposition 6 is passed by the voters, the funds above will no longer be available.

More information on how SB 1 funding is being spent around the state can be found at rebuildingca.ca.gov.

The language of the adopted resolution can be found here.

Santa Barbara MTD’s annual August service changes will go into effect at the beginning of the day on Monday, August 20, 2018.

These changes were developed through a yearlong planning process, assessing on-time performance, changing traffic pressures and patterns, and community outreach.

The changes include new routing for the Line 15x, which serves as an express route between Isla Vista/UC Santa Barbara (UCSB) and Santa Barbara City College (SBCC). The change reroutes the Line 15x off the Mesa and loops around SBCC’s main campus. The route will travel in a consistent one-way direction all day from UCSB toward Isla Vista and Camino Real Marketplace, then to SBCC, rather than reversing direction in the afternoon as it currently does.

New Line 15x Map

Frequency will improve on the Line 20, which serves Santa Barbara, Montecito, Summerland and Carpinteria. Frequencies on the Line 20 in the morning and late afternoon peak times will improve to every 15 and 30 minutes. Line 21x will be suspended during heavy construction activity on Highway 101 in the corridor. Reimplementation of the Line 21x service will be considered on a yearly basis.

The new schedule also includes minor changes to the schedules Lines 5, 7, and 27 to improve on-time performance.  The schedule for Line 36 (Seaside Shuttle) has been amended slightly to make it possible for riders to catch the recently re-timed morning peak northbound Pacific Surfliner train.

The new schedule guide reflecting these changes is available at the Transit Center, or by following this link.

MTD encourages riders to double-check the schedule to see if their regular departure times have been altered. Customer Service Representatives are available for assistance at (805) 963-3366.

Become a certified Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) firm and bid on contracting opportunities with the Santa Barbara Metropolitan Transit District (MTD). DBE firms are small businesses with primary minority or woman ownership (50 % +). Contact MTD if you believe your firm may qualify for certified DBE status. MTD will assist you in applying for DBE certification.

MTD contracts for a variety of products and services. MTD anticipates that approximately 22% of our operating expenses will be available for contracting opportunities. We actively seek certified DBE firms to bid on contracts. If you are interested, or if you have further questions, please contact Steve Maas at (805) 963-3364 or smaas@sbmtd.gov.

Click here to review MTD’s FY 2019 – FY 2021 DBE Goal.

To ensure that train commuters from points south can get to their places of employment in short order, Santa Barbara MTD will be providing new “first mile/last mile” connecting shuttle service from the Santa Barbara and Goleta Amtrak Stations to area transit connections and employment centers when the Pacific Surfliner train’s new early morning service begins on Monday, April 2^nd, 2018. Riders with a valid train ticket will board the connecting shuttle for free.

The Santa Barbara County Association of Governments (SBCAG) has contracted with Santa Barbara MTD to provide this connecting service for the duration of the two-year pilot of the Surfliner retiming project. There will be three corridors served with a new shuttle route, with one serving Downtown Santa Barbara locations and Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. The other two shuttles will serve the Goleta Station: one will run between the Goleta Amtrak Station and Hollister at Palo Alto (LogMeIn Campus), serving major Goleta business parks and Camino Real Marketplace along the way. The second Goleta shuttle will run between the Goleta Amtrak Station and Hollister at Patterson (Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital), serving Old Town Goleta along the way.

This express shuttle service will run on weekdays only, serving each of the three routes once in the morning and once in the afternoon. All shuttles will await the arrival of the early morning train, expected to arrive at the Santa Barbara station at 6:47am and the Goleta station at 7:02am. The shuttles will then serve the return trip, dropping off commuters at their respective train stations in time for the afternoon train departures from Goleta at 4:25pm and Santa Barbara at 4:40pm. The buses’ headsigns will say “Santa Barbara Amtrak Shuttle”, “West Goleta Amtrak Shuttle”, and “East Goleta Amtrak Shuttle”. All three routes have limited stops to ensure an express trip.

The Santa Barbara shuttle will pick up inside the Santa Barbara Amtrak depot lot at the bus loading zone. The two Goleta shuttles will pick up in the bus circle adjacent to the Goleta Amtrak station platform.

Commuters can get more information by calling (805) 963-3366 or by emailing info@sbmtd.gov. Maps with route and stop details and estimated times are included below.

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MTD has installed new fareboxes in our non-shuttle fleet. Click the image below to view an informational video on how to use the farebox and what to expect.

Questions? Send us an email at info@sbmtd.gov.

The free smartphone application is available in the Apple App Store for Apple devices and the Google Play Store for Android devices. It features a trip planner, the ability to locate nearby bus stops and routes, track current bus locations on a map, set up notifications, and bookmark favorite bus stops. These features are also available via any computer’s internet browser by visiting bustracker.sbmtd.gov

In addition to smartphone and web access, individuals can receive information on bus arrival times via SMS text. To use this feature, users send a text with SBMTD and their stop number to 41411, and they will receive a text back with times for the next buses arriving at that bus stop. Bus stop numbers can be found in the MTD Schedule Guide on pages 17 through 26. Over the next few weeks, individual signs will be installed at bus stops with information on how to use the texting system. For example, by texting “SBMTD 1” to 41411, the user will receive real-time information on the next buses coming to Bus Stop number one, located at Modoc and Portesuello on Santa Barbara’s Westside.