SANTA BARBARA, CALIF. – Santa Barbara MTD is announcing the return of the beloved all-electric Downtown-Waterfront Shuttle service to Santa Barbara’s Downtown and Waterfront areas temporarily for summer 2024. After a 4-year hiatus, electric shuttles will once again carry riders around town on a safe, quiet, and zero-emission ride as they had for 30 years prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The temporary shuttle service operation will be funded with limited, one-time grant funds from the State of California’s Low-Carbon Transit Operations Program (LCTOP) fund.
The previous Downtown-Waterfront Shuttle service was funded through an agreement between MTD and the City of Santa Barbara. The service was suspended at the beginning of the pandemic, and the agreement for funding from the City expired in June 2022 and was not renewed.
Service will operate on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. between May 31, 2024 and September 2, 2024, with service on the 4th of July and Labor Day Monday.
The Shuttle will operate as a circulator route with 20-minute headways, offering frequent service for residents and visitors to enjoy the iconic beauty of Santa Barbara’s Waterfront and Downtown. Riders can catch the shuttle at any MTD stop along the route.
Due to a large portion of State Street downtown being closed to motor vehicles and open to pedestrians, the Downtown portion of the route will operate on Chapala and Anacapa Streets.
The return of this service will once again provide transit connections among the harbor and waterfront, Santa Barbara Zoo, Santa Barbara Train Depot, the historic County Courthouse, countless hotels, and Downtown shopping and dining destinations, just to name a few.
Fares will be $0.50 (standard one-way) and $0.25 for seniors 62+ and people with disabilities. The popular $1 day pass will also be available and provides for unlimited rides on the Shuttle in one calendar day. Additionally, riders with a valid Amtrak ticket ride free on the Shuttle or any MTD bus service by showing their train ticket for that day.
There will be a community event on Friday, May 31, 2024, to celebrate the launch of the service. Event details will be announced soon.
