Santa Barbara MTD 2024 Proposed Service Changes

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Please read below to view proposed changes to Santa Barbara MTD's service plan, which would take effect as of August 19, 2024. We encourage you to give feedback on the proposed changes by sharing your thoughts in the spaces below.

Due to the uncertainty caused by the ongoing bus operator shortage, the exact levels to which service will be restored or added is unclear at this time. While it is hoped that all the proposals listed here go into effect in August, some may need to begin later based on bus operator availability.

Details about exact levels of service will be available later in the summer.

Thank you for participating!

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* 1.
Extended span of service on Line 15x (SBCC/UCSB Express) until 9:00 p.m.

Line 15x (SBCC/UCSB Express) operates express weekday serving SBCC, UCSB, Isla Vista, and Camino Real Marketplace. This line currently runs from approximately 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. with headways around 30 minutes in the AM peak and hourly for the rest of the day.

Prior to the pandemic, Line 15x had more frequent service and a longer span of service. There is demand for service past 6:00 p.m. since many classes end after that time.

The intention is to extend the span of service to around 9:00 p.m., with hourly frequency between 6:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m.

Please share any feedback, questions, or concerns about the proposal for expanded Line 15x service:

Question Title

* 2.
Increased frequency on Line 27 (Isla Vista Shuttle)

Line 27 (Isla Vista Shuttle) serves the heart of Isla Vista, the UCSB Campus, and Goleta’s Camino Real Marketplace. Pre-pandemic, this line operated on 20 minute headways with extremely high ridership. Service on the route was reduced to 36 minute headways during the UCSB campus closure in the heart of the pandemic lockdown, and has remained at that level ever since due to the bus operator shortage.

There is significant demand for more Line 27 service based on current ridership. The intention is to increase frequency to 20 minutes on weekdays during UCSB's Fall, Spring, and Winter quarters.

Please share any feedback, questions, or concerns about the proposal to restore service on Line 27:

Question Title

* 3.
Temporary Downtown-Waterfront Shuttle service to operate in Summer 2024

A temporary Downtown-Waterfront Shuttle circulator service will operate in Santa Barbara on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays between May 31st, 2024 and September 2nd, 2024. It will also operate on July 4th (a Wednesday this year) and Labor Day Monday (September 2nd).

The demand for the return of a Downtown-Waterfront service has been high for several years now, after the original Downtown and Waterfront Shuttles were suspended at the beginning of the pandemic. This will restore transit access to the Santa Barbara Amtrak Station and many other important destinations.

map of the new Downtown-Waterfront Shuttle circulator route
The service route will run up Chapala Street to Sola Street, down Anacapa Street to Gutierrez Street, left on State Street below the promenade street closure area, down to Cabrillo Boulevard. The shuttle will then turn right and head to the Harbor, turn around and head back east on Cabrillo all the way to Niños Drive where it would turn left to serve the Zoo and turn back around to get to Cabrillo and back right on State Street.

Service will operate between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. with 20-minute headways, and will be operated using MTD’s existing BYD 30-foot electric shuttles.

This service is temporary due to the lack of financial resources and is funded this year with one-time grant funds. The service could possibly be sustained or return if sufficient funding is identified through partnerships.

Please share any feedback, questions, or concerns about the launch of the Downtown-Waterfront Shuttle circulator service:

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* 4. MTD recently introduced our Tap2Ride open loop contactless payment system throughout the bus fleet. This means that riders are able to use their contactless-enabled bank card or smart device (such as Apple Pay, GPay, etc.) to pay for their bus fare. Riders are also able to take advantage of dynamic fare capping, which automatically caps monthly spending at the cost of a 30 day pass. More details can be found at https://sbmtd.gov/taptoride

A yellow and black card reader with a contactless payment symbol is installed on a stanchion inside the front of the bus.
Have you used, or do you plan to use the Tap2Ride feature to pay for your bus fare?

Please select all that apply below.

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* 5. Are you currently riding the MTD bus? If so, how often do you ride?

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* 6. Please share your contact information so that we can follow up if you asked questions above.

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