Santa Barbara Metropolitan Transit District
 | |
 An MTD bus at UCSB in 2007. | |
| Founded | 1968 |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | 1020 Chapala Street Santa Barbara, California |
| Service area | Santa Barbara, Carpinteria, Goleta, Montecito, Summerland, Isla Vista |
| Service type | Transit bus |
| Routes | 37 |
| Fleet | 113 buses |
| Daily ridership | 16,800 (weekdays, Q4 2024)[1] |
| Annual ridership | 4,832,900 (2024)[2] |
| Fuel type | CNG, battery electric |
| Website | sbmtd.gov |
The Santa Barbara Metropolitan Transit District (MTD) is a public transit agency providing bus service in the southern portion of Santa Barbara County, California. It serves the cities of Santa Barbara, Carpinteria, and Goleta as well as the unincorporated areas of Montecito, Summerland, and Isla Vista. In 2024, the system had a ridership of 4,832,900, or about 16,800 per weekday as of the fourth quarter of 2024.
History
[edit]Mule-powered street railways were implemented in 1875 and were gradually replaced by electric streetcars in 1896. The streetcars made their last run on July 1, 1929; about a month later, the Santa Barbara Transit Corporation company started providing local bus service (H.A. Spreitz, its owner, already operated another bus company that served the suburban areas of Goleta and Carpinteria.[3][4] In the late 1950s and 60s, Santa Barbara Transit was losing revenue, and repeatedly threatened to go out of business.[5][6] Strikes were also a problem, as the company could not afford to pay its employees.[7][8][9]
At first, the City of Santa Barbara considered subsidizing the transit company, but since service was needed to Carpinteria and Goleta as well, a transit district was thought to be a better choice, because it would also be able to levy taxes on separately.[10][11] Voters approved the formation of the MTD in 1966.[12]
Over the years, service has expanded, particularly on routes serving the University of California, Santa Barbara and Santa Barbara City College. Bus schedules were being distributed from 1983 onwards.
In August 2012 MTD implemented peak-hour commuter service (Coastal Express Limited) between Ventura and the Santa Barbara/Goleta area.
Routes
[edit]Local routes
[edit]All routes serving Downtown Santa Barbara begin and end at the Transit Center
| Route | Terminals | via | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Santa Barbara MTD Transit Center | Santa Barbara Modoc Rd & Portesuello Av | San Andres St | |
| 2 | Santa Barbara MTD Transit Center | Santa Barbara Punta Gorda St & Salinas St | Anapamu St | |
| 3 | Santa Barbara MTD Transit Center | Santa Barbara Foothill Rd & Cieneguitas Rd | State St | |
| 4 | Santa Barbara MTD Transit Center | Santa Barbara | Carrillo St, Cliff Dr | |
| 5 | Santa Barbara MTD Transit Center | Santa Barbara State St & La Cumbre Rd | Cliff Dr |
|
| 6 | Santa Barbara MTD Transit Center | Goleta Hollister Av & Storke Rd | State St, Hollister Av | |
| 7 | Santa Barbara MTD Transit Center | Goleta Hollister Av & Kellogg Av | US-101 | |
| 11 | Santa Barbara MTD Transit Center | Goleta Storke Rd & Hollister Av | State St, Hollister Av |
|
| 14 | Santa Barbara MTD Transit Center | Montecito Jameson Ln & Sheffield Dr | Valley Rd | |
| 16 | Santa Barbara MTD Transit Center | Santa Barbara Santa Barbara City College | Cliff Dr |
|
| 17 | Santa Barbara MTD Transit Center | Santa Barbara Santa Barbara City College | Carrillo St | |
| 20 | Santa Barbara MTD Transit Center | Carpinteria Via Real & Mark Av | Via Real | |
| 23 | Goleta Storke Rd & Hollister Av | Goleta Winchester Canyon Rd & Bradford Dr | Calle Real | |
| 25 | Goleta Hollister Av & Storke Rd | Goleta Calle Real & Winchester Pl | Hollister Av | |
| 27 | Isla Vista UC Santa Barbara | Goleta Santa Felicia Dr & Marketplace | Storke Rd |
|
| 28 | Isla Vista UC Santa Barbara | Goleta Santa Felicia Dr & Marketplace | El Colegio Rd |
|
Express routes
[edit]| Route | Terminals | Via | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12X | Santa Barbara MTD Transit Center | Goleta Hollister Av & Kellogg Av | US-101 | |
| 15X | Isla Vista UC Santa Barbara | Santa Barbara Santa Barbara City College | US-101 | |
| 19X | Santa Barbara Santa Barbara City College | Carpinteria Carpinteria Av & Palm Av | US-101 | |
| 24X | Santa Barbara MTD Transit Center | Goleta Storke Rd & Hollister Av | US-101 |
|
School supplementary routes
[edit]Services operate weekdays only.
| Route | Terminals | Via | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Santa Barbara MTD Transit Center | State St |
| |
| 2110 | Santa Barbara San Barbara Junior High School | Cota St |
| |
| 2410 | Goleta Turnpike Rd & Ukiah St | Santa Barbara La Colina Junior High School | Hollister Av | |
| 2420 | Goleta University Dr & Patterson Av | Santa Barbara La Colina Junior High School | Cathedral Oaks Rd | |
| 2430 | Goleta Hollister Av & San Ricardo Dr | Santa Barbara La Colina Junior High School | Hollister Av | |
| 2510 | Santa Barbara Rancheria St & Gutierrez St | Santa Barbara | San Andres St | |
| 2520 | Santa Barbara MTD Transit Center | Santa Barbara San Marcos High School | US-101 | |
| 2530 | Santa Barbara Carrillo St & San Andres St | Santa Barbara San Marcos High School | San Andres St, Modoc Rd | |
| 2540 | Santa Barbara Haley St & Bath St | Santa Barbara San Marcos High School | Cliff Dr, Las Positas Rd | |
| 2610 | Goleta Hollister Av & Kellogg Av | Goleta Fairview Av & Encina Rd | Hollister Av | |
| 2620 | Goleta Winchester Canyon Rd & Bradford Dr | Goleta Cathedral Oaks Rd & Camino Laguna Vista | Cathedral Oaks Rd | |
| 2630 | Goleta Hollister Av & Cathedral Oaks Rd | Goleta | Hollister Av, US-101 | |
| 2650 | Isla Vista Camino Pescadero & El Colegio Rd | Goleta Goleta Valley Junior High School | Cathedral Oaks Rd | |
| 2710 | Isla Vista Camino Pescadero & El Colegio Rd | Goleta | Storke Rd | |
| 2720 | Goleta Hollister Av & Turnpike Rd | Goleta Dos Pueblos High School | Hollister Av | |
| 2730 | Santa Barbara State St & La Cumbre Rd | Goleta Dos Pueblos High School | Cathedral Oaks Rd | |
| 2740 | Goleta Los Carneros Rd & Karl Storz Dr | Goleta Dos Pueblos High School | Hollister Av | |
Fare structure
[edit]Contactless fare payment
[edit]Some vehicles are equipped with a contactless fare reading device that allows customers to pay using a credit/debit/prepaid card or a mobile wallet on smart devices.[13]
References
[edit]- ^ "Transit Ridership Report Third Quarter 2024" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. November 20, 2024. Retrieved November 23, 2024.
- ^ "Transit Ridership Report Fourth Quarter 2024" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. February 19, 2025. Retrieved February 25, 2025.
- ^ Everett, William B. (1984). Mule car and trolley: the story of the Santa Barbara street railway. Goleta, Calif.: Institute for American Research. ISBN 0-911773-04-5. OCLC 11743439.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link) - ^ City of Santa Barbara, Department of Public Works (May 31, 1996). "Pedestrian Master Plan" (PDF). Pedestrian Master Plan Final Draft. Retrieved March 4, 2007.
- ^ "Santa Barbara Bus Line to quit service on Jan 1". Los Angeles Times. December 18, 1960. pp. H4.
- ^ Bush, Thomas (March 19, 1967). "Bus Lines Tired of Parking in Red". Los Angeles Times. pp. I1.
- ^ "Santa Barbara Seeks Solution in Bus Strike". Los Angeles Times. May 11, 1961. pp. B7.
- ^ "Vote Averts Santa Barbara Transit Strike". Los Angeles Times. December 3, 1964. pp. A10.
- ^ "Week-Old Bus Strike in Santa Barbara Settled". Los Angeles Times. March 2, 1965. pp. A2.
- ^ "Santa Barbara Moves to Form Transit District". Los Angeles Times. March 21, 1965. pp. F8.
- ^ "New Transit District in Area Sought". Los Angeles Times. April 2, 1965. pp. C6.
- ^ "Santa Barbara Transit District Ready to Move". Los Angeles Times. December 24, 1966. pp. B5.
- ^ "Contactless payment options introduced on Santa Barbara County public transit systems". Mass Transit (magazine). July 27, 2021. Retrieved July 29, 2021.
