Santa Barbara Metropolitan Transit District

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 2023, the system had a ridership of 4,579,600, or about 16,400 per weekday as of the fourth quarter of 2023.

An MTD bus at UCSB in 2007.
Founded1968
Headquarters1020 Chapala Street
Santa Barbara, California
Service areaSanta Barbara, Carpinteria, Goleta, Montecito, Summerland, Isla Vista
Service typeTransit bus
Routes37
Fleet113 buses
Daily ridership16,400 (weekdays, Q4 2023)[1]
Annual ridership4,579,600 (2023)[2]
Fuel typeCNG, battery electric
Websitesbmtd.gov

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]

However, since the new district had no funds, bus service didn't start until 1967.[citation needed]

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

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

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

Santa Barbara City College

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

Hollister Av, State St
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 Temporarily Suspended
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

School supplementary routes edit

Services operate weekdays only.

Route Terminals Via Notes
2010 Santa Barbara

MTD Transit Center

State St To Alpha Resource Center. AM Only
2110 Santa Barbara

San Barbara Junior High School

Cota St To MTD Transit Center. PM Only
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 Marcos High School

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

Goleta Valley Junior High School

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

Dos Pueblos High School

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

Bus fleet edit

Active fleet edit

Make/Model Fleet Numbers Thumbnail Year Engine Transmission Notes
New Flyer Xcelsior CHARGE NG 40' 806, 813 2023 Siemens ELFA 3
  • First full-sized zero-emissions busses
  • Seven more electric busses on order
BYD K7M 30-43 2017
Gillig Low Floor 40' 434-450 2003-2004 Detroit Diesel Series 50 EGR Allison B400R
Gillig Low Floor 40' 600-614 2004 Detroit Diesel Series 50 EGR Allison B400R
Gillig Low Floor 40' 615-621 2011 Cummins ISL9 Allison B400R
Gillig Low Floor 40' 622-624 2013 Cummins ISL9 Allison B400R
Gillig Low Floor 40' 625-634 2014 Cummins ISL9 Allison B400R
Gillig Low Floor 40' 635-642 2016 Cummins ISL9 Allison B400R
Gillig Low Floor 40' 643-652 2019 Cummins L9 Allison B3400 xFE
Gillig Low Floor 29' 700-710 2004 Cummins ISB Allison B300R
Gillig Low Floor 29' 711-713 2006 Cummins ISB Allison B300R
Gillig Low Floor HEV 40' 900-907 2007 Cummins ISB Allison EP 40 hybrid system
Gillig Low Floor HEV 40' 908-910, 912-915 2011 Cummins ISB6.7 Allison H 40 EP
Nova Bus LFS Artic 1001-1003 2014 Cummins ISL9 Allison B500R

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

  1. ^ "Transit Ridership Report Fourth Quarter 2023" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. March 4, 2024. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
  2. ^ "Transit Ridership Report Fourth Quarter 2023" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. March 4, 2024. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
  3. ^ 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)
  4. ^ City of Santa Barbara, Department of Public Works (May 31, 1996). "Pedestrian Master Plan" (PDF). Pedestrian Master Plan Final Draft. Retrieved March 4, 2007.
  5. ^ "Santa Barbara Bus Line to quit service on Jan 1". Los Angeles Times. December 18, 1960. pp. H4.
  6. ^ Bush, Thomas (March 19, 1967). "Bus Lines Tired of Parking in Red". Los Angeles Times. pp. I1.
  7. ^ "Santa Barbara Seeks Solution in Bus Strike". Los Angeles Times. May 11, 1961. pp. B7.
  8. ^ "Vote Averts Santa Barbara Transit Strike". Los Angeles Times. December 3, 1964. pp. A10.
  9. ^ "Week-Old Bus Strike in Santa Barbara Settled". Los Angeles Times. March 2, 1965. pp. A2.
  10. ^ "Santa Barbara Moves to Form Transit District". Los Angeles Times. March 21, 1965. pp. F8.
  11. ^ "New Transit District in Area Sought". Los Angeles Times. April 2, 1965. pp. C6.
  12. ^ "Santa Barbara Transit District Ready to Move". Los Angeles Times. December 24, 1966. pp. B5.
  13. ^ "Contactless payment options introduced on Santa Barbara County public transit systems". Mass Transit (magazine). July 27, 2021. Retrieved July 29, 2021.

External links edit

34°25′16″N 119°42′13″W / 34.42101°N 119.70348°W / 34.42101; -119.70348