Santa Barbara MTD Votes to Raise Fares 25 Cents for Electric Shuttles

The Downtown-Waterfront route in Santa Barbara and Seaside route in Carpinteria will cost 50 cents to ride starting July 2

By Alex Kacik, Noozhawk Business Writer | @NoozhawkBiz | Published on 06.12.2012 10:26 p.m.

The Santa Barbara Metropolitan Transit District voted Tuesday to increase the fares of its Downtown-Waterfront Shuttle in Santa Barbara and the Seaside Shuttle in Carpinteria.

Since the state Supreme Court ruled to uphold the Legislature’s decision to eliminate California’s redevelopment agencies by Feb. 1, the City of Santa Barbara took over all RDA business left behind.

According to a news release issued Tuesday by the MTD, the City of Santa Barbara can’t continue to support the electric shuttles, and the rates will be increased from 25 cents to 50 cents starting July 2. Seniors and disabled passengers will continue to pay only 25 cents.

“Since the RDAs are being dissolved with the state mandate, that left us with $300,000 that was not funded to support public transit,” said Dave Damiano, Santa Barbara MTD manager of transit development and community relations. “So jointly with the city, we offered to raise the fare so they can support more services. It was a goal to keep the service alive.”

The board also voted to start the shuttle’s frequent service at 11 a.m. instead of 10 a.m.

Also in July, MTD will eliminate the Commuter Shuttle and reduce the midday crosstown routes. The Commuter Shuttle is an electric vehicle that picks up workers who park at the lot on the corner of Castillo and Carrillo streets and takes them downtown and back for free, if they have a commuter lot parking pass. The crosstown route, or Lines 1 and 2, will have one bus instead of two run midday between the Westside and the Eastside.

There are other changes that will go into effect on Aug. 27, including changes to Lines 6, 11 and 15x.

So far this year, MTD has turned away 800 passengers, up 28.6 percent from last year, Damiano said. One of the busiest routes has been Line 15x, and the three “articulated” or “bendy” buses should help satisfy that demand, according to Kate Schwab, MTD assistant manager of marketing and customer service.

Schwab urged the community to participate in National Dump the Pump Day on June 21.

“It’s perfect for people who wonder if public transit will work for them,” she said. “Even if it will work for one day a week, that’s the day to get on the bus.”

— Noozhawk staff writer Alex Kacik can be reached at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @NoozhawkBiz, @noozhawk and @NoozhawkNews. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.Cuban revolution/a

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» Really? on 06.13.12 @ 02:20 PM

MTD has bigger problems than this article talks about.

By “law” MTD has been able to under report the capital recapture rate, making its bottom line look better. It’s legal just not very ethical.

MTD is looking at a huge problem with UCSB. UCSB most likely will start operation of a shuttle route in and around the Goleta area from around 154 to Santa Barbara Shores. This makes sense since it is paying for many riders on MTD with less efficient service. That loss will make the all Goleta routes a loser for MTD. It also means any expenditure on articulated buses is also a loser.

Take all student and disabled rides away from the bottom line and none of the shuttles or extra routes outside of core routes come close to making operational sense.

» publius on 06.13.12 @ 06:28 PM

Thanks for an interesting update.

Notice that no current Sacramento legislators from either party have come forward at any local hearings to take personal responsibility for the rolling disasters that their sudden elimination of Redevelopment agencies is causing communities.

Do they have any answers or solutions? What are they? Or does their silence mean they just don’t care? Noozhawk reporters should interview them about this, and tell us what they have to say.

Does anyone know what is in store for the “crosstown route”? It’s already been
badly cut. If it’s cut further, what will be left?

» Really? on 06.13.12 @ 07:09 PM

Rolling disaster?

Guess it is from your point of view. The RDA program for many cities became nothing less then the “cash cow” for favorite projects they could not justify through general funds. Hopefully their demise will start bringing rational budgeting back to locals.

There is a group that did analysis of the electric shuttles. They found a) they are just as polluting as cars of 2002 because of power plant fuels, transmission loss, and conversion loss, and b) since they are nothing less then upgraded parking lot trams they really fall apart fast. Bottom line they are too expensive without subsidy to operate. A very expensive social experiment with dubious outcomes.

I remember when MTD was formed and the City of SB refused to allow a private company bid. Now the taxpayers are faced with long term retirement benefits since it is a government agency.

Final note MTD has valuable properties in No-leta and Goleta. Their charter states nothing about being land barons, and part of their inception was a check and balance through contracting agencies. Time to sell that property and use it to defray operating expenses.

» Sherrie Fisher on 06.13.12 @ 08:52 PM

Good Afternoon:
MTD would welcome a meeting with anyone who anyone who has concerns and/or is seeking further information regarding fares, service and transit resources. We are always interested in community input. MTD is your public transit district.
One writer asked about the X-town service specifically. Effectve July 2nd, the mid-day x-town shuttle service will be reduced from the current two buses to one. Schedule changes will be posted on our website and affected bus stops by tomorrow afternoon.
Shuttle service from and to the City of Santa Barbara’s commuter lot (Carrillo and Castillo) will end as of end of service June 29th. Letters are being hand delivered to these riders (by the afternooon bus driver) now and will be posted on the bus stop.
We know these changes will be difficult for some riders. It is with you in mind that we offer our regrets.
Sherrie Fisher General Manager
I can be reached at 805.883-4248 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

» Really? on 06.14.12 @ 01:54 AM

Let it be known here while no fan of MTD, Director Fisher is a good person, and brought to the job working knowledge of the drivers and mid level management.

Still think MTD is out of its league and has a single minded board.

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Santa Barbara MTD Votes to Raise Fares 25 Cents for Electric Shuttles

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