Santa Barbara MTD is hosting a set of public outreach meetings in April and is inviting the public to take a brief survey on proposed changes to local bus service.

The meetings are held annually in the spring to receive feedback on the proposed changes that would go into effect Aug. 17.

Service reductions are proposed on the following routes:
Line 1 (West Santa Barbara)
Line 2 (East Santa Barbara)
Line 3 (Oak Park)
Line 4 (Mesa/SBCC)
Line 5 (Mesa/La Cumbre)
Line 7 (Goleta Old Town)
Line 11 (UCSB)
Line 14 (Montecito)
Line 17 (Lower West SB/SBCC)
Line 23 (El Encanto Heights)
Line 25 (Ellwood/Winchester Canyon)
 

“With a growing budget deficit and a fiscal cliff drawing nearer, MTD is proposing a service reduction of around 3 percent,” officials said.

This deficit is largely due to changes from the 2020 Census which caused a loss of 30% of the agency’s federal operating funds, MTD said,

While there are currently still funds from federal pandemic assistance to cover that gap, those funds are shrinking as the deficit grows in future years.

MTD also plans to begin a pilot of on-demand microtransit service known as The Wave in Carpinteria in mid-September this year.

The Wave, and existing on-demand service in an area of Goleta and Isla Vista are funded by temporary grant funding from the state of California’s Low-Carbon Transit Operations Program (LCTOP). The Goleta/Isla Vista service is budgeted to continue until June 2027.
 
To give feedback via an online survey that explains all the proposed changes, visit www.sbmtd.gov/servicechanges. The survey is available in English and Spanish.
 
Community meetings will be held at the following locations and times, and Spanish/English interpretation will be provided:
 
Tuesday, April 7, 6 p.m.
Carpinteria Veterans Memorial Building
941 Walnut Ave., Carpinteria
 
Tuesday, April 14, 6 p.m.
Goleta Community Center, Room 6
5679 Hollister Ave,, Goleta
 
Wednesday, April 15, noon
Virtual meeting, Zoom webinar
Click here to register.
 
Monday, April 20, 6 p.m.
Central Library, Faulkner Gallery
40 E. Anapamu St., Santa Barbara
 
In addition to the four meetings listed above, a presentation on the proposed changes will be given at the Isla Vista Community Services District Board of Directors meeting, 6 p.m. April 28.
 
For questions on proposed service changes, contact Santa Barbara MTD, 805-963-3364 or email info1@sbmtd.gov.