The Downtown-Waterfront shuttle is cruising along.

The Santa Barbara Metropolitan Transit District relaunched the service on May 31 and will run it until the end of summer.

The District is happy with the response to the shuttle service so far.

“We’re pleased with how it’s working,” said Hillary Blackerby, planning and marketing manager for MTD. “And, as the summer goes on, traditionally, it gets more popular.”

Blackerby could not provide Noozhawk with specific ridership numbers, but she said the shuttle has made more than 2,200 bus trips since it was introduced.

The current downtown route is a temporary replacement for the shuttle that was shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic. Even before the pandemic, ridership on the shuttle had plummeted during the prior 10 years, falling from about 540,000 rides to 255,000 annually when the pandemic hit.

The new route starts at the Transit Center on Chapala Street. Stops on the route include Stearns Wharf, the Santa Barbara Harbor, and the Santa Barbara Zoo. The prior shuttle traveled along downtown State Street, but no longer can because of the street closure.

For some residents, the return of the downtown shuttle is the first time they have been able to make the trip down to the beach or the harbor.

The current service is being funded by a grant that will allow the shuttle to operate during the summer on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The shuttle will continue up to Sept. 2.

As of now, the MTD has no plans to continue the shuttle year-round. The funds it received only allowed for partial service, and the MTD does not currently have a funding partner for next year.  

Despite that, Blackerby said that the MTD is happy that the response to the service has been positive.

“We’re glad that the community sees that there’s a benefit to it. It’s clear that in the community there [was a] need,” she said.

To learn more about the Downtown-Waterfront shuttle, click here.