SBCAG Director Marjie Kirn speaks at the Train to Work Forum in Goleta on Wednesday, which focused on how employers can support and encourage workers to use the train to travel to work.
SBCAG Director Marjie Kirn speaks at the Train to Work Forum in Goleta on Wednesday, which focused on how employers can support and encourage workers to use the train to travel to work. Credit: Daniel Green / Noozhawk photo

As Amtrak prepares to introduce its new peak-hour Pacific Surfliner service in May, local officials and business leaders gathered Wednesday to discuss how to encourage local workers to use the new train route.

The Train to Work Forum was held at the Hilton Garden Inn in Goleta, where members of the business community learned about the benefits of encouraging employees to ride the train and how they can accommodate their needs.

The event was co-hosted by the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments and the Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce.

Marjie Kirn, executive director of SBCAG, said the new service is one of the ways the agency is looking to decrease traffic on the roads.

Along with the expansion of Highway 101, the increased service will offer more options to employees working between Los Angeles and San Luis Obispo.

The new Surfliner route, which begins on May 4, will have six daily trips to Goleta and three daily trips to San Luis Obispo.

Kirn explained that the route was created in 2018 but ended during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was a moderately used line before it was discontinued, she said, and was modified when it was brought back.

The new route is a collaboration of SBCAG, the LOSSAN Rail Corridor Agency and the Ventura County Transportation Commission.

One of the major changes to the route is the later schedule, which Kirn said was modified to avoid conflicts with other trains. Part of the track through the region has a single lane used by trains traveling in both directions.

The new schedule is intended to make the route faster and more reliable for passengers.

The earliest morning train now is scheduled to leave Simi Valley at 6:14 a.m. and arrive in Goleta at 8:11 a.m., with multiple stops in between.

She said the purpose of Wednesday’s meeting was to meet with the business community to discuss the benefits of the rail service and how businesses can encourage staff to ride the trains.

“If we get those folks out of their cars and taking the train and getting used to that way of commute, I think it could be a life-changing event for people … and reduce their stress,” Kirn told Noozhawk. “(And make) the commute an enjoyable experience rather than a stressful one.”

Kristen Miller, CEO and president of the Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce, reads responses to one of the group questions. Attendees were asked how they can support employees using the train to commute.
Kristen Miller, CEO and president of the Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce, reads responses to one of the group questions. Attendees were asked how they can support employees using the train to commute. Credit: Daniel Green / Noozhawk photo

The meeting highlighted the benefits of riding the Surfliner, including faster commutes, WiFi access, the ability to work on the train, scenic routes and more. Business leaders were also given passes that provide an employee with 10 free rides.

Riders are eligible for one free month of Santa Barbara BCycle. The service allows users to rent electric bikes at the Santa Barbara station and other parts of the city.

During a panel discussion, Jo-Anne Burgess, the operations manager for BCycle, said the company has 87 locations throughout Santa Barbara, with a large number downtown.

She added that the company’s largest location is at the Santa Barbara train station, which makes it easier for passengers getting off in Santa Barbara to get around.

“Being able to commute by train and read the whole time is really nice,” Burgess said. “Then being able to just hop on a bike and feel that freedom of getting to work without the stress of traffic … I think it’s pretty special.”

SBCAG also has expanded its “guaranteed ride home” program that reimburses passengers who need a way to get home in an emergency. The program reimburses customers for the cost of an Uber or Lyft trip, or a car rental.

Riders can sign up for the program and submit a receipt for reimbursement, according to Aaron Bonfilio, the director of multimodal programs for SBCAG.

Attendees at the Train to Work Forum talk in groups about concerns employees may have about taking the train to work. Local leaders were encouraged to discuss how they can support train ridership.
Attendees at the Train to Work Forum talk in groups about concerns employees may have about taking the train to work. Local leaders were encouraged to discuss how they can support train ridership. Credit: Daniel Green / Noozhawk photo

Meeting attendees were given a chance to break into groups to discuss different prompts. The prompts ranged from how a business could support employees who want to take the train, encouraging staff to try it for a month, and how staff could make the trip from the train station to the office.

Ideas from the attendees included offering snacks to employees, reimbursement of fees, modified work schedules and other benefits.

Kristen Miller, president and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce, said the train service addresses some of the issues the business community has been facing.

She explained that one of the major challenges local industries face is the rising cost of housing in Santa Barbara County and the surrounding areas. She said the cost of housing has pushed many people to Ventura and other regions.

“We do have a lot of workforce commuting in from the south,” Miller said. “So, if we can make this train work for them, make the price work and the timing work and the last mile work — this is a huge positive that we’re excited about that.”

For the record: This article was updated to fix the train’s schedule and clarify that SBCAG offers the ride home program.

— Noozhawk staff writer Daniel Green can be reached at dgreen@noozhawk.com.