Santa Barbara MTD will hold public outreach meetings in April, and invites the public to take a brief survey about proposed bus service changes.

The meetings are held each spring to get feedback on the proposed changes that this year would go into effect Aug. 18.

This year’s changes are minimal, the MTD said, with one additional weekday inbound PM peak trip on Line 24x (UCSB Express).

Also on the agenda at the meetings is the launch of The Wave on-demand microtransit service in Goleta and Isla Vista this spring.

In addition to the proposed changes, community members can learn more about MTD’s Tap2Ride contactless payment system that allows riders to use bank cards and mobile wallets on smart devices (like Apple Pay and GPay) to pay their bus fare.

With a feature known as dynamic fare capping, a rider using Tap2Ride can ensure that they are capped at the cost of a 30-day pass in a 30-day period.

Seniors over age 65, people with disabilities, and Medicare card holders are now able to enroll to receive discounted fares when using the Tap2Ride system.

To learn more and to complete the online survey, visit www.sbmtd.gov/servicechanges. The survey is available in English and Spanish.

Community meetings will be held at the following locations and times; Spanish/English interpretation will be provided:

Wednesday, April 9, 6 p.m. at Goleta Community Center, 5679 Hollister Ave., Goleta.
Tuesday, April 15, 6 p.m. at Central Library, Faulkner Gallery 40 E. Anapamu St., Santa Barbara.
Monday, April 21, noon – virtual Zoom Webinar Click here to register.
Wednesday, April 23, 6 p.m. at Carpinteria Library, 5141 Carpinteria Ave., Carpinteria.

In addition to the dates listed above, there will be a presentation on the proposed changes at 6 p.m. April 22 at the Isla Vista Community Services District Board of Directors meeting.

For questions on proposed service changes, contact Santa Barbara MTD, 805-963-3364 or email info1@sbmtd.gov.