The Santa Barbara Metropolitan Transit District (MTD) is a public transit agency providing bus service in the southern portion of Santa Barbara County, California. It serves the cities of Santa Barbara, Carpinteria, and Goleta as well as the unincorporated areas of Montecito, Summerland, and Isla Vista. In 2023, the system had a ridership of 4,579,600, or about 13,300 per weekday as of the third quarter of 2024.
History
Mule-powered street railways were implemented in 1875 and were gradually replaced by electric streetcars in 1896. The streetcars made their last run on July 1, 1929; about a month later, the Santa Barbara Transit Corporation company started providing local bus service (H.A. Spreitz, its owner, already operated another bus company that served the suburban areas of Goleta and Carpinteria.[3][4]
In the late 1950s and 60s, Santa Barbara Transit was losing revenue, and repeatedly threatened to go out of business.[5][6]
Strikes were also a problem, as the company could not afford to pay its employees.[7][8][9]
At first, the City of Santa Barbara considered subsidizing the transit company, but since service was needed to Carpinteria and Goleta as well, a transit district was thought to be a better choice, because it would also be able to levy taxes on separately.[10][11]
Voters approved the formation of the MTD in 1966.[12]
Some vehicles are equipped with a contactless fare reading device that allows customers to pay using a credit/debit/prepaid card or a mobile wallet on smart devices.[13]
^City of Santa Barbara, Department of Public Works (May 31, 1996). "Pedestrian Master Plan"(PDF). Pedestrian Master Plan Final Draft. Retrieved March 4, 2007.
^"Santa Barbara Bus Line to quit service on Jan 1". Los Angeles Times. December 18, 1960. pp. H4.
^Bush, Thomas (March 19, 1967). "Bus Lines Tired of Parking in Red". Los Angeles Times. pp. I1.
^"Santa Barbara Seeks Solution in Bus Strike". Los Angeles Times. May 11, 1961. pp. B7.
^"Vote Averts Santa Barbara Transit Strike". Los Angeles Times. December 3, 1964. pp. A10.
^"Week-Old Bus Strike in Santa Barbara Settled". Los Angeles Times. March 2, 1965. pp. A2.
^"Santa Barbara Moves to Form Transit District". Los Angeles Times. March 21, 1965. pp. F8.
^"New Transit District in Area Sought". Los Angeles Times. April 2, 1965. pp. C6.
^"Santa Barbara Transit District Ready to Move". Los Angeles Times. December 24, 1966. pp. B5.
