MTD Celebrates Return of the Downtown-Waterfront Shuttle with a Shuttle Launch Event

Santa Barbara MTD is announcing a launch event on Friday, May 31, 2024, to celebrate the return of the beloved all-electric Downtown-Waterfront Shuttle service to Santa Barbara’s Downtown and Waterfront areas temporarily for summer 2024.

The launch event will mark the shuttle’s first day of service. Electric shuttles will once again carry riders around town on a safe, quiet, and zero-emission ride after a four-year hiatus, as they had for 30 years prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The event will begin with a short ribbon cutting at 12:00 p.m. at the Transit Center (1020 Chapala Street). The first 75 people to attend the event will receive a free shuttle day pass.

After the ribbon cutting, the public is encouraged to ride the route, as we have teamed up with the community to have activations set up at different stops along the route. The activations will last from noon to about 1:30pm and riders will experience fun and giveaways.

Starting the day of the event, service will operate on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. until September 2, 2024, with service on the 4th of July and Labor Day Monday.

The Shuttle will operate as a circulator route with 20-minute headways, offering frequent service for residents and visitors to enjoy the iconic beauty of Santa Barbara’s Waterfront and Downtown. Riders can catch the shuttle at any MTD stop along the route.

Fares will be $0.50 (standard one-way) and $0.25 for seniors 62+ and people with disabilities. The popular $1 day pass will also be available and provides for unlimited rides on the Shuttle in one calendar day. Additionally, riders with a valid Amtrak ticket ride free on the Shuttle or any MTD bus service by showing their train ticket for that day.

The temporary shuttle service operation will be funded with limited, one-time grant funds from the State of California’s Low-Carbon Transit Operations Program (LCTOP) fund.

The return of this service will once again provide transit connections among the harbor and waterfront, Santa Barbara Zoo, Santa Barbara Train Depot, the historic County Courthouse, countless hotels, and Downtown shopping and dining destinations, just to name a few.