Santa Barbara Bus Riders Could Lose Trips As MTD Plans Service Reductions Amid Funding Deficit

Santa Barbara bus riders could see reduced service across more than a dozen routes as the Metropolitan Transit District (MTD) faces a growing budget shortfall. Officials are holding public meetings before making a final decision.

The Santa Barbara Metropolitan Transit District (MTD) is proposing about a 3% reduction in bus service beginning August 17, 2026. If approved, riders could face fewer trips, longer wait times, and reduced late-night service.

To gather community feedback, MTD is hosting a series of public meetings throughout April.

Meetings are scheduled for:

• April 7 at 6 p.m. at the Carpinteria Veterans Memorial Building
• April 14 at 6 p.m. at the Goleta Community Center
• April 15 at 12 p.m. via Zoom
• April 20 at 6 p.m. at the Central Library’s Faulkner Gallery in Santa Barbara

Officials say the proposal is driven by a projected $5.8 million deficit for the 2026-27 fiscal year.

PROPOSED SERVICE CHANGES: MTD is proposing bus service changes that would go into effect on Aug. 17, 2026
The basics:
•Proposed service reductions on Lines 1/2/3/4/5/7/11/14/17/23/25
•The Wave microtransit is coming to Carpinteria in mid-Sep.!
Details: https://t.co/52c8PTcBdT pic.twitter.com/pEQ1EK15QE

— Santa Barbara MTD (@SantaBarbaraMTD) March 31, 2026

The proposed changes would affect riders across multiple routes, including:

Line 1 and 2

MTD proposes reducing weekday frequency on Lines 1 and 2 from every 15 minutes to every 20 minutes, while keeping service hours the same. Ridership on these routes has declined by about 17% to 18% compared to the previous year.

Lines 3, 4, 5, and 17

Weekend service on Lines 3, 4, 5, and 17 would be reduced, with Saturday schedules adjusted to match current Sunday service.

• Line 3 would be reduced from 13 to 11 round-trip, cutting two morning trips and one afternoon trip.
• Line 4 would decrease from 11 to eight outbound trips and from 12 to 9 inbound trips.
• Line 17 would drop from 12 to nine outbound trips and from 11 to eight inbound trips, with both Lines 4 and 17 losing two morning trips and one afternoon trip.
• Line 5 reduced from 14 to 11 outbound trips and from 13 to 10 inbound trips, resulting in one morning and two afternoon trips removal.

Line 7

The last outbound weekday trip on Line 7 would be eliminated. Currently, the final two trips depart at 7:10 p.m. and 9:45 p.m.; under the proposal, 7:10 p.m. would become the last trip of the day.

MTD also plans a route adjustment in Goleta tied to “Project Connect” improvements, which would streamline operations without affecting stops.

Line 14

One morning round trip would be eliminated on weekdays and Saturdays for Line 14. This would result in buses running once per hour throughout the day, without a higher-frequency period in the morning.

Lines 11, 23, and 25

MTD is also proposing to eliminate three connected late-night weekday trips across Lines 23, 25, and 11.

• The last outbound Line 23 trip would shift from 11:00 p.m. to 9:40 p.m.
• The final Line 25 trip would move from 11:18 p.m. to 9:58 p.m.
• The last Line 11 trip would shift from 11:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.

The changes would impact riders across areas including West and East Santa Barbara, Oak Park, the Mesa, Santa Barbara City College, Goleta, Isla Vista, Montecito, and Carpinteria.

Officials say the reductions are largely due to a drop in federal operating funds following the 2020 U.S. Census, which reduced MTD’s funding by about 30%.

While the pandemic-era relief funds have helped offset the loss, those resources are also declining. With a fiscal cliff approaching, officials warn that deeper service reductions may be required in the future if new fundings are not secured.

A presentation on the proposed changes will also be given at the April 28 meeting of the Isla Vista Community Services District Board of Directors.

In addition to the proposed cuts, MTD plans to expand its on-demand microtransit service, The Wave.

The service is expected to launch in Carpinteria in mid-September 2026 and will continue operating in Goleta and Isla Vista through 2027. The program is funded through a state grant and is intended to provide more flexible transit options.

MTD will also discontinue the Alpha Resource Center booster Line 2010 on June 15, 2026, after recording low ridership.