Santa Barbara MTD to add one 24x rush-hour trip, launch 'Wave' microtransit and raise fares Aug. 18

Miss Blackabee, representing the Santa Barbara Metropolitan Transit District (MTD), told the Hialeah Community Services District Board that several service and fare changes will take effect Aug. 18, including a single additional PM inbound trip on express Line 24x, the start of a pilot microtransit service called the Wave and an increase in the cash fare.

MTD described the changes as a limited, targeted service increase and an effort to shore up revenue as federal COVID-relief funding wanes. "August 18 is when these go into effect," Miss Blackabee said, and she emphasized the Line 24x addition is “a very tiny service increase, but we think it'll be impactful.”

The Line 24x change is an added weekday PM inbound trip to close a late‑afternoon gap between North Hall/UC Santa Barbara and downtown: MTD described the new run as starting near Hollister at about 4:56 p.m., reaching the North Hall bus loop about 5:10 p.m. and arriving at the Transit Center around 5:32 p.m. The agency said the incremental trip responds to rider reports of a post‑5 p.m. gap created by pandemic-era reductions.

MTD also described the Wave microtransit pilot, a smartphone‑or‑call on‑demand curb‑to‑curb service operating within two defined zones in and near Isla Vista and parts of Goleta. Rides will initially be served by vans (not buses); MTD plans three vans in the pilot with typically two in service at any given time. Initial operating hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m.–6 p.m.; MTD said it is soft‑launching the service with public rides available beginning the coming Thursday, and that for the soft launch it is offering free trips for a limited period. Rides will be booked via the TransLoc app (or by phone), cost $3 one‑way (half fare for people 65+ and riders with disabilities), and offer a 60‑minute free transfer to fixed‑route service after a Wave trip. MTD said all Wave vehicles are ADA accessible, and riders under 14 cannot ride alone.

On fares and fare policy, MTD said the cash fare will rise from $1.75 to $2.50 and that the board adopted a new fare structure in March to accompany the August service changes. The district cited a coming fiscal cliff tied to the expiration of COVID relief funding and a post‑census federal funding reduction of about $3,000,000 annually as reasons for the increase. The agency also said it raised the senior eligibility age from 62 to 65 to align with common regional practice and state/federal standards.

MTD outlines a transition process for existing passes: after Aug. 18 old passes will not work in fareboxes but can be exchanged at the Transit Center for pro‑rated value toward new passes through Sept. 13. MTD reiterated expansion of tap‑to‑ride contactless payment, dynamic fare capping that grants the value of a 30‑day pass once a rider’s taps hit the pass price (currently $52 adult cap), and new enrollment to link senior/Medicare/disability discounts to contactless payments so eligible riders receive correct reduced fares when tapping. "There are people who definitely pay cash because they can't afford to tie up a lot of money in a pass," Miss Blackabee said, describing fare‑capping as an equity measure.

Board members asked about integration with local programs and promotions. One director asked whether the district could sell or provide voucher packages for community groups to encourage ridership; Miss Blackabee said that option "doesn't currently exist, but we'd be happy to have conversations about what that could look like." A board member asked whether UCSB and City College student IDs would work on the Wave; MTD said student IDs still work on regular buses but do not automatically cover Wave trips.

MTD noted a Measure A bike and pedestrian grant funded installation of three‑position bike racks fleetwide; the agency said electric shuttles previously lacking racks now have them. Miss Blackabee also described testing of the Wave in recent months and public testing over a weekend before the soft launch.

No formal board action on MTD items was taken at the meeting; the presentation was informational. The board did approve the meeting consent agenda earlier in the session by roll call: Directors Brandt, Freeman, Hobart, Platt, Cipos and Topol voted yes and the motion passed.

MTD materials and an online survey are posted at the agency service‑changes website, and MTD said outreach events will include enrollment help for discounted tap‑to‑ride accounts.

Ending: MTD asked that community groups who serve seniors and people with disabilities contact them about outreach and enrollment events; the district said it will track the pilot Wave ridership and consider hours/zone changes after the initial operating period.