Sustainable Transportation

At UC Santa Barbara, we aim to move people around as sustainably as possible. Having our students, staff, and faculty commute using human power is excellent for both the environment as well as human health.  UC Santa Barbara’s goal is to provide incentives and programs to the campus community to reduce commuter emissions as well as to increase alternative fuel vehicles in our fleet. 

Alternative Vehicle Incentive Program

The Alternative Vehicle Incentive Program offers departments a ~10% rebate on their purchase of an alternatively fueled vehicle. Offering an additional incentive helps push departmental car buyers away from making the mistake of purchasing conventional gas powered vehicles instead of EVs/hybrids, or greener options. 

E-Bike Purchase Program

UC Systemwide Procurement unveiled a new E-Bike Purchasing Program! The program offers students, staff, and faculty an affordable and eco-friendly transportation alternative. Discounts on certain E-bike models range 15%-60%. Some individuals may  qualify for free E-Bikes, based on the future CARB incentive program. This can be a great option for traveling to and from campus. Remember that when on campus, you may not use the electric function of the bike.

2023 Commuter Mode Split

In 2023, 83% of students and employees combined use alternative forms of transportation to commute to and from campus, with biking as the preferred mode of transit.  In fact, with 7 miles of Class 1 bicycle paths and upwards of 20,000 bike parking spots, including those at campus housing, UCSB is known for its bike culture.

Greening Your Ride

There are numerous reasons to leave your single-occupancy vehicle parked at home and join the Transportation Alternatives Program. Want to hear from current students, staff, and faculty that are part of the TAP Program? Check out these three videos created by one of our UCSB Sustainability interns that highlight the myriad of benefits you can experience by ‘greening your ride’. 

Transit Ridership

UC Santa Barbara has seen double digit increases in transit ridership over the past few years resulting from smart growth and our partnership with MTD to bring on new lines and increase service of existing lines. The campuses newest housing developments, Sierra Madre Villages and San Joaquin Villages, are both served by the UCSB funded Line 28 (which is fully funded by UC Santa Barbara and the line began its service in August 2016).