By Kate Columbus, Outreach Intern, UCSB Sustainability

Want to avoid driving in traffic from Carpinteria or Ventura County? Like the thought of using free Wi-Fi and enjoying beautiful ocean views on your morning commute? You’re in luck: Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner train has a new morning schedule to better serve commuters to Santa Barbara and Goleta. The new service offers subsidized 10-ride and month-long train-pass pricing for those commuting from as far away as Simi Valley. UC Santa Barbara Faculty and Staff may purchase monthly Surfliner passes and Goleta shuttle subscriptions through pre-tax payroll deduction.

This Surfliner train began serving commuters to Santa Barbara and Goleta from Ventura County and Carpinteria on April 2, 2018. UCSB commuters are now able to take the train from Simi Valley, Moorpark, Camarillo, Oxnard, Ventura, Carpinteria to Santa Barbara and Goleta. The Surfliner train is scheduled to arrive at the Goleta train station between 7:00am to 7:16am and departs Goleta at 4:25pm and 6:48pm. There are a variety of  transportation options between the Goleta train station and UCSB, including UCSB shuttle vanpools, an earn-a-folding-bicycle program and bike storage lockers at the Goleta train station. Towards the end of 2018, bicycle share vendor CycleHop may add a bicycle share node at the Goleta Train Station and in a future phase they, or another shared mobility vendor, may offer electric bicycle and electric scooter rentals in our region.

Jamey Wagner, UCSB Transportation Alternatives Program Manager, reports that “in comparison to the stress of being stuck in stop and go traffic, our new Surfliner train commuters are enthusiastic about the relaxation and leisure they now experience on their way to and from UCSB.”  For more information about the Surfliner train for commuters and the earn-a-folding-bicycle program, please check out this website. Information on UCSB’s vanpool and SBMTD bus connections to the train station can be found here. To learn more about our sustainable transportation options, please visit the Transportation Alternatives Program website.

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