The Santa Barbara Metropolitan Transit District addressed ongoing concerns regarding driver shortages, as well as announced new microtransit buses at the Associated Student Government meeting on Friday, May 6.
Hillary Blackerby, MTD planning and marketing manager, presented the agency’s proposed service changes for August of this year.
Blackerby prefaced the presentation by describing the effects of the pandemic on MTD services.
“Campuses were closed; no one knew what was going to happen,” Blackerby said. “Generally in the community, we cut back on service throughout the system.”
According to Blackerby, the MTD have been unable to return to “pre-pandemic strength” due to the impacts of their reduced services on drivers, who have decreased in number.
“Last April, we made about a 13% cut…nobody was untouched in those cuts, and we certainly thought we’d be able to add things back between then and now, and we just haven’t been able to,” Blackerby said, explaining the circumstances the MTD faces.
Blackerby also announced their upcoming line of Wave Microtransit Service buses.
The microtransit buses operate on an all-electric fuel system, tailored to a flexible, on-demand service for a flat fee. These buses will be in service within specified zones around Santa Barbara.
Goleta and Isla Vista will hold the first microtransit pickup and dropoff zones, allowing people to order lifts through their mobile devices starting this fall.
“I think it’s great that we are expanding [transportation]…our major concern is still the night classes,” said Emelie Beckman, commissioner of international student affairs, addressing City College’s recurring concerns for accommodating bus schedules with night classes.
As commencement approaches, Beckman has been working closely with the international student office, student advisors and ambassadors club to create an international student graduation this year.
“The project started because a lot of our international students do not know how commencement works, because it’s not a thing in different cultures around the world,” Beckman said.
According to Beckman, there are 53 graduating international students at City College this year.
Beckman presented the desired budget to the ASG, which totalled to $2,896. However, Beckman only requested $500 from the student government as the remaining amount will be covered by the international student office.
The budget request was approved, and the event will be held on Friday, May 12.
The ASG voted on City College’s club of the year, led by Emma Safahi, commissioner of clubs and organizations.
Each student officer chose between the top three clubs: Rising Scholars, Asian Student Union and Astronomy Club.
Through a majority vote, Rising Scholars Student Organization was declared club of the year, exhibiting involvement within the community, as well as overall autonomy, according to Safahi.
The ASG will reconvene for their final meeting of the year on Friday, May 12.
