Coastal Express is the stress-free route

By JUNE RICH
NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

	Lucy Padilla, development coordinator for the Santa Barbara Historical Society, rides the Coastal Express bus from Ventura to her job downtown Santa Barbara every day.

Lucy Padilla doesn't stare at bumpers and exhaust. She doesn't crane her head out the window to see what's holding up traffic.

She looks at the ocean, and at kite surfers, dolphins, palm trees and eventually the tranquil calm of the bird refuge as she coasts into Santa Barbara.

That's because Ms. Padilla doesn't drive to work -- she rides.

Nearly every morning, she parks her car in a free lot in downtown Ventura and hops on the Coastal Express, a Ventura-Goleta bus service launched a little more than a year ago.

Within 50 minutes, the bus drops her off near De la Guerra Plaza, just footsteps from her job at the Santa Barbara Historical Society.

"This is definitely better," said Ms. Padilla, 31, a slim, thoughtful woman with wide eyes. "I definitely enjoy the views. I talk to people. Driving was much more stressful."

The trip costs $2 each way, or about $80 per month. Ms. Padilla, the development coordinator at the Historical Society, estimates that she pumped $120 into her Volvo's gas tank every month before she started taking the bus a year ago.

The bus works for Ms. Padilla, in part, because her boss will loan her the company car for errands during the day.

The start-up of the Coastal Express, a joint venture of the transportation agencies in Santa Barbara and Ventura, was not without its detractors.

Some commuters stayed away because they feared they wouldn't find a seat during peak hours, early or late in the day. However, officials with the Ventura bus authority say even the busiest buses, the end-of-the-day runs south, are never completely full.

Beyond that, both counties offer a free-ride-home program, with a rental car or cab ride, if commuters miss a bus or need to go home early.

The other complaint was that the bus takes longer than driving alone. Though Ms. Padilla's ride is only five or 10 minutes longer, other trips take more time.

Basically, the farther you go, the longer it takes because the bus makes more stops: three in Ventura, two in Carpinteria, five in Santa Barbara, six in Goleta and two at UCSB.

The ride from the government center in Ventura to downtown Santa Barbara takes about 20 minutes longer than driving.

The trip from Ventura to UCSB takes at least 30 minutes longer than driving.

For certain commuters, like Ms. Padilla, the extra time on board is well worth it.

"It is a little bit slower," Ms. Padilla said, adding that the bus is almost always punctual. "But you have to consider the benefits. It helps everyone and, in turn, helps me. Now I feel guilty when I do drive."

Some wonder if the service should be geared more toward commuters. As it is now, the bus runs almost every hour throughout the day. The buses are nearly empty in the middle of the day.

Ms. Padilla and others suggested that the Coastal Express might draw more customers if it dropped some of the mid-day runs and put buses with more direct routes on the road. For example, some buses might bypass Carpinteria, or downtown Santa Barbara, to get people to work more quickly.

Officials at the Ventura Intercity Service Transit Authority, or VISTA, said shifting around buses to suit commuters isn't as easy as it sounds. VISTA contracts for a certain number of buses and drivers. If it needs more at one time, costs go up.

Still, the agency is conducting its yearly survey of passengers and will consider all ideas and requests. The survey is expected to be done in January.

Demand for the Coastal Express increased during its year in service, from 12,000 riders during the first full quarter of operations to 15,000 in the most recent three months.

COASTAL EXPRESS FAST FACTS

Best Candidate: Someone who works near one of the bus stops and doesn't need a vehicle during the work day or can use a company car.

Best Advantage: More flexibility than a car- or vanpool. It runs all day long, starting in Ventura around 5:15 a.m., sending its last buses back south again around 6 p.m.

Drawbacks: The trip takes longer than driving, and stops running south a little early for some workers. The last bus from UCSB leaves at 5:13 p.m., from Goleta at 5:30 p.m., and Santa Barbara at 5:57 p.m.

Cost: $2 each way, or $75 for a month pass.

Information: Call (800) 438-1112, or visit www.goventura.org/vista/vista.htm Click on Coastal Express for schedules.