A new commuter rail service intended to ease the huge morning traffic jams between Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties on Highway 101 kicked off Monday.
The added Pacific Surfliner daily round trip from Los Angeles to San Luis Obispo is timed to help commuters.
The northbound morning train stops in Camarillo at 6:43 a.m., Oxnard at 6:57, and Ventura at 7:11. It stops in Carpinteria at 7:37 a.m., Santa Barbara at 7:56, and Goleta at 8:11.
"First of all, it's a green initiative, so we're saving the planet. Second, it's great for my pocketbook. What a beautiful way to get to work!" said Rachel Gomez of Ventura, who is using the new rail service to get to her job at Cottage Hospital.
"This is good for my mental health," said Ashley Lopez, a commuter train rider who works for the City of Santa Barbara. "I don't have to sit in traffic."
Free shuttle services are being offered from the Santa Barbara and Goleta train stations to and from workplaces like Cottage Hospital, Santa Barbara City Hall, and UCSB.
A new southbound train leaves Santa Barbara at around 3 p.m., and there are already existing 4:50 and 6:50 southbound trains for commuters.
The service is kicking off with a book of 10 round-trips for $50.
See the expanded train schedule.
There is also a commuter bus service, which gives people more northbound and southbound options.
The service is being offered by LOSSAN, the Rail Corridor Agency, which serves the rail line from San Diego to San Luis Obispo, along with the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments and the Ventura County Transportation Commission.
