How to Get There – Carpool
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Carpool
Carpool to meet great people, reduce driving stress, and save money!
We Will Connect You
We are equipped to connect you with nearby neighbors who want to carpool. Register with SmartRide.org to send messages to interested carpoolers, post your own carpool, arrange a trial carpool, and track your shared rides! SmartPhone users can access SmartRide using the Commute Tracker app by RideAmigos. We are dedicated to helping you find the perfect carpool match. Our commute concierge will search beyond SmartRide to find someone with the same origin, destination, schedule, and preferences. → Submit a Request
Who Drives? Can I Carpool Without a Car?
Like any good relationship, We recommend a trial carpool to establish norms. Carpoolers often divvy up driving days to keep it simple, but some carpools have regular riders and drivers. We encourage regular riders to pitch in to cover driving costs.
Finding a Long-Distance or One-time Carpool.
You can log into your SmartRide.org account to post a long-distance, one-time carpool using the Events tab. Set “Event Name” to reflect your carpool request (such as: “Jackie’s Carpool to LAX”). You can also use this tool to form a one-time carpool to local events (Summer Solstice, Buellton Brew Fest, etc.). We can work with event organizers to add this tool to an event website. You are more likely to land a one-time carpool searching or posting on Craigslist’s rideshare page for Santa Barbara.
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SmartRide
SmartRide.org is a one-stop-shop for commuters – offering tools and incentives to improve the way you travel.
Dashboard
Your personalized SmartRide Dashboard is the key to a smart commute. Use it to compare transportation options, log your commute trips, track your savings, and more. Go to Dashboard
Trip-Planner
Compare how to get from here to there by carpool, vanpool, bus, bike, train, walking or driving. Searches include routes, schedules, and carpool contacts for commuters from Santa Barbara County and neighboring counties. No SmartRide account is needed. Get There
Commute Calendar
Track your commute to calculate savings and qualify for promotions through Traffic Solutions or participating businesses. Start Tracking
Commuter Benefits
Local business offer their employees benefits and incentives that are managed through our site. Ask if your employer is a provider!
Event Ridesharing
Help your guests arrive car-free by creating an event rideshare page the next time you host a public or private event. You’ll get a free unique URL and widget to use on your website to facilitate carpools and display bus routes and bike routes for your guests. Create Yours
Tutorials
Try out the SmartRide User Tutorial for step-by-step instructions on how to use the site. If you’re a Cottage Health employee, use the Cottage SmartRide Tutorial. Network administrators can check out the SmartRide Admin Tutorial for tips on administering a workplace commuter benefits program.
If you have questions about using the SmartRide web service call us at 963-SAVE or Email Us
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Transit
Enjoy stress-free commuting and save thousands of dollars a year by choosing transit. In Santa Barbara County we have access to some of the best bus and train services in the nation.
Benefits
Transit benefits include a monthly $265 pre-tax deduction that you can use to cover commuting on a bus or train. With or without this benefit, taking transit for your long distance commute will save you thousands of dollars each year. Beyond cash savings, you can enjoy personal time to rest or unwind and take advantage of free Wi-Fi. And each time you choose transit you personally help reduce traffic and improve air quality in our community. Learn More
Bus & Train Schedules
For real-time bus routes and directions, use the SmartRide Trip Planner. For a complete list of transit services and schedules in Santa Barbara County (including connections from neighboring counties), Click Here
Commute by Train
In 2018, new early-morning train service began to serve commuters from Ventura County and Carpinteria who work in Santa Barbara and Goleta. It is now possible to ride the Amtrak® Pacific Surfliner® to work and there are supports in place such as free last-mile shuttles from train stations to workplaces, free bike lockers, and more. For details, Click Here
Emergency Ride Home
You don’t have to worry about getting stranded at work because Traffic Solutions offers an Emergency Ride Home reimbursement program for bus and train commuters, as well as carpoolers and vanpoolers. Learn More
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Bike
Biking is joyful. It’s healthy for you and our community.
It fights pollution and CO2 emissions and helps you avoid traffic and save money on your commute.Bike to Work
Arrive at work refreshed and ride off your stress at the end of the work day. We’ve got the resources to help you find the best routes to work, learn safe biking practices, and get the right gear. We can also help your business become bicycle-friendly. Learn More
Bike Map
The Santa Barbara County Bike Map by Traffic Solutions is compact enough to carry on all of your bike trips and it’s available as a phone app too. The map features bike routes, riding tips, rules of the road, MTB trailheads, and helpful contact information. Learn More
Bike Month: CycleMAYnia
The month of May is CycleMAYnia on Santa Barbara’s South Coast. Traffic Solutions and other community organizations lead more than 30 events including riders, classes and clinics, social gatherings, family outings, and workplace challenges. Learn More
Community Partners and Events
Whether you’re looking for a bike shop, club, a fun ride or event, or classes for youth or adults – we’re here to connect you! Learn More
Bike Apps: Route Finding and Tracking
Searching for a bike route? Want to track your speed and accomplishments? How about log your bike commute trips to get incentives from your employer? We know the apps for that. Learn More
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E-Bike
Test out the personal transportation game changer!
The EZ-Bike Project
You can borrow an e-Bike for an hour or a long weekend!
Ride it in your neighborhood and local region, take it to work, the market and on other errands
and even put kids on it and see how the beach accessories fit!Experience an e-bike!
E-bikes are fun to ride, they get you where you are going quickly, without the hassle of sweat so you don’t need special clothes, you get easy and free parking and they are a great way to fight climate change by reducing traffic and pollution.
- Can you make an e-bike your daily driver?
- Your commute to work or to ride with your kids to school?
- A teenager’s way to school?
- Can you take it to the market?
- EZ Bike will help you answer these questions and more!
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Vanpool
Vanpools result in substantial benefits for employees, including increased comfort, reduced stress, time savings and reduced commuting costs.
Commuting by Vanpool
Groups of commuters can save money by vanpooling together in vans that range from 7 seater crossovers to 15 passenger vans, including luxury Ford Transit vans – and you can start with a group as small as four or five. Most vans are rented month-to-month from local providers CalVans and Commute with Enterprise, and include insurance, maintenance, and roadside assistance. Learn More
Find or Advertise an Open Vanpool Seat
There are many vanpools on the road in Santa Barbara County registered on SmartRide.org – search for one by joining SmartRide and entering your commute details. If you have an empty seat in your existing vanpool, contact us at (805) 963-SAVE so we can help you find a rider. Try SmartRide
How to Form a Vanpool
Traffic Solutions is here to help individuals and employers in Santa Barbara County coordinate vanpool formation. We’ll help you find the right van provider, motivate employees, and teach you about pre-tax deductions for employees to put aside up to $265 per month. Read more details at www.trafficsolutions.org/Vanpool or contact us at (805) 963-SAVE or Email Us
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Telecommute
In response to the uncertainties presented by COVID-19, many of us have found ourselves now working from home. Because these are not normal telework conditions, even the most well-prepared companies, with formal telework programs in place, may find that there are challenges to working from home during the pandemic.
To help you navigate this new way of working, we hosted a 4-part Webinar Series for Employers, Managers and Employees.
WatchTelecommuting Defined
Telecommuting simply means performing one’s normal work duties at a location away from the conventional office. It can occur in many different forms, from the occasional telecommute day to meet an important deadline without interruptions, to a regular arrangement for one, two and sometimes five days a week.
Create a Formalized Program at your Company
It’s important to know what jobs and tasks are suitable for telecommuting and who makes a good telecommuter. You’ll also want to develop formal policies and written agreements. Traffic Solutions offers resources such as sample policies and telecommuting agreements to help you develop a successful program.
