How to apply for Santa Barbara MTD Senior Reduced Fare

Who it's for

Santa Barbara MTD runs the public bus system across southern Santa Barbara County (Goleta, Santa Barbara, Carpinteria). Riders 65 and older qualify for the Senior Reduced Fare: $1.25 per trip instead of the regular $2.50, or $8.50 for a 10-day pass and $30 for a 30-day pass. MTD uses an open-payment Tap2Ride system rather than a traditional discount card: register your contactless debit or credit card at benefits.calitp.org (Cal-ITP Benefits, the State of California's benefits-eligibility portal) with proof of age, then pay as you go by tapping that linked card on an MTD bus reader — you'll be charged the discounted fare automatically. People with disabilities and Medicare cardholders enroll through the same path. For help, call MTD Customer Service at 1-805-963-3366 or email info1@sbmtd.gov.

What you'll need

• Proof of age 65+ (any U.S. state-issued ID card, driver's license, Medicare card, or passport)
• Contactless-enabled Visa or Mastercard (debit or credit) for the Tap2Ride open-payment system

Where to apply

Renewals

Cal-ITP Benefits eligibility verification; the linked card discount persists as long as the registration remains valid