About the Clean Air Express

The Clean Air Express commuter bus service is a weekday commuter bus program serving residents of Lompoc and Santa Maria commuting to their jobs in Goleta and Santa Barbara.  The Clean Air Express is operated by the City of Santa Maria on behalf of the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments. 

The Clean Air Express was created by the Santa Barbara Air Pollution Control District in 1991 as a way to improve regional air quality by reducing the number of commuters driving alone.  Due to the low annual cost and the popularity of the program among residents of Lompoc and Santa Maria, the Traffic Solutions division of the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments assumed management of the service in 2001.  After assuming management of the Clean Air Express, Traffic Solutions expanded the service to include 12 daily round trips, purchased new buses, added the flexibility of a cash fare, and installed wireless internet access on all vehicles. Following the approval of Measure A by Santa Barbara County voters in November 2008, Traffic Solutions transferred management of the Clean Air Express to the City of Lompoc while a long term administrative structure is developed as part of the development of the Measure A Strategic Plan. 

 

Clean Air Express Facts at a Glance
FY2009
 
Daily Round Trips 12
Annual Passengers 204,000
Annual Car Trips Eliminated 194,000
Average Distance of Trip Eliminated (miles) 115
Annual Vehicle Miles Traveled Eliminated 11,200,000
Pounds of CO2 Eliminated 10,192,000
Annual Operating Cost $1,185,000
Annual Fare Revenue $958,000
% of Operating Cost Paid for by Fare Revenue 81%
Source of Operating Subsidy (100%) Measure A

 

 
The Clean Air Express is managed by the City of Santa Maria