Regional leaders and business professionals gathered Wednesday at the Hilton Garden Inn in Goleta for the “Train to Work Employer Forum,” where expanded rail service and its role in South Coast commuting were the focus.
Timed with Earth Day, the forum drew roughly 200 attendees from across Santa Barbara and Ventura counties to explore how new peak-hour train service could help address one of the South Coast’s most persistent challenges: commuting.
“Rail is a practical tool for employers and employees alike,” Goleta Mayor Paula Perotte said. “This is about giving your workforce another choice.”
Perotte described the upcoming service as a shift from concept to implementation, noting that the May 4 launch is designed around real-world commute patterns and aimed at reducing reliance on single-occupancy vehicles.
The discussion comes ahead of a Pacific Surfliner service expansion that will introduce additional peak-hour options between Ventura County and the South Coast, aligning more closely with typical workday schedules.
The service will increase frequency to six daily trips to Goleta and three to San Luis Obispo, with morning arrivals timed for typical 8 to 9 a.m. start times and return trips between 4 and 6 p.m.
“Successful adoption of this program is not going to just happen automatically,” said Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Kristen Miller. “Each of us has to test it, promote it and make it part of our workplace culture.”
Miller emphasized that employer participation will be central to whether the program gains traction, framing it as both a workforce solution and a regional economic tool.
The forum, co-hosted by the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments and the Chamber, was structured as a working session, with attendees participating in breakout discussions focused on practical barriers to adoption, from scheduling and reliability to first- and last-mile connections.
Among the most common concerns raised were whether train schedules will consistently align with work hours and how commuters will navigate the distance between stations and job sites. Reliability emerged as a top concern, along with the overall rider experience, including safety and comfort.
At the same time, participants identified potential solutions, including employer-sponsored transit benefits, flexible work schedules and improved local connections through buses, bike share and carpooling.
“This morning is about making that service real and usable,” said Marjie Kirn, executive director of SBCAG. “At the end of the day, it’s about outcomes.”
Officials also pointed to existing programs designed to address commuter hesitation, including a guaranteed ride home option that reimburses riders for emergency return trips.
For employers, the program was presented as both a logistical and strategic opportunity.
“This kind of service expands your hiring reach,” said Alyssa Dowdalls, marketing and communications manager for the LOSSAN Rail Corridor Agency. “It creates a more reliable, less stressful way to get to work.”
The Pacific Surfliner operates along one of the busiest intercity passenger rail corridors in the country, with more than 5 million annual trips, including over 2 million riders on the Surfliner alone.
The service expansion is funded in part through Measure A and is intended to complement ongoing Highway 101 improvements by providing an alternative to daily driving along the congested corridor.
Still, officials said the success of the program will be shaped by early participation and continued collaboration between employers, agencies and riders.
“If each person here gets just one employee to ride the train, that’s success,” said Ventura County Transportation Commission Executive Director Martin Erickson.
With service set to begin May 4, the next phase is putting the system to use, with employers and regional partners working to integrate rail into the daily rhythm of the South Coast commute.
