Santa Maria Regional Transit

Santa Maria Regional Transit (SMRT), formerly Santa Maria Area Transit (SMAT), is a bus service local to Santa Maria, California, providing both intracity service within Santa Maria and intercity service within Santa Barbara County, including routes to Lompoc, Buellton, and Solvang.

Santa Maria Regional Transit
ParentCity of Santa Maria
Headquarters1303 Fairway Drive
LocaleSanta Maria, CA
Service typebus service, paratransit
OperatorRATP Dev[1]
Websiteridesmrt.org

History

Public transit service has been operated by the city of Santa Maria since 1978; that year, Santa Maria contracted the Santa Maria Organization of Transportation Helpers (SMOOTH) to operate a single fixed route along Broadway. A second fixed route was added in 1981, and Saturday operations began in 1982. SMOOTH operated Santa Maria's local service until 2004, when the contract was awarded to MV Public Transportation, Inc.[2]: 2–1  That year, Sunday service was added, along with a fare increase.[3]

First Transit was awarded the operations and maintenance contract in 2009.[4] The Santa Maria Transit Center, which is the origin point for many intracity and all intercity lines, was opened in 2011.[2]: 2–1 [5] Santa Maria awarded the operating contract to RATP Dev in 2018.[6]

In December 2021, the Santa Maria City Council approved service changes to commence in January,[7] including route consolidation, two new transfer sites, and the addition of timed transfers at the primary Transit Center hub. With the update to the services, the agency was rebranded from Santa Maria Area Transit to Santa Maria Regional Transit.[8]

Services

Intracity routes
SMRT fixed routes (as of January 2022)[9]: 14–43 
RteDirectionOriginDestinationviaHeadway (min)WeekdayWeekend
1 North Transit CenterPreisker ParkN. Broadway 450630–20000845–1745
2 West Transit CenterPVH SchoolWestern & Donovan 300630–19300830–1730
3 West Transit CenterMarian Hospital & PVH SchoolE. Main & Suey 450630–19150845–1745
4 West Transit CenterSMH School & VTCCook, Thornburg, & Betteravia 450630–19150845–1745
5 South Transit CenterGov't Ctr & Evergreen Shopping CtrMiller & Santa Maria 450630–19150845–1745
6 South Crossroads Shopping CtrOrcuttClark, Foster & S. Bradley 450643–19280858–1713
7 South Transit CenterAllan Hancock College & Crossroads Shopping CtrBoone & Bradley 450630–20000845–1745
8 East Tanglewood (Sandalwood & Black)[upper-alpha 1]Crossroads Shopping CtrMcCoy 450930–1745
9 East Transit CenterPVH SchoolAlvin 450630–19150845–1745
11 South Transit CenterGov't CenterS. Broadway 450630–19150845–1745
Notes
  1. First bus originates from McCoy & Skyway at 0853, and continues east on McCoy to Bradley

Intercity routes (Breeze)

In addition to service within Santa Maria, SMRT operates the Breeze bus service, which is a weekday commuter bus[10] between Santa Maria and Lompoc via Vandenberg AFB (Route 100), and between Santa Maria and Buellton/Solvang (Route 200). Breeze riders may transfer without charge to City of Lompoc Transit (COLT), Wine Country Express, Santa Ynez Valley Transit, and SMRT buses.[9]: 44–49 

Breeze fixed routes (as of January 2022)[9]: 44–49 
RteDirectionOriginDestinationviaHeadway (min)SouthNorth
100 South/North Transit CenterLompocS.R. 1 28–2220542–17000610–1700
200 South Transit CenterBuellton/SolvangU.S. 101 & Los Alamos ~3000535, 1100, 1730

Dial-a-ride

SMRT operates on-demand dial-a-ride paratransit services, covering the same area as the fixed-route local services.[2]: 2–8 

Fares

Fares will rise by July 1, 2022. As of January 2022, transfers between SMRT routes are free, but this will be discontinued and riders will be asked to purchase 1-day passes instead.[7][11]

SMRT and Breeze fares (as of January 2, 2022)[9]: 3, 44 
PassengerSMRTBreeze[lower-alpha 1]
One-wayPasses One-wayPasses
1-day7-day31-day Monthly[lower-alpha 2]Value[lower-alpha 3]
Regular $1.50$3.00$12.00$31.00 $2.00$75.00$20 or $10
Student[lower-alpha 4] $1.25$3.00$12.00$31.00
Qualified discount[lower-alpha 5] $0.75$1.50$6.00$15.00 $1.00$37.50
Notes
  1. Breeze fares include free transfers to SMRT buses and participating agencies
  2. Only available on board the bus
  3. Prepaid amount; fare box deducts one-way fare.
  4. Valid student ID required
  5. Seniors (60+), persons with disabilities, and Medicare Card holders

Facilities and fleet

The SMRT Transit Center is at 400 E Boone Street, and has multiple bus bays. There are eight bus bays on the island, serving intercity routes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, and 11. The four northernmost bus bays (on the curb side, next to the transit center) serve longer-distance routes (Breeze 100, Breeze 200, Guadalupe Flyer to Guadalupe, and RTA Route 10 to San Luis Obispo).[9]: 50  The four southernmost bus bays are not allocated.[7]

The SMRT fleet for local services is 17 mid- and full-size diesel-powered buses manufactured by Gillig, 35' and 40' long.[2]: 2–5  Breeze operates with six buses: four Optima cutaways 29' feet long, and two Gillig diesels, 40' long.[2]: 2–7 

References
  1. Cole, Spencer. "Spotlight on: RATP Dev USA | Biz Spotlight | Santa Maria Sun, CA". Retrieved 2018-11-24.
  2. Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Inc. (2015). Short Range Transit Plan Update (Report). City of Santa Maria. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
  3. Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Inc. (August 2, 2016). Short Range Transit Plan Update (PDF) (Report). City of Santa Maria. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
  4. "Resolution No. 2009-25" (PDF). City of Santa Maria. February 17, 2009. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
  5. "Preview Opening of Santa Maria Intermodal Transit Center" (Press release). City of Santa Maria. April 22, 2011. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
  6. "Award of a new operations and maintenance contract for the City of Santa Maria Transit fixed route and demand response services and bus stop janitorial and maintenance" (PDF). City of Santa Maria. April 17, 2018. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
  7. Moore & Associates (October 2021). "Short Range Transit Plan – 2021 Addendum: Post-COVID Route and Schedule Revisions" (PDF). City of Santa Maria. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
  8. "From SMAT to SMRT: Santa Maria transit changes approved to begin in January". Santa Maria Times. December 8, 2021. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
  9. "SMRT 2022-2023 User Guide". City of Santa Maria. January 2022. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
  10. The Breeze bus
  11. "Transit Service Changes Approved for January 2022 Implementation" (Press release). draft. City of Santa Maria. December 8, 2021. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.