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[CNJRoss]

The Press Democrat, Santa Rosa, CA 3/16/22

 

SMART train to keep reduced rates through summer, make parking free

 

 

Fare reductions designed to welcome residents back aboard the SMART train will continue at least through August, as the North Bay rail agency seeks to recharge its sluggish ridership recovery amid a receding coronavirus pandemic.

 

The Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit Board of Directors voted unanimously Wednesday to extend the nearly 40% rate discounts while also making on-site parking free to reduce barriers to ridership.

 

The extension comes at a pivotal time, said SMART Board of Directors Chair David Rabbitt, as the move could help demonstrate the commuter rail agency’s value in the face of rising gas prices, which have reached more than $8.50 per gallon in far-flung, rural outposts.

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[CNJRoss]

Marin Independent Journal, San Rafael, CA  4/21/22

SMART aims for big boost in ridership

 

 

SMART has set an ambitious target for increasing its train ridership as it works to recover from significant passenger losses from the pandemic.

 

The Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit district is seeking to increase ridership to an average of 49,500 passengers per month during the fiscal year starting July 1, or about 594,000 passengers overall.

 

About 240,000 passengers rode the trains from July through last month, according to SMART data. Monthly ridership has increased to its highest total yet since the pandemic began, with 35,300 passengers in March, but that is well below SMART’s new target.

 

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SMART plans to resume Sunday service on May 1 for the first time since the pandemic began. The agency will offer 12 trips per weekend day, which is the highest weekend frequency since the agency started carrying passengers in 2017. Cumins said he estimates 600 to 900 people will begin using the Sunday service.

 

SMART is also considering increasing daily weekday trips from 26 to 36 in June, which would be two fewer trips than the agency had at its peak weekday frequency in 2019.

 

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