Santa Maria Regional Transit
ParentCity of Santa Maria
Headquarters1303 Fairway Drive
LocaleSanta Maria, CA
Service typeTransit bus, paratransit
Routes14
Fuel typeCNG
OperatorRATP Dev[1]
Websiteridesmrt.org

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.

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]

Routes

Local & Express routes

Route Terminals via Notes
1 Santa Maria

Santa Maria Transit Center

 Broadway
2 Western Av, Donovan Rd
3 Main St, Suey Rd
4 Cook St, Thornburg St, Betteravia Rd
5 Miller St, Santa Maria Way
6 Santa Maria

The Crossroads at Santa Maria

Clark Av, Foster Rd, Bradley Rd
7 Santa Maria

Santa Maria Transit Center

 Boone St, Bradley Rd
8 Santa Maria

Sandalwood Dr & Black Rd

 Mahoney Rd, McCoy Ln
9 Santa Maria

Santa Maria Transit Center

 Alvin Av
11 Broadway
12X Broadway, Orcutt Rd
13X Broadway, Donovan Rd
20 Hwy 101, SR 246 Former Breeze 200
30 Santa Maria

Santa Maria Transit Center

 Lompoc

Lompoc Transit Center

 SR 1 Former Breeze 100

Fares

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

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 

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 

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

References

  1. ↑ Cole, Spencer. "Spotlight on: RATP Dev USA | Biz Spotlight | Santa Maria Sun, CA". Retrieved 2018-11-24.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 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. 1 2 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.
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