Following more than two years of sharply reduced ridership due to pandemic shelter-in-place orders and remote work, SMART ridership has been bouncing back in increasing numbers each month, according to the North Bay commuter rail line’s General Manager Eddy Cumins.
“SMART’s average weekday ridership in August came within 76% of 2019 totals with 1,802 passengers a day compared with 2,369 three years ago,” said Cumins. “August to August figures between 2021 and 2022 showed a 93% increase with a steady monthly rise to 48,278 riders in 2022, or 74% of August 2019’s 65,352 monthly passenger total. In addition, SMART saw a 17% increase in average weekday ridership with the start of school in mid-August.”
The rebound builds on a trend that began late last year, and SMART has sought to keep it alive by sticking with reduced fares, restoring more weekday trips and weekend service.
Cumins, who previously served as chief operating officer of the Utah Transit Authority, assumed his post with SMART in October 2021.
He shared his outlook on the future of operations for Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit in a presentation to members of the Sonoma County Alliance business group on Wednesday at the Santa Rosa Golf and Country Club. The appearance was one of several stops he has made at regional Chambers of Commerce and Rotary Clubs in recent weeks.
Cumins highlighted four “listening sessions” held in the community in April focusing on SMART service. Key topics addressed by participating members of the public included ridership, pathways, freight rail operations and extension of service.
The 45-mile line, which runs roughly parallel to Highway 101 from Larkspur to near the Charles M. Schulz–Sonoma County Airport. SMART’s northern terminus is eventually planned to be Cloverdale, though agency officials have yet to estimate when that might happen.
Cumins said that while the overall outlook is positive, SMART’s administrators and board of directors will have to cope with increased costs stemming from inflation and higher prices for materials, labor and construction services, while it also explores new funding and grant sources to cover its extension costs.
SMART’s $65 million expansion to Windsor, delayed by years now, remains only 30% complete, with progress hampered by court fights related to bridge fee revenue and rail rights of way.
“We are not afraid to try new things as we develop and deploy strategies based on our goals aligned with objectives, monitor performance and achieve desired results,” Cumins said. “If new service possibilities work out and are popular among our riders they will be kept, but we’re not afraid to pull those that don’t meet expectations.”
He highlighted recent initiatives that include:
Proposed service changes coming Oct. 3, will add mid-day service leaving the airport station at 10:22 a.m. and leaving Larkspur station at 12:00 p.m. A weekday service adjustment will add a 3:27 p.m. departure from the Larkspur station and other adjustments moving three departure times to better align with the new ferry schedule northbound from 3:35 p.m. to 4:07 p.m.; and 5:15 p.m. to 6:25 p.m., and southbound from 5:16 p.m. to 5:54 p.m.
This overall adjustment also adds two weekday ferry connections, meaning SMART will meet 8 of the 9 weekend ferries.
Cumins said he is working with other transit authorities throughout the North Bay to confirm their schedules to ease riders’ connections and transfers between each service.
He said SMART is also working on a microtransit project to provide service to airport and surrounding area using “Uber-like” technology.
The agency also is considering wider outreach to college students who might swell the ranks of SMART commuters, along with other destination, travel, sight-seeing and entertainment venues directed toward all riders.
“I’ve seen families and children hauling suitcases across the bridge leading to the airport SMART station,” Cumins said. “We want to eliminate this with feeder transportation services to get riders to and from our SMART stations as conveniently as possible.”
Cumins also noted progress on work to expand freight service over a wider network of North Bay rail lines, including 24 miles leading north from the Napa River and 64 miles of track ending at the border ending at the border of Sonoma and Mendocino counties.
SMART took over freight operations in March and has hired a new freight manager and four employees to serve three Petaluma freight customers with deliveries on Tuesdays and Thursdays by Hunt and Behrens, Dairyman’s Feed & Supply and Lagunitas Brewing Company.
Press Democrat Staff Writer Colin Atagi contributed to this story.