SMART Receives $10.5M In Rail Assistance Funding

NORTH BAY, CA – The Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit District was awarded $10.5 million in funding Tuesday, which will be used for operating its new passenger train service.

The funding, which will be distributed over a three-year period, is administered by the California State Transportation Agency as part of the State Rail Assistance program and is funded by Senate Bill 1. SMART was among seven recipients to receive a portion of the $51.9 million in rail assistance funding.

"This funding will allow us to continue to add more trips to our existing service schedule," said Debora Fudge, chairwoman of SMART’s board of directors. "SB 1 funding will help ensure that we continue to grow so that we can meet the increasing demand for transportation alternatives in the North Bay."

SMART increased its passenger rail service to 34 trips each weekday and 10 trips on Saturdays and Sundays with the passage of the bill in April 2017.

Due to growing demand and passenger feedback, in January, SMART added a third rail car to busy morning and afternoon commuter runs. SMART had already operated three-car train service departing south from the Sonoma County airport station since early November.

"As SMART ridership continues to grow, we will always be looking for ways to better serve North Bay residents," SMART General Manager Farhad Mansourian said at the time.

SMART has carried more than 300,000 passengers since launching its passenger service in August 2017.

SMART currently covers a 43-mile corridor with stations in Santa Rosa, Rohnert Park, Cotati, Petaluma, Novato and San Rafael. Construction on the Larkspur extension is underway and is expected to be completed by the end of 2019. Funding is being secured to continue north to Windsor, Healdsburg and Cloverdale.

Also see:

• SMART Train Adds Third Rail Car For Busy Commutes
• Theft Victim Receives Bike From Fellow SMART Train Commuter

Photo by Al Francis/NapaSonomaPhotos.com