SMART train ridership rebounds, though some Sonoma-Marin commuters wary about office return

SMART ridership has rebounded to 42% of its pre-COVID monthly average as of the end of 2021, and the commuter line’s officials credit that to a “Welcome Back Campaign” featuring reduced promotional fares, more daily and weekend trips and related discounts.

Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit cut fares starting May 2021 by 40%, added two new morning trips and three afternoon trips to the weekday schedule, and resumed its Saturday schedule with 12 trips — six southbound and six northbound — more trips than pre-pandemic.

SMART’s single ride fares were reduced to a $1.50 base for travel within the same zone plus $1.50 for each additional zone.

Pre-COVID SMART ridership in January 2020 was above 70,000 passengers, then dropped to an average of 35,000 a month after the March 2020 shelter-in-place order, then 5,000 in April, its low point.

Numbers of those choosing to take SMART have climbed even though some area employees still prefer to spend fewer days in traditional office settings.

The recent surge in the omicron variant slowed or temporarily postponed most employer plans for workers to begin returning to the office.

In a 2021 survey by the Bay Area Council, done in partnership with the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and EMC Research, 40% of employers expect employees to come back to work three days a week when the pandemic ends, while 13% expect workers to return four days a week and only 19% expect them to go back for a full five-day workweek.

Responses from 205 employers said their workers commuted to a workplace four or five days before the pandemic. Bay Area employers of all sizes, industries and from all nine Bay Area counties participated in the poll.

SMART’s new general manager, Eddy Cumins, said the agency is positioning itself for when people come back to work.

“Commuters are our bread and butter, and we want to identify opportunities to serve them better,” Cumins said. “Gaining ridership is our No. 1 priority, and we’ve heard a lot about the need to serve early a.m. and late-night commuters at times beyond our schedule today. Researching ways to offer last-mile service links is also a key agenda item.”

SMART officials say they plan to boost marketing efforts aimed at non-commute riders who want to attend recreational, concert or entertainment events and sports-related venues, as well as student destinations, and those wishing to go to farmers markets and local wineries.

Cumins said SMART is developing a strategic plan that will include conducting broad research on existing customer needs as well as the needs of communities based on how people move around and where they want to go.

“We have also been working with the San Rafael Chamber to reach out to large employers, such as BioMarin with 1,000 employees, to determine their commuting needs in these uncertain and changing times,” Cumins added.

Joanne Webster, president and CEO of the San Rafael Chamber of Commerce, says while some people may prefer working from home, there are those who believe this can lead to lost social connectivity producing a disconnect among employees in a variety of industry sectors. This also tends to result in less collaboration.

“I definitely see a hybrid model emerging. While a remote work model may improve personal productivity in some instances, I’m not sure it is healthy in the long run for people to be isolated and sitting in front of a computer most of the time,” she said.

She said SMART’s discounted fares and added services beyond those available two years ago have made commuting more convenient and affordable.

Another SMART advantage for employees or visitors to Marin County is an 8:29 p.m. northbound train from the Larkspur Station so those staying after work to enjoy dinner or to socialize with colleagues and friends still have time to return home by rail.

“What many people who work afternoon, night or early morning shifts say they need, including nurses, hotel and food service workers, are more scheduled SMART departures later at night,” said Sam Tahlavon, general manager of the Courtyard by Marriott in Larkspur and president of the Larkspur Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.

“Only one member of our staff can take SMART, which is a short seven-minute walk from the station,” he said. “The other 99% have no option. Our afternoon shift gets off at 11 p.m.”

He said a year before SMART launched its service, the region’s Council of Chambers talked about the need for complimentary shuttles to and from worksites and downtown Larkspur to nearby SMART stations. Though such a plan has remained on the table, it hasn’t happened yet.

While there are some shuttle services directly from SMART stations to final rider destinations subsidized by public and private employers, others charge a modest fee. The Transportation Authority of Marin and the Sonoma County Transportation Authority have emergency ride home programs.

Marin Transit also has a subsidized first- or last-mile Uber trip program called Marin Transit Connect, and the Sonoma County agency offers a ride share program called Ride Amigos. Other related services include the Green Ride in Marin, and Marin Commutes.

Looking ahead, SMART coordination with regional transit partners will continue to increase. In September, the number of SMART-Golden Gate Ferry connections doubled for riders transferring at Larkspur, and the rail carrier is working with the Sonoma County Airport to strengthen connections for airport passengers to the closest SMART station just over 1 mile away.

Getting riders back also involves addressing their concerns expressed in a SMART survey. Making transit safer topped the list. This response included apprehension over potential contacts with homeless individuals and hate crimes; the need to reduce fear of catching the coronavirus (by enforcing mask wearing and by continuing cleaning protocols); and making service better and more affordable.

Communications Manager Matt Stevens said SMART has implemented multiple measures designed to limit the spread of COVID-19. Measures include two hand sanitizer stations in each car; thorough cleaning of trains twice a day; the introduction of electrostatic sanitizers; the use of MERV-13 air filters following CDC recommendations; and installing UV sterilizers to HVAC systems aboard trains to eliminate pathogens and keep them from growing.

Bikeshare hubs will be installed by county agency partners at 10 SMART stations in 2022, offering e-bike rentals for tourists and first/last mile options for commuters and students.

SMART is also exploring ways to benefit the public as the new freight rail operator. In addition, 25 miles of SMART pathway has been built, with another 9.8 miles fully funded for construction this year, and 11.97 more miles funded for design for a total of nearly 47 miles.

SMART’s extension from the Charles M. Schulz-Sonoma County Airport to Windsor is 30% constructed, including 3.1 miles of rail and pathway. The rail line is seeking additional grant funds to complete the $65 million project. Once funding is secured, the project could be ready for service within 18 months.

Meanwhile, the town of Windsor is building a roundabout on Windsor River Road adjacent to the train station that will have tracks passing through the center of the traffic circle, according to Windsor Council Member Deb Fudge, who has been a SMART board member since 2005.

Fudge said the roundabout project is proceeding with a few utility conflicts but should be completed by the start of the school year in September. However, other aspects of this project are still delayed.

The Windsor extension project was originally targeted to open in late 2021; however, a lawsuit was filed against the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) by the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association regarding the project’s funding source, the Regional Measure 3 fund.

Two lower courts rejected this lawsuit, and the case was taken up by the California Supreme Court — which has yet to make a ruling. Due to the potential loss of funding, this project is on hold and work has been suspended until funds have been released or other funding for this $65 million project is identified.

The passenger rail extension to Healdsburg is also funding dependent, and SMART is working to identify and obtain funds for this project. A major factor is the cost to repair or replace the Healdsburg Russian River Bridge, with a current estimate of $17 million for this structure.

Primary funding for SMART comes from Measure Q sales tax revenue. SMART, along with other transit systems, experienced significant drops in fare revenue during the pandemic. Before COVID-19 restrictions, SMART’s annual revenue from the farebox was $4 million. In 2021, farebox revenue declined to $680,000.

The company is on track to reach $1 million in 2020, even with fare reductions of 40%. Sales tax revenue has rebounded and is expected to be at or above pre-pandemic levels by 2023, according to SMART.

Cumins said housing and commercial development along the SMART right of way is also possible in the future plan, but this depends on how local cities and towns want to grow.

SMART is involved in a public-private partnership with Danco Communities and the city of Petaluma and is actively seeking funding to construct affordable housing and the SMART Petaluma North Station at Corona Road in Petaluma.

Correction, Feb. 7, 2022: The Windsor roundabout project is set for completion before September, not December.