Sonoma County deploys on-demand transit service
Sonoma County in California is working with The Routing Company (TRC) to roll out an on-demand first-mile/last mile transit service.
The Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit (Smart) service is powered by TRC’s Ride Pingo app and the collaboration marks the start of a five-year contract. It also sees TRC’s first partnership with a rail entity.
Accessible, on-demand transit
Smart is the North Bay’s passenger rail serving Marin and Sonoma counties. Its current 45-mile system is responsible for nearly 500,000 passenger trips annually and includes stations in Santa Rosa, Rohnert Park, Cotati, Petaluma, Novato, San Rafael, and Larkspur.
TRC partnered with Smart to offer accessible on-demand service and transit connections through Smart Connect, ultimately providing first-and-last-mile solutions for North Bay residents. The service is beginning with the Sonoma County Airport Station with the potential to expand to remaining stations.
“Today’s celebration also furthers innovation in transit in California, the connection of urban and rural communities, and ultimately, the advancement of equity and accessibility in transportation”
“Today’s ribbon cutting is more than a celebration; it is the launch of groundbreaking multimodal transit powered by Smart that directly responds to local demand for improved reliability, flexibility, and convenience in transit,” said James Cox, chief executive officer, TRC at the launch in June.
“Today’s celebration also furthers innovation in transit in California, the connection of urban and rural communities, and ultimately, the advancement of equity and accessibility in transportation.”
Smart’s deployment uses TRC’s full Pingo suite including the Ride Pingo app for riders, Drive Pingo app for drivers, and the cloud-based Pingo Dashboard for fleet operators. Features include Transit Connect, which uses real-time data to guarantee transit connections for riders, and Pingo Journey, an in-app product that allows riders to plan end-to-end multimodal journeys and hail on-demand transit, all in one place.
“We are excited to welcome passengers on board Smart Connect and look forward to providing a seamless and efficient train-to-airport connection,” said Eric Lucan, Chair, SMART Board of Directors.
“Additionally, this innovative microtransit service will reduce car trips and support local employers by helping people get to and from this busy business corridor.”
