PETALUMA, Calif. — Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit will use federal stimulus funds to restore full service, but will expects to need six months to do so.
The Marin Independent Journal reports that, in a board meeting last week, SMART officials said the receipt of $3.2 million in American Rescue Plan Act money would allow the commuter operator to return to its schedule of 38 weekday trips and 16 weekend trips from the current level of 26 weekday trips and 12 Saturday trips, which began in May. But it will take at least six months to hire and train the four additional conductors needed to offer that level of service.
About $277,000 will be needed to hire the four conductors. The agency hopes to receive a total of $6.9 million in funding, which would allow it restore full service for three years.
