A transit system which serves parts of the Central Coast is set to implement fare increases, as well as some route changes and service expansion.
Santa Maria Area Transit will increase its fare from $1.25 to $1.50, with the single fare for seniors and those with disabilities going from 60 cents to 75 cents. There are also increases for monthly passes, and Dial-A-Ride service.
It’s the first hikes for SMAT’s riders in more than a decade. The Santa Maria City Council approved the hikes last year, after hearing that rates didn’t reflect the impacts of increasing costs over the years, and that the fare structure was much lower than similarly sized communities.
SMAT officials say they will expand evening service, and offer service on a number of holidays during which that they had been closed in the past, like Labor Day and Veterans Day. The changes take effect February 13th.
