The local Petaluma paper is reporting that the city bus line will go fare-free for one month(October 10-November10)in an effort to get more riders on board half empty buses. I offer this as a reality check to SMART's patronage projections. The SF Chronicle also is projecting a dramatic jump in downtown office vancacies due to large scale bank consolidation. Say bye to more commuter jobs.

A well-known retired Sonoma County supervisor with long time environmental credentials is opposing SMART as way too expensive for what little service it provides. SMART could have done a lot to meet this criticism if it had:

#1 Lost the bike path.

#2 Built its own trackage separate from NCRA-NWP. The current plan effectively subsides freight operations and hampers passenger service in the process. This approach takes the NWP off life support

#3 Arranged to be operated by Golden Gate Transit and as a result -

#4 Completely replaced the northern half of the GGT #80 SF-Santa Rosa trunk bus line and garner all of its Sonoma County operations subsidy. Suddenly SMART became relevant and essential.

#5 Bought small doodlebugs with MU capability. SMART would pledge to campaign for the earliest possible electrificaton and southern extension in Marin County