SMART is dumbed down by so many issues and so many obstinate insiders it will be fumbling around with empty trains run by 2 men for years to come.

Primary issue is the notion that an intra-Northbay commute works financially. It doesn't; express buses were tried by GGT in the past and were abandoned. SMART has to proceed to southern Marin and on into the City to be viable and worth the subsidy. It would replace the trunk GGT bus service.

The farther north you go the smaller the catchment - no GGT service north of Sta. Rosa.

A turning point of some kind could be had with the opening of the terminus north of Sir Francis Drake. We'll see how many tourists will be attracted to the ferry-train op. Most all of the ferry commute to SF will still come into the Larkspur slip by auto. The question for the tourists out of SF is what do you do when you get into the Northbay? Petaluma has become touristy but lacks a major draw like a casino. Graton might run a shuttle to a RoPo station but the players might prefer one ride to the door of the casino buses. Geyserville and River Rock casino might work as a tourist draw via SMART but in the dim future.

I asssume Mansourian would resist a GGT takeover so long as he is drawing a check. And then there is Bosco: maybe he thinks SMART might crap out and his NWP will pick up the pieces cheapo.