The Milpitas Simple Mobile Access to Reliable Transit (SMART) service officially began operating on Sept. 12, but local officials gathered Sept. 15 to hold a ceremonial ribbon cutting for the service, which provides city residents with service five days per week between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. using minivans with ADA access.
The app-based on-demand service is designed to complement the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) and Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) services operating in Milpitas.
Milpitas SMART rides can be scheduled from various locations within Milpitas, to one of the following hubs:
- Great Mall
- City Hall
- Milpitas Transit Center
- Alder VTA light-rail station
Milpitas SMART provides first-mile/last-mile connections to underserved communities that are also transit dependent. Milpitas explains several neighborhoods are within a half-mile of existing or planned transit service. However, the city’s entire eastern half is underserved and home to residents who primarily commute to other cities for work. The city says SMART service “will not only minimize the distance from transit, but also shorten wait times for underserved areas.”
The service is funded for 12 months with support from a $1.08-million grant through the Santa Clara VTA 2016 Measure B Program. Milpitas worked with RideCo to implement the service that features maximum wait times between 10 and 15 minutes.
In its grant application, the city explained it selected the hub-and-spoke model for the service to create first-last miles connections while also providing increased intra-city mobility. The city believes this will serve transit dependent residents better. Additionally, the city says the service will supplement paratransit services.
The regular adult fare will be $2.50 per ride, but youth, disabled riders and low-income riders will be offered a $1.00 reduced fare per ride. To promote the service, the city is offering a free first ride on Milpitas SMART through Oct. 11.
