110 S. PINE STREET ● SANTA MARIA, CALIFORNIA 93458 ● 805-925-0951 EXT. 2225
CITY OF SANTA MARIA
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
Attachment A
Letter of Intent
From: City of Santa Maria
To: City of Guadalupe
Date: February 19, 2025
Subject: Intent to Explore Consolidation of Transit Services Consistent with the City Council Action taken at the February 18, 2025, meeting, this letter formally expresses the City of Santa Maria’s willingness to jointly explore with the City of Guadalupe the potential of consolidation of Guadalupe’s transit servic es with Santa Maria Regional Transit (SMRT).
Background:
Municipalities are responsible for developing and managing local public transit, a complex undertaking involving funding applications, contract oversight, and strict regulatory compliance.
Currently, Santa Maria and Guadalupe operate separate transit systems. However, a growing trend is the strong interdependence of both community’s transit systems by the transit riding public and only modest ability to coordinate the two transit systems.
Transit Challenges:
Recent challenges, including staffing shortages and increasing regulatory demands, have made managing a public transit system even more difficult. These challenges include:
Difficulty meeting reporting requirements and developing an electric bus transition plan.
Challenges in administering grants and meeting deadlines. Difficulty keeping up with growing demand and preparing for the upcoming expiration of the current transit operations contract.
The anticipated outcomes of a recent (2024) State of California TDA review , an existing 2016 Regional Coordination Study and current SBCAG Transit Technical Advisory Committee discussions amongst transit operators, recommend exploring the idea of transit system consolidation to enhance efficiency, optimize resource allocation, and to better serve the region and its riders.
Potential Benefits of Consolidation:
Streamlined Operations: Centralized management of routes, fares, and technology. Improved Efficiency: Shared resources (fleet, staff, funding) and optimized resource allocation.
Enhanced Service: Seamless travel experience for riders between the two communities.
110 S. PINE STREET ● SANTA MARIA, CALIFORNIA 93458 ● 805-925-0951 EXT. 2225
CITY OF SANTA MARIA
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
Attachment A
Stronger Administrative Capacity: Leverage SMRT’s experienced staff, existing contracts, and established processes.
Improved Compliance: Better equipped to meet evolving regulations and funding requirements.
Moving Forward:
Staff will coordinate meetings, exploring the idea of a consolidation of transit services that would analyze benefits and challenges for both Cities , if Santa Maria Re gional Transit (SMRT) assumed the administrative responsibility of Guadalupe's transit routes.
We believe that exploring this opportunity presents significant potential for improved public transportation services for both Santa Maria and Guadalupe. We lo ok forward to collaborating with the City of Guadalupe and other stakeholders to further investigate this potential partnership.
Sincerely,
Gamaliel Anguiano
Transit Manager | City of Santa Maria
Public Works | Transit Division
[email protected] | 805|361-9660 x 2480