What is SmaRT Ride microtransit service?
Microtransit is a form of on-demand transportation that allows users to request a ride via a smartphone app, phone call, or online.

How does SmaRT Ride work?
SmaRT Ride is an on-demand rideshare service. The software assigns a nearby shuttle bus to requested pickups and drop offs based on locations around each other. When demand increases, wait times also increase. Riders are picked up and dropped off along the flexible route, meanwhile, the software continuously updates to provide rider wait times and trip destination arrival times. The predictions are subject to change based on unforeseen circumstances as traffic conditions, delays caused by passengers (i.e. no-shows), and/or traffic incidents.

Where is SmaRT Ride service available?

SmaRT Ride currently operates in the following service areas:

Corner-to-Corner Service Zones:

• Arden- Carmichael
• Downtown-Midtown
• Elk Grove
• Florin-Gerber
• Folsom
• Franklin-South Sacramento
• Natomas-North Sacramento
• Rancho Cordova

Curb-to-Curb Service Zones:

• Citrus Heights-Orangevale-Antelope

SmaRT Ride service is only available within designated geographical service zones. SmaRT Ride shuttles cannot travel outside zone boundaries. If unable to book a trip, please check that the origin and/or destination address is within the zone. Each zone has connections to light rail stations and/or major bus routes.

What is Curb-to-Curb SmaRT Ride service?
Passengers are picked up and dropped off at the address they indicated when scheduling. Only the Citrus Heights-Antelope-Orangevale SmaRT Ride zone offers curb-to-curb service.  

What is Corner-to-Corner SmaRT Ride service?
Passengers are picked up and dropped off at the nearest corner or ‘virtual bus stop,’ which is usually within a block or two of their requested pickup or drop-off location. All zones, except the Citrus Heights-Antelope-Orangevale SmaRT Ride zone offer corner-to-corner service.  

What are the new SmaRT Ride Service zones? 

On Monday, August 28, 2023, SacRT made service changes to three SmaRT Ride zones including Citrus Heights-Antelope-Carmichael, Downtown-Midtown and Florin-Gerber. All zones will operate from 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. Monday through Friday.  

Changes to New SmaRT Ride Zones (as of August 28, 2023) 

• Citrus Heights-Antelope-Orangevale: service discontinued south of Madison Avenue and north of Elm Aveenue, and east of Wachtel Way. New service hours will be 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. (alternative fixed-route options: bus routes 21 and 23)
• Downtown-Midtown: service discontinued east of Alhambra Boulevard (East Sacramento). Service to Marisol Village, SMUD Museum of Science, and the area between Riverside Blvd and Interstate 5, south of Broadway stays in place. New service hours will be 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. (alternative fixed-route options: light rail and bus routes 30, 38 and 134) 
• Florin-Gerber: service zone expanded north from Fruitridge Road to include underserved areas bound by 14th Avenue, Power Inn Road and Stockton Boulevard.

Can I track my SmaRT Ride shuttle in real-time?
Customers at any time can monitor where the vehicle is on the route by booking through the SmaRT Ride app. Riders will receive alerts when the bus is approaching through the app. Riders must be waiting outside and on the curb ready to board the vehicle. If other passengers are on board, you may or may not be dropped off first after boarding. The closest pick-up or drop-off location assigned to the vehicle will occur next. The vehicle operator is provided pick-up and drop-off location instructions electronically by the scheduling software. The operator does not decide who to pick up or drop off next; this is determined by the software to maximize efficiency. 

What if SmaRT Ride isn’t available?
On Monday, August 28, SacRT improved the SacRT SmaRT Ride app to offer fixed-route transit options, including SacRT bus and light rail.  

How is the updated SmaRT Ride app different?
The SacRT SmaRT Ride app update, which became available on Monday, August 28, 2023, shows an option to request a SmaRT Ride and also any SacRT fixed-route transit options available nearby, including bus and light rail.  

How long are typical wait times?
Wait times may vary, especially during high demand periods. Wait times can be as little as a few minutes or as long as an hour. If you are using SmaRT Ride for an important appointment, SacRT recommends planning ahead and giving yourself additional travel time. 

How much does it cost to ride?
All riders pay the basic SacRT fare ($2.50 for a single ride) unless eligible for discount fare ($1.25 for a single ride). SacRT daily and monthly passes are valid on SmaRT Ride. Groups of five or more people traveling from the same location to the same destination ride for free. Students can ride for free with a valid RydeFreeRT card.  

How do I pay for my SmaRT Ride trip?
To make boarding faster, you can purchase your fare in advance by downloading SacRT’s ZipPass app (App Store or Google Play); order a Connect Card (transit smart card) from connecttransitcard.com; or pay with cash when you board (operators do not carry change). SacRT daily and monthly passes are also accepted. The SacRT SmaRT Ride app cannot be used to purchase fare. 

What are the hours of operation?
SmaRT Ride operates Monday through Friday.  Starting Monday, August 28, 2023, all zones operate Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.  

Is SmaRT Ride safe?
All SacRT drivers must have undergone a background check, obtained a Class B commercial driver’s license, are subject to random drug and alcohol testing, and wear identifiable SacRT-branded uniforms  

 All shuttles and vans are equipped with onboard surveillance cameras that are accessible to SacRT‘s Security Operations Center, open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. 

Can I take my bike on SmaRT Ride?
Most SmaRT Ride shuttles have bike racks. However, the electric vans occasionally used in the Downtown and Franklin zones do not have bike racks.  

Can I book a SmaRT Ride trip a day in advance?
All trip booking requests must be made on the day of travel during regular service hours.  SmaRT Ride does not accept advanced reservations.  Rides can be cancelled at any time before it is scheduled to arrive. Remember to give yourself additional time if you have an appointment you must arrive on time to. 

How is SmaRT Ride funded? 
SacRT’s SmaRT Ride on-demand microtransit service is funded through contributions from the Sacramento Transportation Authority, which provided an initial program award of $12 million in 2018 that expired in June 2023, and recently awarded an additional $2.5 million to help support the service over the next two years. SmaRT Ride will also be receiving $1.65 million of state Low Carbon Transportation Operations Program funding and. $1.6 million of American Rescue Plan funding. SmaRT Ride also receives operating funds from Sacramento County and the cities of Citrus Heights and Folsom. SacRT contributes other operating funds and also covers the entirety of the capital costs (i.e., fleet) for the program using state, local, and federal funding. 

Why is SacRT reducing SmaRT Ride service?
SmaRT Ride is a program without a permanent funding source. While some additional funds have been secured through June 30, 2025, a great deal of the funding for SmaRT Ride expired on June 30, 2023. Passenger fares only cover about 2 percent of the cost to operate SmaRT Ride, so without a permanent funding source, SmaRT Ride’s continued operation is not financially sustainable and needed to be modified in the most efficient way possible.

How did SacRT choose which zones to reduce service in?
There were several factors taken into consideration in deciding which zones would be impacted by the adjustments, with a priority on maintaining or adding service to disadvantaged and underserved communities, especially areas that do not have fixed-route service.

The Downtown-Midtown-East Sacramento and Citrus Heights-Orangevale-Antelope zones are two of SacRT’s largest and highest cost zone. They were carefully chosen because they already have existing fixed-route service on bus and/or light rail. The neighborhoods where service will be discontinued (e.g., East Sacramento and parts of Fair Oaks and Orangevale) are areas that are higher income, with greater automobile ownership.

Can I book a ride if I don’t have a smartphone?
SacRT also accepts trip bookings by phone at 916-556-0100 during SmaRT Ride’s operating  hours (7 a.m. - 7 p.m.).

Learn more about SmaRT Ride at https://www.sacrt.com/smartride