Santa Maria Transit Marks 50th Anniversary With Free Rides and Reduced Fares

SANTA MARIA, Calif. (KEYT) - The City of Santa Maria is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its transit system with a special event scheduled to take place Wednesday afternoon on Earth Day.

The celebration event will by hosted by the Santa Maria Recreation and Parks Department and is set to take place at Machado Plaza in downtown Santa Maria from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. and include promotional item giveaways.

Created in 1976, Santa Maria Regional Transit (SMRT) has grown from what the city described was once "a single-route operation into a nationally recognized and awardwinning all-electric fleet."

"Fifty years of public service is a testament to the City of Santa Maria’s commitment to its
residents," said Gamaliel Anguiano, Santa Maria Transit Services Manager. "The service has evolved
quite considerably since its inception. We encourage the public to celebrate this historic
milestone with us and take advantage of the reduced fares."

To celebrate its golden anniversary, SMRT is allowing all passengers to ride for free today on Wednesday, April 22nd.

In addition, for the next 50 days through June 12th, regular bus fares for the general public will be only ¢0.50 cents and ¢0.25 cents for qualifying seniors or disabled persons.

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