# SMART releases final schedule



## BCL (May 18, 2017)

http://main.sonomamarintrain.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/SMART-Train-Schedule_5-17-2017.pdf

http://www.pressdemocrat.com/news/7003844-181/smarts-train-schedule-draws-praise

http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/SMART-train-soon-to-launch-in-North-Bay-11154465.php

They're going for one train every 30 minutes during the morning and evening commutes. However, there's a big problem though with a 90 minute gap between southbound trains 4 and 5, which is right around what you'd think should be the peak commute, with 4 arriving in San Rafael at 7:26 AM and 5 arriving at 8:56 AM.

Three weekend trains are timed to make transfers to/from the Golden Gate Ferry terminal in Larkspur, although I'm not sure how anyone is supposed to get there without the Larkspur train station ready. Maybe it's supposed to line up with a Golden Gate Transit bus.


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## CCC1007 (May 18, 2017)

Looks like their service plan for weekdays calls for just four trainsets in service.


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## MikefromCrete (May 18, 2017)

Leaving a big hole in the schedule at rush hour seems a big mistake. Also, the three-mile hike between the train station and the ferry seems unrealistic until some kind of shuttle bus is planned. This service has been in the planning and construction phase forever. Is this the best schedule they can come up with?


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## BCL (May 18, 2017)

MikefromCrete said:


> Leaving a big hole in the schedule at rush hour seems a big mistake. Also, the three-mile hike between the train station and the ferry seems unrealistic until some kind of shuttle bus is planned. This service has been in the planning and construction phase forever. Is this the best schedule they can come up with?


They're still working on the Larkspur Landing station, and once that's complete it's going to be a reasonable walk to the ferry terminal. I looked it up and Marin Transit has a few hourly bus routes from the San Rafael Transit Center to Larkspur Landing.

http://marintransit.org/routes/228.html

http://marintransit.org/routes/29.html

There is Golden Gate Transit route 30, but the first stop is about a mile from the ferry terminal.

http://goldengatetransit.org/schedules/current/route_30.php

The reporting is that they're only allowed to operate 4 trainsets (of the 7 they have) at a time until there's federal approval as well as more staff to operate the trains. I heard they were having problems getting people who could do this given the cost of living in the area. The obvious targets would have been Caltrain and Capitol Corridor engineers and conductors.


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## MikefromCrete (May 18, 2017)

MikefromCrete said:


> Leaving a big hole in the schedule at rush hour seems a big mistake. Also, the three-mile hike between the train station and the ferry seems unrealistic unless some kind of shuttle bus is planned. This service has been in the planning and construction phase forever. Is this the best schedule they can come up with?


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## Texan Eagle (May 19, 2017)

This is the most idiotic commuter line schedule probably ever created! A 90 minute gap between trains in peak morning AND peak evening commute hours, but 30 minute headway rest of the day? They seem to be smoking some high quality green stuff when coming up with this timetable.

That aside, I am so happy to see a transit agency in the US use the 24-hour time format in timetables! Thank heavens for that. The Caltrain printed schedule is such a mess where times go from 1 to 12 and continue again 1 to 12 for PM services. More than once me and my friends have looked up the AM side of it by mistake to plan evening journey and vice versa. Sure PM times are in bold but on mobile screens that difference is not always apparent.


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## BCL (May 19, 2017)

Texan Eagle said:


> This is the most idiotic commuter line schedule probably ever created! A 90 minute gap between trains in peak morning AND peak evening commute hours, but 30 minute headway rest of the day? They seem to be smoking some high quality green stuff when coming up with this timetable.


Where do you think the term "420" (to describe cannibis culture) came from? There was supposedly a lost crop of pot plants somewhere at Point Reyes, and some kids at Redwood High School in San Rafael would meet up at 4:20 PM to discuss where to find it.


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## fairviewroad (May 22, 2017)

BCL said:


> Three weekend trains are timed to make transfers to/from the Golden Gate Ferry terminal in Larkspur, although I'm not sure how anyone is supposed to get there without the Larkspur train station ready.


Does UBER operate in that area? That would seem like an obvious answer in the short term. I'm sure enterprising passengers could figure out an ad hoc carpool which should bring the cost down to a very reasonable price per person for the transfer.



Texan Eagle said:


> This is the most idiotic commuter line schedule probably ever created! A 90 minute gap between trains in peak morning AND peak evening commute hours, but 30 minute headway rest of the day? They seem to be smoking some high quality green stuff when coming up with this timetable.


I certainly won't argue with your overall characterization of the schedule, but it's not correct to say there are "30 minute headways" the rest of the day. There's a three-hour gap in each direction in the mid-day, followed by another 90-ish-minute gap, before PM rush hour service commences.


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## MikefromCrete (May 22, 2017)

fairviewroad said:


> BCL said:
> 
> 
> > Three weekend trains are timed to make transfers to/from the Golden Gate Ferry terminal in Larkspur, although I'm not sure how anyone is supposed to get there without the Larkspur train station ready.
> ...


If you're going to get an Uber you might as well take it to your destination, eliminating any SMART riding.


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## fairviewroad (May 22, 2017)

MikefromCrete said:


> fairviewroad said:
> 
> 
> > BCL said:
> ...


Certainly a possibility, and I'm sure people are doing that already. But the difference in cost between a 3 mile UBER ride and a 40-mile UBER ride [i.E. Larkspur to Santa Rosa] is not insignificant. As much as 10 times more costly, according to the UBER website.

Lots of people use UBER for short hops to fill in gaps in existing public transit systems. In this case, it would seem to be a viable option for people connecting between the train and the ferry, rather than messing around with an infrequent local bus service.


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## BCL (May 22, 2017)

I'll note that the Larkspur station should be ready pretty soon. They claim there will be a free shuttle, even though it is theoretically within walking distance of the ferry terminal.

http://www2.sonomamarintrain.org/index.php/stations/larkspur


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## BCL (May 22, 2017)

It's back on again, although I'm not sure that the costs haven't changed due to the delay.

http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Caltrain-electrification-project-back-on-track-11164688.php


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## desertflyer (Aug 17, 2017)

After a delay in FRA approval, SMART has announced the first day of service. *August 25, 2017! *Here is their press release: http://sonomamarintrain.org/SMART-Arrival


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