The Routing Company celebrates SMART's new on-demand SMART Connect service

The Routing Company (TRC) participated in a ribbon cutting at Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit's (SMART) Sonoma County Airport station for its new on-demand SMART Connect service. The SMART Connect service is powered by TRC’s Ride Pingo. The event marks the launch of a five-year contract originally awarded to TRC in March 2023.

SMART is the North Bay’s passenger rail serving Marin and Sonoma counties. Its current 45-mile system is responsible for nearly 500,000 passenger trips annually and includes stations in Santa Rosa, Rohnert Park, Cotati, Petaluma, Novato, San Rafael and Larkspur.

TRC partnered with SMART to offer accessible on-demand service and transit connections through SMART Connect – ultimately providing first-and-last-mile solutions for North Bay residents. The service is beginning with the Sonoma County Airport Station, with the potential to expand to remaining stations.

“Today’s ribbon cutting is more than a celebration; it is the launch of groundbreaking multi-modal transit powered by SMART that directly responds to local demand for improved reliability, flexibility and convenience in transit,” said James Cox, TRC CEO. “Today’s celebration also furthers innovation in transit in California, the connection of urban and rural communities, and ultimately, the advancement of equity and accessibility in transportation.”

SMART’s deployment uses TRC’s full Pingo suite including the Ride Pingo app for riders, Drive Pingo app for drivers, and the cloud-based Pingo Dashboard for fleet operators. Features include Transit Connect, which uses real-time data to guarantee transit connections for riders, and Pingo Journey, a breakthrough in-app product that allows riders to plan end-to-end multi-modal journeys and hail on-demand transit, all in one place.

“We are excited to welcome passengers on board SMART Connect and look forward to providing a seamless and efficient train-to-airport connection. Additionally, this innovative microtransit service will reduce car trips and support local employers by helping people get to and from this busy business corridor,” said Eric Lucan, chair on SMART's Board of Directors.

Launched in October 2022, Pingo Journey integrates TRC’s real-time routing technology with public transport infrastructure, allowing riders to hail on-demand transport rides and plan multimodal transport journeys all from the single Ride Pingo app. The feature makes Pingo the world’s only app offering on-demand transport and end-to-end journey planning in one place.

TRC’s Pingo platform includes the Drive Pingo and Ride Pingo apps and the Pingo Dashboard operations management tool, which together provide on-demand, paratransit, fixed and flexible transport that enhances ridership of existing transport networks.