Route 40X Connects Sonoma Commuters With SMART Trains

SONOMA VALLEY, CA — Sonoma Valley commuters drive roughly 16 miles — and up to an hour in traffic — to reach the Petaluma SMART station, in order to transfer to trains serving farther Bay Area destinations.

A new Sonoma County Transit route is intended to make that commute easier by streamlining schedules for those who prefer to travel by transit.

Sonoma County Transit will begin a new weekday commuter bus route designed to connect Sonoma Valley riders directly with SMART trains in Petaluma.

Beginning Aug. 10, the agency will roll out Route 40X, a pilot service that will operate during weekday morning and evening commute hours.

The route replaces the existing Route 40 schedule with trips timed to match SMART arrivals and departures at the Petaluma Downtown station.

Officials described the new service as the first local bus route to be reoriented around SMART schedules as part of a broader regional effort involving SMART, Golden Gate Transit, and local transit operators to better coordinate public transportation throughout the corridor.

Route 40 had been among the agency's lowest-ridership services, according to agency officials.

The next Sonoma Strategic Transit Plan Community Workshop is July 22 at 5:30 p.m.

Route 40X will operate three round trips in each direction during peak weekday commute periods. Stops will include:

• Sonoma Plaza
• Broadway at Leveroni Road
• Temelec Circle at Mission Drive
• Lakeville Highway at South McDowell Boulevard
• Petaluma Downtown SMART Station and Transit Mall

The pilot schedule available on the Route 40 website includes the following departures:

From Sonoma Plaza to Petaluma SMART:

• Morning: 6:17 a.m., 6:49 a.m., 7:21 a.m.
• Afternoon/evening: 5:21 p.m., 6 p.m., 6:42 p.m.

From Petaluma Transit Mall/SMART to Sonoma Plaza:

• Morning: 6:26 a.m., 7:22 a.m., 7:54 a.m.
• Afternoon/evening: 4:26 p.m., 4:58 p.m., 5:30 p.m.