| Founded | 2014 |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | 2803 W Oakland Ave, Austin, MN |
| Locale | Albert Lea, Austin, Owatonna, and Waseca |
| Service area | Freeborn, Mower, Steele, and Waseca counties in Minnesota |
| Service type | Bus service and demand-response service |
| Routes | 6 |
| Hubs |
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| Fleet | 13 buses |
| Annual ridership | 272,878 (2019) |
| Website | SMART Bus |
Southern Minnesota Area Rural Transit (SMART) is a provider of mass transportationinFreeborn, Mower, Steele, and Waseca counties in Minnesota, with deviated fixed-routes serving the major cities, as well as demand-response service across the counties. The service is operated by Cedar Valley Services, Inc. In 2019 the system provided 272,878 rides over 62,048 annual vehicle revenue hours with 13 buses and 15 paratransit vehicles.[1]
SMART transit began in January 2014 through the consolidation of transit agencies in Freeborn, Mower and Steele counties.[2] SMART transit service in Waseca began on January 2, 2016.[3] On January 2, 2019, the intercity shuttle service between Albert Lea and Austin was launched after the approval of a state grant to fund the service.[4] In 2022, SMART purchased an electric bus for service in Owatonna, the first in the fleet. Replacing a single fossil fuel powered bus will allow the agency to save 2,000-4,000 gallons of fuel each year.[5] SMART reached its millionth rider in October 2018 and two million in March 2023.[6]
SMART provides deviated fixed-route and demand-response services. There are 6 deviated fixed-routes, with one intercity shuttle between Albert Lea and Austin, two providing intra-city transit in Austin, and one each in Albert Lea, Owatonna, and Waseca.[7]
The ridership statistics shown here are of deviated fixed route services only and do not include demand response services.[8]
25,000
50,000
75,000
100,000
125,000
150,000
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
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