Guadalupe's local bus service will officially merge with Santa Maria Regional Transit in July, after approval from both city councils.
The decision follows years of financial strain for smaller transit systems, like Guadalupe's, due to pandemic-related funding losses.
Santa Maria Transit Manager Gamaliel Anguiano said the merger makes logistical sense, noting that SMRT already serves nearby unincorporated areas such as Tanglewood and Orcutt.
“Guadalupe to the fold is well within our wheelhouse and it probably makes just as much sense if not more sense than some of those other communities as our communities are very much socially economically intertwined," said Anguiano.
The consolidation is expected to streamline operations and introduce a single payment system across both cities. Officials say there will be no impact to Santa Maria's general fund.
To ease the transition, bus rides on the SMRT system will be free from July 1 through July 11.
