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Next week SMART will reach its 10th year of providing public transportation in the communities it serves.

SMART started Jan. 2, 2014, in Freeborn, Mower and Steele counties and later added Waseca County in 2016. Overall, SMART covers nearly 2,300 square miles providing access to public transportation to over 125,000 individuals with a fleet of  nearly 35 buses.

SMART reached its first million-ride milestone in October of 2018 and  then hit two million rides in March of 2023, thanks to the dedication of nearly 70  staff, 11 of whom have been with SMART since day one.

The drivers, dispatchers and managers are passionate about providing public transit to  the passengers they serve and all look forward to the next 10 years and beyond, a press release states.

Over the next several weeks and months, SMART will be celebrating the anniversary by handing out items to passengers, as well as doing other random giveaways such as free rides — stay tuned to the SMART Facebook page for all the happenings.