A transportation center that sells Big Blue Bus (BBB) passes and parking permits opened downtown Monday.
The GoSaMo Center replaced the former Transit Store on the ground level of Parking Structure 5 at 1444 4th St. It will offer services and information for drivers who park in Santa Monica and BBB riders, as well as a public restroom. Visitors will be able to buy TAP cards, bus passes and apply for reduced fares, as well as obtain parking permits, validations and register for monthly parking.
“The goal is to create a one-stop-shop for taking care of different things in one location in the heart of downtown Santa Monica,” said Jennie Campos, BBB’s community engagement officer. “It will be more convenient for customers to pop in, buy a BBB pass or a TAP card, or claim an item at the Lost and Found.”
The center will help tourists due to descend on Santa Monica this summer navigate the city’s transit options. Downtown Santa Monica, Inc. (DTSM) will operate an ambassador booth next to the center, Campos said.
“The City is going to be working with DTSM to tourists to the GoSaMo Center and having a booth right next to the center will facilitate that,” she said.
DTSM will also operate the public restroom, its third restroom downtown, said deputy chief executive Steven Welliver. The other two are located at Parking Structure 4 and Tongva Park and are open from 8:30 a.m. until midnight. Welliver said all three are operated by DTSM ambassadors who are trained to look out for antisocial or criminal behavior.
“The ambassadors hold the keys and open and close the restroom,” he said. “They’re always watching for any type of illegal behavior, which they would then call in to the police department. They also keep an eye on how long people are in the restrooms and make sure that maintenance is up to our quality control standards.”
Here’s a breakdown of GoSaMo Center services by area with counter hours.
Big Blue Bus
Monday – Friday, 7:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Pass Sales
· Sell and load TAP cards with Stored Value or period passes for Regular, Youth, and Senior/Disabled/Medicare customers
· Sell Big Blue Bus paper magnetic period passes for Regular, Youth, and Senior/Disabled/Medicare customers
Customer Service
· Assist customers with travel planning, feedback and/or inquiries
· Provide public information, including Little Blue Book Transit Guide, System Maps and other program brochures
Reduced Fares
· Accept and submit reduced-fare Senior TAP card applications on behalf of customers
· Redeem LIFE (Low Income Fare is Easy) Program coupons (LA County fare subsidy program for low income individuals)
Mobility On-Demand Every Day (MODE) Program
· Customer service, including fare pre-payment
Lost and Found
· Inquire and/or claim lost items on Big Blue Bus or MODE wheelchair vans
Parking Operations
Permits
Monday – Thursday, 7:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., alternate Friday’s, 7:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Residential Parking Permits
Beach Parking Permits
Parking Citation Payments
Validation Sales (offered at SP+ counter)
Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.
· Reduced Employee Parking Validations for Downtown and Santa Monica Place Employees
· Reduced Farmer’s Market Parking Validations for Vendors and Employees
· Non-discounted Parking Validations upon request
Monthly Parking (offered at SP+ counter)
Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
· Create new Monthly Keycard accounts
· Process Monthly Keycard replacements
· Collect and process Promise-To-Pay (PTP) Payments
PTPs are issued to customers who do not have a form of payment at all, cash or credit, upon exit
· Process Monthly Payments (on an as-needed basis)
