SANTA MONICA—The GoSaMo Center, a new transportation center handling sales of Big Blue Bus (BBB) passes and parking permits, opened downtown on April 15.

The new center replaces the former transit store at the ground level of parking structure 5 at 1444 4th street. The center offers integrated transportation services for BBB and parking operations. A larger public restroom has also been added. This makes the third restroom available downtown with two more located in parking structure 4 and Tongva Park which are open from 8:30 a.m. until midnight.

“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 to the Santa Monica Daily Press (SMDP). “It will be more convenient for customer to pop in, buy a BBB pass or a TAP card, or claim an item at the Lost and Found.”

The center will be working with Downtown Santa Monica, Inc. who will be operating a ambassador booth near the center to assist tourists this summer Campos told the SMDP.

The hours the counter will be opened are as follows, listed by area:

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.
7:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. (alternate Friday’s)

– Residential parking permits and 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)