Smart Commuters Recognized at 17th Annual Awards Luncheon

On April 10, Community Transit recognized the achievements of employers, Employee Transportation Coordinators and smart commuters from across Snohomish County and Bothell at our 2013 Smart Commuter Awards Luncheon.

This year’s honorees prove that choosing sustainable transportation options not only help individuals save money and stress, but also make our community a better place to live and work for everyone.

Smart Commuter of the Year – Lynette Boulch, Premera Blue Cross

Lynette has been committed to choosing smarter ways to work for over 25 years.  She’s currently a vanpool driver and has recruited numerous new vanpool riders over the years.  When she’s not vanpooling, she takes the bus to work.

Employee Transportation Coordinator of the Year – Karen Lee Kimber, Swedish Edmonds

Karen has been in her role as an Employee Transportation Coordinator for over 20 years and continues to make an impressive mark on her company’s Commute Trip Reduction program.  This year, Karen developed a “HAVEAGR8RIDE” newsletter that gives her employees the cost of driving alone, tips on how to find other commute options and how to determine their carbon footprint.

Employer of the Year – AT&T

AT&T has had a great commute program for many years.  In 2013, AT&T promoted seven different campaigns to educate and encourage employees to choose smart options to driving alone.  The result of the campaigns was phenomenal, including having 47 employees log more than 14,063 bicycle commute miles during an eight week bike competition.  Not only does AT&T’s management support these activities for their employees, they also provide ORCA Passport that provides transit and vanpool fares for their employees.

The 2013 award recipients were all from businesses throughout Snohomish County and Bothell who support Washington State’s Commute Trip Reduction (CTR) goals.  Community Transit receives funding from the state to help these employers reduce drive alone vehicle trips to their worksites by providing services such as the Smart Commuter Awards, advanced training for Employee Transportation Coordinators, a Guaranteed Ride Home program, transportation fairs and resources on commute options to approximately 24,000 employees at 74 worksites.

More details and the list of the winners and nominees are posted on Community Transit’s website.  To learn more about Community Transit’s services for employers, visit www.communitytransit.org/ChoiceConnections.

Website Survey Results: You Like Us-- but We Can Do Better

Last month, we asked for 4 minutes of your time to take our online website survey and you gave us 1,824 minutes! (That's 4 minutes each for the 456 people that  took the time to tell us what they like, don't like and want to see for communitytransit.org in the future.) Sure, we've got Google Analytics to give us reports on hits, visits and other numerical data-- but we wanted to hear from the people that use our website and we're glad we did!

We want to update our website in 2014. The last time it was refreshed was roughly five years ago, which doesn't seem very long ago until you realize the iPhone and iPad just came onto the scene in 2009. If you consider this September 2013 study of cell phone and usage by Pew Internet, it appears we are doing this refresh just in time:

"63% of adult cell owners now use their phones to go online, a figure that has doubled since we first started tracking internet usage on cell phones in 2009. In addition, 34% of these cell internet users say that they mostly go online using their cell phone. That means that 21% of all adult cell owners now do most of their online browsing using their mobile phone—and not some other device such as a desktop or laptop computer."

So, one of the takeways learned from our website survey is that it needs to be mobile-friendly so that the information you need is accessible no matter what mobile device you are using. We also found out that a majority of you rate the website quite high, and for that we thank you!

Below is an infographic illustrating the highlights and trends gleaned from the survey. Do you agree? Are you surprised?  What are your reactions to what the survey participants said about our website?

Four Minutes for a Better Website

The last time Community Transit's website got a virtual facelift was back in 2008. This is what it looked like in June 2007 just before we conducted a website survey and did the redesign:

communitytransit.org - June 2007

Interestingly enough, we conducted a website survey then, too, resulting in the website you see today:

communitytransit.org - November 2013

It doesn't seem too long ago, but when you consider what's happened in the last five years technology-wise, communitytransit.org could do with a little refresh. Since our last website re-design:

1. The iPad was launched (and three versions since);
2. Websites need to fit on all sizes of screens thanks to mobile phones and tablets;
3. Content has to be relevant and searchable more so than ever due to user and search engine demand (I'm lookin' at you, Google)
4. Mobile device usage is on the rise and will soon outnumber desktop use.

We hope to implement a new content management system soon that will help us keep our website up-to-date and user friendly no matter what you use to view it. We also want to take the opportunity to refresh the look and feel of our website.  This is where you and four minutes of your time come in.

We want to know how you, our customer, use our website. Yes, we have Google Analytics reports that can tell us browsers used, numbers of visits and pages visited, but we want to go deeper than that. How do you use the website? What do you like the most? The least? What can we do to make it better?

Tell us the answers to these and other questions through our short, online survey available by clicking on the link below. It should take around 4 minutes to complete and will be available until 5 p.m. Friday, November 29.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ctweb2013

Thanks in advance for helping us create a better website for you!

Special session: Don't forget Community Transit

Gov. Jay Inslee has called the Washington Legislature into special session to pass legislation intended to ensure that Boeing builds the 777X airplane line in the state, according to Inslee. Among the legislation under consideration this session are manufacturing tax breaks, education and workforce training, and transportation improvements.

The transportation improvements are presumed to be centered around legislation that failed to pass the state Senate earlier this year. However, it’s not exactly clear how serious an effort will be made to pass a transportation package immediately. Assuming the discussion starts with the proposed House transportation package, there are several things that could greatly benefit Community Transit riders, and Boeing.

Operational funding
For several years, Community Transit has asked the Legislature for additional money to operate bus service. The recession reduced Community Transit’s sales tax revenues, and while the economy is rebounding, there is no way to bring back near the level of service we had in 2009 based on sales tax alone. To increase service significantly, new operating funds are needed.

The House package provided a small amount of operating funds, about $13-23 million for all transit agencies in the state. At most, Community Transit might get $1.4 million a year from this fund, which is about a third of the amount needed to offer a reduced level of Sunday service. That is not much.

From an operational perspective, the most beneficial feature of this legislation is a local option. That would give the Community Transit board authority to place a ballot measure in our service area seeking additional tax revenue. It could be sales tax, it could be a car tab fee or excise tax. Such an option could generate enough revenue to fund service levels at the 2009 level, and maybe beyond. It goes without saying that there is no guarantee voters would approve this funding, but at least this option allows the agency to make its case. And it is the only option on the table that would allow Community Transit to add significant service.  

Swift II
The House package also contained a capital transit project list. This is one-time money that can be spent on building something. The list included money to help Community Transit build a second Swift bus rapid transit line.

This “Swift II” project (just a working name) is a perfect project for this session. The proposed Swift II line under study would serve Boeing-Everett at the north end, wind east across Airport Road/128th to 132nd, then turn south at the Bothell-Everett Highway. There are two options of a southern terminus: just south of Mill Creek Town Center or Canyon Park.

A feasibility study of this project has been underway for close to a year now, a prerequisite for federal funding.

If the governor and legislature want to support Boeing, and the 777X would be built in Everett, improved funding for transit service to the Boeing plant and the surrounding community is vital. Community Transit works closely with Boeing to ensure bus and vanpool service to the plant. Several Boeing trips were cut during the recession, so the loss of bus service has affected Boeing employees. Swift is a proven high-capacity service that can help the aerospace giant build planes without building new parking, and retain and attract quality employees. Funding to add Community Transit service in general, and funding to get a Swift II project serving Boeing should be high priorities for this session.

Unlike King County Metro, Community Transit does not need state money to avoid service cuts. Those cuts were already made (partly because the state did not step up earlier). Community Transit has no plans for any further service cuts. Instead, we are poised to grow. In the 2014 budget there is money from increased sales tax revenue to add 2,500 hours of new service. Not much, but it’s growth.

Any funding that comes out of the state legislature would help us to add more service and do it quicker. Don’t let legislators forget.

Community Transit Staff Give Back

Each year Community Transit employees come together to give back to our community by volunteering our time and donating to the United Way of Snohomish County.  Earlier this fall, Community Transit kicked off our 2013 United Way campaign, Strength In Community, with a goal to raise $45,000 for charity organizations throughout the county.

The campaign kicked off with over 25 Community Transit staff and family volunteers assisted with repairs and general maintenance including cleaning, repairing the barn roof, fence maintenance and moving drain pipe at the H3 Horses Healing Heroes farm as part of United Way’s Day of Caring on September 14.

Community Transit volunteers, Pete Juozapaitis, Steve Winecoff and son Andrew Winecoff mending a broken fence.

In October, the United Way Campaign team held a variety of events to raise money for United Way including waffle feeds in four Community Transit worksites and the annual Community Transit Silent Auction.  This year’s auction received over 100 items donated by Community Transit staff members including a Crepe Breakfast for 10, a BBQ for up to 20, autographed Seahawk memorabilia, lots of amazing gift baskets, handmade crafts and more.  We finished off the campaign with a Prize Wheel and a Grand Prize drawing for a one-night stay at Hotel Max in downtown Seattle and a $75 MasterCard gift card for all employees who submitted an annual pledge to United Way.

Members of the Community Transit United Way Campaign Team serve up 

piping hot waffles with all the toppings to hungry employees.  

Community Transit employees scramble to get last minute bids in the Silent Auction.

Customer Relations Director, Bob Throckmorton, demonstrates the prize wheel.

Thanks to the generous employees at Community Transit who made pledges, gave donations to the auction/prize wheel and came out and participated in our events we raised over $47,250!  That is $2,250 over our 2013 goal.

And a special thanks to our Community Transit United Way Campaign Team that dedicated their time to making this great campaign possible.

United Way Campaign Team co-chairs, Sue Masel and Diane Kinnear, take a moment to enjoy all their hard work.

Community Transit Listens: 2013 Rider Survey

Starting Tuesday, Oct. 15, Community Transit will be administering a system-wide onboard rider survey on local and commuter buses. We conduct these surveys every three years to collect anonymous demographic information about our riders to meet federal requirements, and to learn how riders use our bus service.

Aside from demographic information, the survey asks about the trip you are currently taking. We want to know, in general terms, where you are coming and where you are going to, as well as how you got to your bus (walk, car, bike, etc) and how you will get to your destination after leaving the bus.

There are also a few questions asking your opinion about the service.

This is the first onboard survey we’ve done since our bus network restructuring in February 2012, so these answers will help us to figure out how rider habits may have changed, and how riders are using the system.

The survey takes about 3-4 minutes to complete. Surveyors will be on local buses (100s and 200s and Swift) Tuesday through Saturday handing out and collecting the surveys. These surveyors are temporary workers and will be wearing appropriate ID.

The survey will also be available on commuter routes to UW and downtown Seattle on Wednesday. On those buses, riders will fill out the surveys and place them in return folders near exit doors when completed. Riders can also take the survey home and send it via mail postage-paid. Riders are encouraged to take the survey each time they ride the bus.

Help us reach our goal of 10,000 completed surveys by the end of the week. Thanks for your participation!

Community Transit and United Way: Strength In Community

Earlier this month, Community Transit kicked off our 2013 United Way campaign, Strength In Community, by participating in the United Way of Snohomish County Day of Caring on September 14 at H3 Horses Healing Heroes in Monroe. 

Some of the Community Transit volunteers 

stop a moment to pose for a picture.

H3 Horses Healing Heroes is a non-profit organization for wounded military personnel, past and present.  Through equine assisted psychotherapy, horses are used as a tool to facilitate healing from:

• Combat Trauma

• Post-Traumatic Stress Injury

• Traumatic Brain Injury

• Military Sexual Trauma

Over 25 Community Transit staff and family volunteers assisted with repairs and general maintenance including cleaning, repairing the barn roof, fencing maintenance and moving drain pipe.

Community Transit employees, Michael Shea, Tony Smith and Pete 

Juozapaitis, clean up a pasture at the H3 farm in Monroe

“We felt that the wounded warrior project was not only an opportunity for us to lend our skills and effort, but also a chance to honor our veterans for their selfless service,” said Sue Masel, Co-Chair of the Community Transit’s United Way Team. “Pairing horses in the healing process was especially appealing to us.” (Monroe Monitor)

The team met some new friends at the Day of Caring event!

Arlene Gibson, owner of H3, said “the day was exciting, awesome and humbling. I was a little scared but everything went beautifully.  If you ever need your faith in humanity restored, just witness the volunteers from Community Transit who signed up for United Way’s Day of Caring, helping H3 with our numerous projects. They came with their hands and hearts.” (Monroe Monitor)

.

Community Transit volunteers, Pete Juozapaitis, Steve Winecoff 

and son Andrew Winecoff mending a broken fence.

Check out this article in the Monroe Monitor to learn more about the event and the work H3 does in the community.

All the hard work really paid off!

We'd Like Your Answers to Four Questions About Service

Help us understand our service priorities by taking our short online survey!

Community Transit is not cutting service, but we will be adding service hours with some system fixes this fall. To best meet the needs of the communities we serve, we need to get in front of (and talk to) our customers—  this is where our outreach comes into play.

This summer, in addition to our traditional appearances at community events where we can talk one-on-one with folks, we are also taking advantage of online surveys and polls to engage with riders and non-riders alike. This combination of outreach tactics help to get feedback from a larger pool of the population who care about Community Transit and what we do.

On July 1, we started posting polls on the Community Transit Facebook page, keeping the questions light, but related to

riding the bus, such as “Would you ride the bus on holidays?” So far, our most active poll to date asked, “Which do you consider the worst bus behavior?

Last week, we posted a Service Priorities Survey on our website. We are asking the same questions to visitors who come by our booth at various community events this summer. Would you take a few minutes to share your input to help us understand priorities for service? Each person who completes the survey (including their name and email address) will be entered into a monthly drawing to win a $50 ORCA card.

People Choosing Smarter Travel Options with Curb the Congestion

Curb the Congestion is better than ever with the addition of two new corridors and a new incentive!

Since 2008, Community Transit and Snohomish County have partnered to offer Curb the Congestion, a program that reduces traffic congestion, parking demand and greenhouse gases on local roadways. The program offers resources and rewards to residents and employees who use smart travel options such as bus, carpooling, vanpooling, biking or walking.  We have seen pretty dramatic results over the years with over 2,750 participants removing:

·         Over 250,000 trips from local congested roadways

·         4.6  million pounds of CO2 from our air

·          5.3 million miles of driving alone

This year the program expanded to provide resources and rewards to people traveling on these four congested Snohomish County roadways:

• 128th Street (between Everett and Mill Creek)
• 164th Street SW/SE (between Lynnwood and Mill Creek)
• NEW 196th Street (between Edmonds and I-5)
• NEW Bothell-Everett Highway (between 128th Street and downtown Bothell)

Choose a smarter trip on one of these corridors at least 8 days a month and you could win the following incentives. 

·     Monthly Rewards: Receive $50 a month for three months!

• Continue to log smarter trips to qualify for a $150 drawing each month and earn a coupon for a discount or free item at a local business through our NEW Preferred Partner Reward program.
• Recruiter Rewards: Earn up to $100 a year when you refer friends, neighbors or co-workers.

For more information on the program or assistance with your travel options, contact our Curb the Congestion Outreach Specialist at (425) 438-6136 or CurbIt@commtrans.org.

 

Athena’s story is a great example of how the Curb the Congestion program works!

Athena Parker of Mill Creek first learned about Curb the Congestion when she read a brochure.  She went home and signed up.  

Athena says, “It was nice that I could win but I really started putting in my hours to show that people do use the buses every day and that bus service is a valued thing.”

“When I ride I save myself the stress of driving and I give myself some more time to work. Since I'm a college student, anything that I can do to make my time easier and stress free is awesome. Riding the bus also saves me the cost of buying a parking permit each quarter and gas for my old car. And that saves me around $180 dollars a quarter.”

Dump the Pump – Save a Fortune, Share the Ride

This Thursday, June 20, is the 8^th Annual National Dump the Pump Day sponsored by the American Public Transportation Association.   Community Transit will be joining transit agencies from across the country to encourage people to leave their cars at home for the day and instead share the ride to work, school or just for fun! 

 

By riding the bus, vanpooling, carpooling, biking or walking instead of driving alone even a few days a week, drivers can save money, relieve stress and help the environment.

·         A two-person household can save more than $9,700 a year by downsizing to one car.

·         Every $1 invested in public transportation generates approximately $4 in economic returns.

·         Public transportation use in the United States saves 4.2 billion gallons of gasoline annually.

·         Using alternatives to driving alone has saved Washington commuters almost 8.3 million gallons of gasoline annually with a fuel savings of nearly $32 million.

·         Using an alternative to driving alone just one day per week can reduce your commute costs by 20%.

If you are unsure of what smart transportation options work best for you, visit Community Transit’s website and check out all the great tools we have to make sharing the ride simple.

Trip Planner:  Plan your trip by bus or train in Snohomish, King and Pierce counties.

Driving Cost Calculator: See how much money you could save by sharing the ride.

How to Ride:  Know before you go! Find out everything you need to know about riding a Community Transit bus.

Also, Community Transit (and everyone’s favorite superhero Oxy Gene) will be joining other regional transit agencies at Westlake Center in Seattle this Thursday from 11:30a.m. to 1:30p.m. to celebrate Dump the Pump.  Stop by for prizes, treats and more information on how you can save a fortune by sharing the ride!

Oxy Gene: Two local schools STEP up for Community Transit Coloring Contest

Hello Good People!

Oxy Gene here, defender of truth, justice, and really clean air! I hope you’re all having a fabulous spring, and guess what…..summer is just about here(my favorite time of year to fly the gorgeous skies of Puget Sound!).  I’ve had a terrific year travelling across Snohomish County sharing information about Community Transit.

As you know, my good friend Steve Peters, runs a very entertaining School Transit Education Program (STEP), where he travels to schools within Snohomish County telling kids how much fun it is to ride their local transit system.  The program talks about safety, how to read a route number and how important Community Transit is for reducing traffic snarls in the community. Steve visits nearly 10,000 kids per year!



In fact, just recently I helped Steve choose two schools to participate in a poster coloring contest, Quil Ceda/Tulalip Elementary in Marysville and St. Mary Magdalen in Everett.  First and third graders were given blank sheets of paper and asked to show their creativity.  Using as many colors as possible and including a Community Transit bus, the kids used their imaginations to show how they can help yours truly be their own clean air superhero.



Quil Ceda/Tulalip Elementary First Grade Winners



St. Mary Magdalen First Grade Winners

St. Mary Magdalen Third Grade Winners

The pictures were amazing! Many kids also showed where they’d like to travel on a bus. Winners from each grade level were chosen and each school held an ice cream party this week to award the winners. Even superheroes can’t pass up ice cream! Their drawings will be posted on the interiors of our buses for all to see. An awesome job by all!!



Once the school year is done, well that’s where I give Steve a break and I, Oxy Gene.., “Clean Air Defender”, take to the skies and do my part to pulverize pollution.  You’ll see me in parades, at fairs, and other public events throughout the summer.

Remember…there’s only one thing that all of us share; it nourishes, refreshes, please love it…..IT’S AIR!

Snohomish County Transit Priorities

The Washington State Legislature is in its final week of a special session with no agreement yet on a possible transportation funding package. If there is no general budget agreement, there may be a second special session.

After cutting service 37 percent the past three years, Community Transit has no plans for further service cuts. Economic activity in Snohomish County is rebounding and the agency is looking ahead to when it can begin to add service. At stake in Olympia is whether the pace of service growth will be slow or quick.

Recently, Community Transit CEO Joyce Eleanor spoke with several local audiences about the prospect of service growth, as well as other transit issues.

As the agency embarks on a summer filled with community events, staff will be asking area residents their opinions on transit priorities. What are your priorities for service growth?

Listen to Community Transit CEO Joyce Eleanor and Everett Transit Director Tom Hingson discuss The Future of Transit in Snohomish County on KSER Radio (90.3 FM), recorded May 24, 2013.

KSER Interview (mp3)



Watch Community Transit CEO Joyce Eleanor speak to the Snohomish County Committee for Improved Transportation at Everett Station, recorded May 21, 2013.

Navigating Snohomish County by Bike

Whether you bike as part of your commute or just for fun, Snohomish County offers a lot of great options for getting around and enjoying the beauty of this region.  Here are just a few of the routes that make this a great area for biking.

Snohomish County bicyclist, Jason Wilsey, enjoying the trails!

Centennial Trail – Spanning 30 miles from Snohomish to the Skagit County line, this paved recreational trail provides great opportunities to ride for both beginners and more advanced riders.  The trail connects Snohomish, Lake Stevens and Arlington with parking lots, restrooms and picnic areas located at points between.

Interurban Trail – This 15.1 mile, paved trail is great for commuting and recreational biking.   While most of the trail is separated from traffic, there are several places where the trail is a designated bike route on the road shoulder.  The trail is located next to or near the South Everett Park and Ride, Mariner Park and Ride, McCollum Park Park and Ride, Ash Way Park and Ride, Edmonds Park and Ride and the Lynnwood Transit Center for easy connections to transit.

To find other bike routes in Snohomish County, download a copy of Community Transit’s Snohomish County Bike Map.  Also, check out these other great resources for more information on biking:

Community Transit Bike Webpage

Community Transit’s Centennial Trail Map

Community Transit’s Interurban Trail Map

B.I.K.E.S Club of Snohomish County

Cascade Bicycle Club

Google Maps - Bike

2013 Bike to Work Day Wrap-up

Last Friday, Community Transit was out at the Lynnwood Transit Center, McCollum Park Park and Ride and Boeing to celebrate Bike to Work Day!  We had 327 bike riders join us for food, coffee and fun!



Thanks to all the bikers that joined us at one of the Community Transit commute stations.



Oxy Gene stopped by the Lynnwood Transit Center commute station to thank

these bike riders for their commitment to cleaner air.

Community Transit and Boeing staffs were out bright and early Friday morning to greet bikers.

A special thanks to our bike mechanics from Bicycle Centres, Harvy’s Bike Shop and

Gregg’s Cycle that were on hand to help riders with minor repairs and maintenance advice!

Thank you to everyone that made Bike to Work Day in Snohomish County a success this year!

Bike to Work Day – May 17

Friday, May 17, is F5 Bike to Work Day and Community Transit is excited to be partnering again this year with Cascade Bicycle Club to recognize bikers throughout Snohomish County that choose to get out and ride to work on that day.

Stop by one of the many Commuter Stations set up around the region for a snack, have your bike checked out by a professional bike mechanic and to chat with your fellow bike commuters.  Community Transit will be hosting two stations this year:

Lynnwood Transit Center

Location: Interurban Trail at 202nd St SW & 46th Ave W
Time of Operation: 6:00am to 9:00 am

Get a chance to meet Oxy Gene and have your bike checked out by a friendly mechanic from Harvy’s Bike Shop.

McCollum Park Park and Ride

Location: 128th St SE and Dumas Road
Time of Operation: 6:00am to 9:00am

Stop by to learn how you can earn rewards for your bike commute through our Curb The Congestion program and get assistance with your bike from Bicycle Centres.

Or stop by one of the other Commute Stations being held in Snohomish County:

Everett Boeing Station sponsored by Boeing

Location: 75th & Seaway

Time of Operation: 5:00am to 8:30am

Station mechanic courtesy of Gregg's Cycle

Everett Station sponsored by Everett Transit

Location: 3201 Smith Ave (South of Pacific)

Time of Operation: 5:00am to 9:00am

Station mechanic courtesy of Tim's Bike Shop

For more information on all the Bike to Work Day activities happening around the region, visit http://www.cbcef.org/btw/btw_day.html.

Community Transit Bike Lockers Available Now!

As Bike Month gets underway, have you found yourself wanting to ride your bike to work or school but think it’s just too far?  Try combining bicycling with your bus commute to make the trip easier.  Community Transit has 116 bike lockers located at 15 of our Park & Rides.  Renting a bike locker is a secure, weatherproof way to store your bike while you complete your trip by bus, carpool or vanpool.  Our bike locker rentals are available on a first-come, first-served basis at a rental rate of $60 per year plus a conditionally-refundable deposit of $50.

Bike locker at Mountlake Terrace Transit Center

Bike locker locations:Ash Way Park & Ride
Canyon Park Park & Ride
Eastmont Park & Ride
Edmonds Park & Ride
Lake Stevens Transit Center
Lynnwood Transit Center
Mariner Park & Ride
Marysville Ash Ave Park & Ride
Marysville Cedar & Grove Park & Ride
McCollum Park Park & Ride
Monroe Park & Ride
Mountlake Terrace Transit Center
Snohomish Park & Ride
Stanwood Park & Ride
Swamp Creek Park & Ride

With warmer weather approaching, there isn’t a better time to try one!  Feel free to contact our bike locker coordinator at bikelockers@commtrans.org or (425) 348-2332 to inquire about availability.

To learn more about combining your bicycling with your bus commute visit communitytransit.org/bikes/.