Swift turns 5!

Swift – the state’s first bus rapid transit line is now 5 years old!

On November. 30, Swift  marked its fifth year of providing quick, reliable service along Highway 99 in Snohomish County. (Does anyone remember that grand opening party on a day as cold as those we've had this week?)

That first day of service, Monday, Nov. 30, 2009, Swift transported 1,500 riders. These days, Swift carries about 5,700 riders each weekday – that translates into 125,000 riders a month, and about 1.5 million riders a year!

For several days this fall, Swift  carried more than 6,000 riders a day!

In 5 short years, Swift  has become Community Transit’s most popular route (highest ridership), one of our most productive routes (most riders per bus), and the cornerstone for a new network of countywide transit service.

What’s so great about Swift ?
Our customers tell us again and again that they love Swift because it is predictable. Buses arrive every 12 minutes between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. weekdays, and every 20 minutes at night and Saturdays. With next bus signs at each station counting down to Swift’s next departure, you don’t need a schedule.

Swift service is also fast. Because riders pay at the station, buses are typically stopped for only 10 seconds. That keeps the bus moving and gets you to your destination faster.

Whether you’ve been riding since the beginning, or just started this year, we thank you for riding Swift  We also want to hear your stories and see your pictures.

All this week we will be talking about Swift  on this blog, on our Facebook page and on Twitter. We'll be talking about our Swift  drivers, our Ambassadors and Swift  II! We'll be handing out chocolate bars, and there will even be a photo contest!

So, what's your Swift story?

Earling Rejoins Community Transit Board

By Tom Pearce, Public Information Specialist

A longtime friend of Community Transit is rejoining the agency’s Board of Directors. Edmonds Mayor Dave Earling, who spent 12 years on the board during the 1990s and early 2000s, was chosen as one of the large city representatives in the biennial board selection process on Jan. 26.

He is the lone “new” face on the nine-member board. Marysville Mayor Jon Nehring, Mill Creek Mayor Mike Todd, Mountlake Terrace Mayor Jerry Smith, Mukilteo Mayor Joe Marine, Stanwood Mayor Dianne White and Sultan Council Member Steven Slawson were re-elected to their positions at the meeting.

Earlier this month, the Snohomish County Council reappointed Council members Dave Gossett and Dave Somers as its representatives. Lance Norton serves as the board’s labor representative, chosen by the agency's union leadership.

Gossett is the only current board member who served with Earling during his previous stint on the board. During Earling’s first tenure on the Community Transit Board, he served a term as board chair. He also was on the Sound Transit Board of Directors for several years, chairing that body as well.

Every two years, elected officials from the cities that make up Community Transit meet to elect board members from among their ranks. Based on the current composition scheme, the delegates divide up by city size and choose from among their peers. Edmonds, Lynnwood and Marysville are the large cities, with more than 30,000 residents. Arlington, Bothell, Lake Stevens, Mill Creek, Monroe, Mountlake Terrace and Mukilteo are the medium cities, with between 10,000 and 30,000 residents. Brier, Darrington, Gold Bar, Granite Falls, Index, Snohomish, Stanwood, Sultan and Woodway are the small cities, with fewer than 10,000 residents.

Large cities choose two board members, medium cities three and small cities two. The two County Council members and labor representative round out the board.

While Earling is the only new board member selected, three new board alternates were chosen. Arlington Council member Debora Nelson, Lake Stevens Council member Kim Daughtry and Lynnwood Council member Sid Roberts will serve as alternates, along with Snohomish Council member Tom Hamilton. County Council member Stephanie Wright is back as that body’s alternate.

Former Lynnwood Council member Ted Hikel left the Community Transit Board after a narrow defeat in November. He had served on the board from 2006-2008 and from 2010 until December, and was an alternate in between those terms. Alternates who left their roles include Chris Raezer from Arlington, Steve Bernheim from Edmonds and John Stima from Monroe.

Prior to the board selection, the delegates from the member cities discussed the composition of the board, which is reviewed every four years. If a majority approves, they could decide to apportion board members by geography, a different population scheme or alphabetic order. The group decided to keep the board make-up the same for the next four years, based on the 2011 city populations.

The new board will elect officers at its first meeting, on Thursday, Feb. 2.

Dick's opens restaurant along Swift line

“Dick’s is the place where the cool hang out,” according to Sir Mix a Lot. With the opening of the new Edmonds location today (scheduled for 3 p.m.), Mix and his posse can now take Swift bus rapid transit to get a deluxe with fries.

The new Dick’s is less than a city block from the Swift stations at 216^th Street on Highway 99, in the Top Foods parking lot. Several other buses converge on this location, Routes 101, 110, 112, 405, 406 and 871. Transit presents a great option for getting your burger, but don’t eat on the bus!

The anticipated opening of the first Snohomish County Dick’s location helps Community Transit’s bottom line. The agency receives 0.9 percent of every sales tax dollar spent in the service district, so your $10 Dick’s purchase sends 9 cents to support transit service! If you really want to help, eat more!

What are some of your favorite eateries or entertainment destinations that you get to on Community Transit?

Take Transit to Summer Events

Perhaps you’ve heard of our “buy local for transit” campaign? Or of the “stay-cation” concept that makes sticking close to home sound fun?

It just doesn’t get any more local or festive than the community events hosted each summer around Snohomish County.

Since Community Transit strives to live up to our name, we participate in events when we can. Next week’s “National Night Out Against Crime” activities will bring Oxy Gene and Community Transit staff out to some neighborhoods in support of safety.

Our primary involvement is as a transportation provider.

Edmonds Students Join the ORCA Tap Dance

Edmonds Community College has partnered with Community Transit to provide bus pass benefits to students for more than 15 years.

The student government pays Community Transit based on EdPass usage, and the percentage of students getting the transit sticker hit all-time highs in the 2009-2010 academic year – an average of 71% of full-time equivalent students. To keep from breaking the bank and to share the costs a bit, a quarterly fee of $15 per pass was imposed last fall for the first time (the value of the unlimited pass is at least 10 times that). Despite the small cost, 2,828 Edmonds students purchased an EdPass bus sticker last fall.

The popular program takes another new twist this quarter. The EdPass bus benefit is now powered by ORCA.

It’s Good to Have Backup

Winter rains often bring mudslides down on Washington’s waterfront railroad tracks. Sound Transit’s Northline Sounder train service has been canceled several days in the past month due to slides between Everett and Seattle. For safety reasons, passenger service is not allowed through an area of mudslides for 48 hours, even if the tracks can be cleared before then.

When Northline Sounder service is canceled, Community Transit buses to Seattle help take up the slack. Last week we put 60-foot buses on trips from Edmonds and Mukilteo that usually have 40-footers – and some trips carried 75% more passengers than usual. I heard from a fellow passenger that local buses to Everett Station have also been more crowded when Sounder is canceled - Sound Transit buses from Everett are an obvious backup for train refugees.

Conversely, Sound Transit train service can be a good backup to bus service on I-5. When trains run, they usually don’t get stuck in traffic (not always – sometimes those pesky freight trains get priority). Trains also don’t get stuck in snow.

That’s why I got down to Everett Station the snowy Tuesday before Thanksgiving for my trip home for the holidays. I took Sounder to get to Link Light Rail and SeaTac Airport rather than my usual bus. I guessed correctly that I-5 would be a mess. The train was delayed about 20 minutes to “de-ice,” but it was far more reliable than road transportation that day.

The moral of the story is, our region benefits greatly from a robust transportation network. If one mode fails, we have backup.

Proposed 2011 service changes impact south county

Affected Routes include Routes 110, 112, 116, 130, 408, 413, 414, 415, 416 and 477


Community Transit is seeking public input on several proposed service changes that would take effect in 2011.

The proposed changes affect service in south Snohomish County to coincide with two new Sound Transit projects on the Edmonds waterfront and at the Mountlake Terrace Transit Center.

With Community Transit sales tax income still low, the agency does not plan to restore Sunday or major holiday bus service in 2011.

Mountlake Terrace Transit Center
In February 2011, Sound Transit is scheduled to open the Mountlake Terrace Freeway Station on I-5. This will add bi-directional Sound Transit bus service to the Mountlake Terrace Transit Center and will increase the number of bus trips at the transit center from 62 to 201.

Community Transit is proposing to move its downtown Seattle commuter service through Mountlake Terrace to the freeway station and to realign local service on city streets. With these changes, residents of Mountlake Terrace and surrounding communities will have more transit options.

A few of the proposals have multiple options and we are asking for public input to help determine which options are selected by the board of directors.

Edmonds Station
Sound Transit’s new improved Edmonds Station is scheduled to open in mid-2011 and will provide an easy location to transfer between Community Transit bus, Sounder rail and Washington State Ferries service. When Edmonds Station opens, Community Transit proposes to move most of its service in that area to new bus stops east of the railroad tracks, eliminating potential delays and facilitating transfers to Sounder trains.

Details on the various route proposals are available online and in a brochure that will be placed on buses the week of Aug. 16. Public comment on these proposals will be accepted through September 6.

A public hearing before the Community Transit Board of Directors will take place at 3 p.m. September 2 at the Community Transit Board Room, 7100 Hardeson Rd., Everett (accessed by Everett Transit Route 8).

A community meeting will take place at the Mountlake Terrace Library (23300 58th Ave. W., accessed by Routes 112 and 130) on Thursday, Aug. 19 from 5-7 p.m. In addition, staff will be at park & rides and will ride on affected routes to help get the word out and solicit feedback.

Comments also will be accepted
via email: 2011changes@commtrans.org
via regular mail: Community Transit Service Change, 7100 Hardeson Road, Everett, WA 98203
via phone: (425) 353-7433