Earth Day: Environmental Management Part of Our Business

By Colleen Murphy, Environmental Analyst 

“Treat the Earth well. It was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children. We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.” 

This proverb has been attributed to Native American tribes, Kenyan natives and even Ralph Waldo Emerson. Regardless of the source, it’s an honorable view about each generation leaving the Earth better than we found it.

Community Transit has nine Core Values that characterize the way we conduct business. Our commitment to the environment is demonstrated in our Core Value of Environmental Stewardship: “We embrace ways of doing business that are environmentally friendly, and seek to be a role model for other organizations in reducing environmental impacts.”

To implement this Core Value, Community Transit operates an active Environmental Management System (EMS). An EMS is a process of continually improving our environmental performance by using the Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle. Our EMS began in 2004 and is compliant with ISO 14001-2004. Our EMS is a tool we use to go above and beyond environmental regulations.

A multi-departmental team evaluates all of our activities to identify opportunities to reduce waste, reduce natural resources used and switch to “greener” options. We then create an action plan to implement the identified improvements and train affected employees. Using this process we have improved air quality by reducing vehicle emissions, reduced fuel waste, reduced electricity usage, increased recycling of office and work products, installed solar panels at the Mountlake Terrace Parking Garage, increased emergency response preparedness and made many more improvements to our everyday operations.

These efforts make a positive impact on our local environment every day and help to lower our operating costs, which preserves bus service. On Earth Day 2013, Community Transit is doing its part daily to utilize natural resources wisely, improve the local waterways for our children to play in, and help keep the air cleaner in our part of the world. After all, we live here too!

Electric Vehicles Can Charge Up at Mountlake Terrace Transit Center

Last Saturday, May 5, Community Transit and the City of Mountlake Terrace held an event at the Mountlake Terrace Transit Center to unveil 10 new electric vehicle charging stations. The charging stations were installed by the city thanks to a federal stimulus grant to help complete a goal of creating a network of charging stations along the I-5 corridor. U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen was there to help commemorate the event.

The 10 stations can charge up to 20 electric vehicles at a time. The city charges a fee for the electricity, now 85 cents an hour. At the event, several electric cars were there to get charged up, including a red Tesla roadster electric sports car.

The event was also used to announce that the transit center has received a Green Globes “One Globes” certification by the Green Building Initiative (GBI). This is similar to LEED certification for buildings. It means the Mountlake Terrace Transit Center was built with sustainable principles that create a low impact on the environment, reduce energy consumption and reduce overall maintenance costs.

The transit center was built with concrete using recycled materials, includes a daylighted stream as part of its stormwater runoff filtration system, has 30 solar panels that feed into the regional power grid and uses low-energy lighting in the parking garage.

The transit center earned a One Globes certification out of a possible four globes. The Mountlake Terrace Transit Center is believed to be one of the first non-occupied buildings in the world to be recognized for sustainable construction.

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.

Return of the Double Tall

Despite the dreary rain and wind, it was a bright morning for some Snohomish County commuters on Community Transit's Routes 413 and 415.

Surprise surprise! Riders watched a shiny, new 14-foot high Double Tall bus roll up to their stop to welcome them aboard.

My co-worker Jason and I met up with the bus and its driver, Ron, at 4 a.m. to tag along on those first trips and record a virtual ride-along for fans of our Facebook page. We loved seeing the surprised looks on customers' faces as we rolled up. We took some photos and chatted with customers, many of whom welcomed the return of the much-loved Double Tall. Others took a ride for the first time; we suggested they sit up top, of course.

Adding A Walk in Mountlake Terrace

Studies have shown that transit users are more likely to get their daily recommendation of exercise than non-transit users. People are also willing to walk a little farther for high quality – as in frequent – transit service.

Mountlake Terrace riders will get both starting on Monday. The opening of the Mountlake Terrace Freeway Station means Seattle commuters there will go from walking across the parking lot to walking across I-5 (on a bridge) to catch a bus.

There will be three times more buses to catch there, and commuters will go from having primarily commute-hour only options to 15-minute service all day long.

March 20 Service Changes

Community Transit's next service change takes effect March 20, with the opening of the new Mountlake Terrace Freeway Station. This stop in the median of I-5 will allow commuter buses to serve the transit center without the hassle of offramps and traffic signals.

Sound Transit will begin service to Mountlake Terrace as Routes 511 and 513 will begin stopping at the freeway station. Community Transit will reconfigure some routes, eliminating two commuter routes and serving the freeway station with existing commuter service. This will save Community Transit money while at the same time dramatically increase the number of daily trips to and from Seattle serving Mountlake Terrace.

Mountlake Terrace Freeway Station

The Washington State Department of Transportation is a partner in this Sound Transit construction project - sited in the middle of I-5. So they have a very nice slideshow which illustrates the progress so far. My favorite photo shows the elevator shaft. While most of the other work at the Mountlake Terrace Freeway Station is wrapping up, the elevator may be one of the last items to get a green light.

It's all scheduled to open for buses and business on March 20. The freeway station is connected to Community Transit's Mountlake Terrace Transit Center, and the new service stopping there will more than triple the number of buses operating between Mountlake Terrace and Seattle.

Service Change Delayed Until March 20

Typically, Community Transit’s service change is timed to coincide with the other regional transit agencies. That date for this winter’s service change is Feb. 6. But Community Transit will not have its service change until March 20 due to construction delays on the Sound Transit Mountlake Terrace Freeway Station project.

Sound Transit’s service changes in Snohomish County also will be delayed until March 20.

Most of Community Transit’s changes this winter are centered around service in the Mountlake Terrace area, and at the transit center. The agency is taking advantage of the new freeway station to save some money by eliminating the two Seattle commuter routes that now run out of the Mountlake Terrace Transit Center and instead have two existing commuter routes pick up and drop off at the new freeway station.

Sound Transit Routes 511 and 513 will also use the freeway station to serve the Mountlake Terrace Transit Center starting March 20. Route 511 will operate every 15 minutes in both directions on weekdays, greatly increasing bus service for this area.

Other local bus changes help with connections to the transit center or realign service through the city of Mountlake Terrace.

When completed, the freeway station will make the Mountlake Terrace Transit Center another south county transit hub that could lure riders away from Lynnwood Transit Center or even Ash Way. Stay tuned for a grand opening announcement.

CEO Joyce Eleanor Testifies in D.C.

An exciting day for Community Transit!

CEO Joyce Eleanor this morning testified before the U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure in Washington, D.C. She discussed how Community Transit has spent the $17.5 million it received last year in federal stimulus funds through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009.

Joyce was one of two transit agency representatives on a panel that included an electrician from bus manufacturer New Flyer of America, the director of Baltimore's public works department and a construction worker from Columbus, Indiana.

She described the four Community Transit projects funded by the ARRA federal stimulus money:
Bus replacement - 23 double decker bus purchases, $10.7 million
Operations and preventative maintenance funding, $3.3 million
Bus replacement - hybrid bus cost differential, $3 million
Mountlake Terrace Transit Center parking lot redevelopment, $425,000

Joyce was introduced by U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen, a member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Larsen was a member of the Community Transit Board of Directors when he was a Snohomish County Councilmember.

Joyce was asked by Committee Chair Rep. Jim Oberstar about the flexibility for transit agencies to use some federal funding for operations, not just capital. Joyce replied that flexibility is good but agencies still need capital funding to replace aging vehicles and facilities. More funding overall is needed, especially during these tough economic times.

See Joyce's testimony here. (Joyce starts about 1 hour and 15 minutes in.)
Read Joyce's testimony here.

CEO To Testify Before Congressional Committee

Community Transit CEO Joyce Eleanor has been invited to testify tomorrow morning (Sept. 29) before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure in Washington, D.C.

Because Community Transit received federal stimulus funds last year, Joyce will be giving the Committee an update on our use of those funds. This is a rare opportunity for Joyce to address this important funding committee.

The hearing will be webcast live at http://transportation.house.gov/

In 2009, Community Transit received $17.5 million in federal stimulus funds through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

$10.7 million was spent on the purchase of 23 replacement buses, which will be put into service near the end of 2010. The buses ordered are double decker buses that will go into commuter service to downtown Seattle.

$3.3 million was used for operations and preventative maintenance, which is allowed under the flexible funding formula. This helped prevent service cuts in 2009, rather than June of this year.

$3 million was used to pay the difference between hybrid buses and standard diesel for a 24-bus replacement order placed this year. This TIGGER grant will allow Community Transit to put 15 hybrid buses into local service in 2011.

$425,000 was used for redevelopment of the upper parking lot at the Mountlake Terrace Transit Center. This project was completed last month.

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