Community Transit Employee Spotlight

Bus Driver Ray Harnisch: Going the Extra 3,000,000 Miles

Service to Community

Ray Harnisch has been driving buses for Community Transit for 21 years, and one of his favorite parts of the job is working with children.

He’s not a school bus driver, but he’s met thousands of kids through the agency’s School Transit Education Program (STEP). His blue eyes sparkle like an excited grandpa when he talks with the kids about buses, sitting comfortably and asking them as many questions as they’re asking him.

When Ray is on the road, some of his favorite moments are when young children wave at him.

Ray Harnisch On What Makes Driving a Bus Fun from Community Transit on Vimeo.

“I wave back at them,” he said. “I want them to know, when they get older and can ride our buses, that bus drivers are friendly. We’re there to help.”

Many of those kids eventually become riders on his bus, and he remembers them.

“I’ve watched them grow up, until they’re busing to college and their jobs,” he said. “I’m part of their world, their community.”

Service to Safety

In addition to driving a regular route, driving for STEP and mentoring other drivers, Ray has served on accident review committees, the service planning input team and on Community Transit’s Safety Committee, which he often chaired.

Ray’s attention to safety recently earned him a Three Million Mile Award for safe driving – that’s 3,000,000 miles of safe driving in stop-and-go traffic, day in and day out.

For perspective, that’s the equivalent of 120 trips around the world or more than six trips to the moon and back, without a preventable accident. The average American driver would need 225 years to drive that far!

Ray credits his amazing safety record to support from his co-workers.

“I didn’t do this by myself,” he said. “There’s a big team that makes it possible.” He attributes his accomplishment to excellent bus maintenance, supportive supervisors and dispatchers, and constantly updated training.

An award ceremony for Ray was attended by dozens of his co-workers. Community Transit CEO Emmett Heath thanked him for his service to the citizens of Snohomish County and to the agency, then presented him with a jacket, plaque, certificate and pin, all personalized with a special black and gold "Three Million Mile" logo.

Three Million Mile Driver Highlights from Community Transit on Vimeo.

Ray's photo will be featured on the sides of 10 Community Transit buses for the rest of 2018 to celebrate his accomplishment.

Thank you, Ray, for going the extra 3,000,000 miles!

Kids STEP on board Community Transit buses

Education Coordinator Steve Peters shows a class
how to board a Community Transit bus

Community Transit’s School Transit Education Program (STEP) is a free educational experience offered to all public and private schools throughout Snohomish County with the goal of teaching students K-12 the benefits of public transportation. 
Education Coordinator Steve Peters uses his background in theater to bring a 30-minute classroom presentation to life! Steve uses stories, imitations and funny characters to introduce public transportation to thousands of children each year. Kids learn about transit and their role in keeping the environment clean, as well as basic bus know how such as how to read a route number, bus etiquette, bus safety and much more! 

Once the classroom presentation is complete, all children board a Community Transit bus for a half-hour ride around the community. This “rolling classroom” driven by some of Community Transit's best drivers, allows students to apply their skills as new bus riders.

Since the program began in 1985, Steve has worked with over 140,000 students at more than 200 schools throughout Snohomish County.  For more information about the program, call (425) 348-7148 or email steve.peters@commtrans.org.

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!

What Is STEP?

The School Transit Education Program (STEP) is a free educational experience offered to all public and private schools throughout Snohomish County. Its main objective is to teach students K-12 the benefits of public transportation.

Education Coordinator Steve Peters uses his background in theater to bring a 30-minute classroom presentation to life! Steve uses stories, imitations and funny characters to introduce public transportation to thousands of children each year. Kids learn how to read a route number, bus etiquette, bus safety and much much more!

Once the classroom presentation is complete, all children board a Community Transit bus for a half-hour ride around the community. These buses are driven by some of Community Transit's best drivers! For more information about the program, call (425) 348-7148 or email steve.peters@commtrans.org.