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!

Legislative Funding Update & Drewel Support

We're just under two weeks from the end of the 2013 legislative session and the good news is that transit funding is still alive!

Thanks to late, but vocal support from Gov. Jay Inslee and continued pressure from a variety of interests from business coalitions to transit agencies to sustainable living groups, the notion of a statewide transportation (roads and transit) funding package remains in play.

The latest House package dedicates some money for transit and contains a local option for additional sales taxes that would require voter approval. Legislators have volleyed back-and-forth about local option funding for transit, from vehicle registration fees to motor vehicle excise taxes (MVET) to sales taxes.

I was asked by a reporter today why Community Transit would support a sales tax option. The fact is we went to legislators this year asking for new funding, period. After the cuts our customers have sustained during the recession, we want to provide better transit service for Snohomish County.

We specifically asked for MVET as a funding source because it is more stable than sales tax in an economic downturn, and together both sales tax and MVET would provide a more diversified funding base for Community Transit. However, it is legislators who will decide which funding options we get.

Two years ago, a temporary congestion relief car-tab fee bill was written for Community Transit, but by the end of the session we were removed from that bill. Only King County Metro benefited from that legislation, and that kept that agency from major cuts these past two years.

At this time, we are past the cuts; we're ready to grow, and the demand for transit in Snohomish County is real. What we hope to get from this Legislature is the ability to go to our community and make the case that transit is important for a growing economy. Economic Alliance Snohomish County, the Boeing Machinists Union, United Way and other local organizations have supported Community Transit in Olympia this session to ask for more transit funding because they also believe it is vital to our community.

The funding source will be what it will be, we have no control of that. All types of taxes have been considered: property tax, household tax, business and occupation tax. Right now, legislators are gravitating toward sales tax. No tax is popular, but our voters can decide if better transit service is worthy of their support, and Community Transit would rather have that option than not have it.

Today, speaking at the Smart Commuter Awards luncheon in Lynnwood, Puget Sound Regional Council Executive Director (and former Snohomish County Executive) Bob Drewel praised the work of businesses that work to reduce drive-alone trips to their workplaces and also called on them to support increased funding for transit. He mentioned the legislation still alive in Olympia and said that as a community we should all support these partnerships and the service they provide.

Gov. Jay Inslee last week said he supports passage of a transportation funding package this year. He was not specific about what he wanted to see in such a package, nor what he would not accept.

Three bills exist which could bring new funding to Community Transit - two "local option" bills that could allow the agency to go to local voters for funding, and a statewide transportation package that could bring some new state funding to transits as well as a local option.

Next week, both chambers are expected to announce their transportation budget proposals, so we'll know more about where transit's needs are addressed. Word in Olympia is that the statewide package introduced in the House last month (HB 1954) is being retooled to make it more likely to pass this session. Translated, that means it is getting smaller and likely will have even less money dedicated for transit.

Community Transit, as well as King County Metro Transit, Pierce Transit and the Washington State Transit Association, continue to talk to legislators to ask for robust new transit funding this year. Several organizations also are addressing legislators to request strong transit funding.

Economic Alliance Snohomish County will gather in Olympia on Friday, April 5 to urge county legislators to support a transportation package that includes transit funding. Also, Transportation Choices Coalition will be in Olympia on Wednesday, April 3 to press King County legislators to support transit funding.

Legislative Update: Transit Funding on Backburner for Now

Photo: Wikipedia

Last week was the deadline for bills to make it out of their house of origin in the state legislature. Technically, no transit funding bills made it out of the House or Senate. But transit funding is still alive thanks to rules that make these measures budget-eligible.

There were two bills that would benefit Community Transit directly - HB 1953 and SB 5773. The senate bill died, but the house bill was declared required to implement the budget, so it can be brought back later.

Separately, House Transportation Committee Chair Judy Clibborn's comprehensive transportation funding package (HB 1954) is also on hold until budget discussions take place beginning later this month. Legislative leaders have said dealing with the budget deficit and funding K-12 education are their top priorities this session, but the fact that transit funding is still alive means there is hope.

On March 20, the state economic forecast will provide the next big piece to the state funding puzzle as it will advise legislators on how much money is expected to be available this biennium. Then the numbers crunching will begin. It is expected that transportation funding will be a lower priority in these discussions, but still on the table.

Meanwhile, groups like the Washington State Transit Association, Transportation Choices Coalition and even the Association of Washington Business continue to push legislators for some type of transportation funding package. That will help keep the issue at the table.

March 18 is Bus Driver Appreciation Day

Bus drivers have a tough job. They drive around all day picking up strangers and asking them for money. They drive the same route over and over. They have to be on time, but can't leave a stop early. And they certainly hear about it if they're late!

Whether their child is sick, their favorite team lost last night or they are in the midst of a personal crisis, they are expected to smile and be professional to all customers they encounter every day.

It's pretty amazing what they do. Like other customer service jobs where you hear all about the bad stuff but hardly ever the good, it can really make your day to hear a heartfelt "Thank you!"

Let's all say thank you to our drivers on Monday, March 18. It's a small gesture that can mean so much. And if your driver does a good job on Tuesday, say thanks then as well. Why not?

Community Transit Seeks Comment on Non-Discrimination Plan

Federally-required plan outlines ways in which transit agency engages minority populations  

Community Transit invites the public to comment on our Title VI Non-Discrimination Plan that addresses how the agency engages minority populations.

Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 states that "No person in the United States shall, on the grounds of race, color, or national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance."

As recipients of Federal Transit Administration (FTA) funds, Community Transit is required to have a Title VI program which is updated and submitted to the FTA every three years. Our proposed Title VI Non-Discrimination Plan is available online at http://www.communitytransit.org/title6 or by calling (425) 353-7433 to request a copy. The Title VI webpage provides Google Translator so it can be read in up to 65 languages.

Public comment on the proposed plan will be accepted through April 8. Comments may be submitted in one of the following ways:

• By email to title6@commtrans.org
• By postal mail to Community Transit, 7100 Hardeson Rd., Everett, WA 98203, Attn: Title VI Officer
• By phone to (425) 353-7433
• In person at one of the following Community Meetings:

Wednesday, March 27
5 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Snohomish PUD, Monroe Office
120 East Fremont Street, Monroe, WA 98272

Thursday, April 2
12 p.m. - 2 p.m.
Edmonds Community College
Brier Hall, Room 231
20000 68th Ave W, Lynnwood, WA 98036

A public hearing on the Title VI Non-Discrimination Plan will take place before the Board of Directors:

Thursday, April 4
3 p.m.
Community Transit Board Room
7100 Hardeson Road, Everett, WA 98203


Please note that public comments to the Title VI Non-Discrimination Plan must be made through the four bulleted methods listed above. Comments on this blog and on our Facebook page in no way constitute a legal or official notice or comment to Community Transit. We appreciate your cooperation!

Transit Funding Bills Pass Out of Committee

Two bills aimed at providing new funding options for Community Transit have passed out of their respective State House and Senate transportation committees. The bills (HB 1953 and SB 5773) would give Community Transit authority to seek new funding from local voters.

One change occurred to help get the senate bill out of committee. Rather than a motor vehicle excise tax, the funding source is now the retail sales tax. Currently, Community Transit gets revenue from a 0.9 percent sales tax within the service district (9 cents on a $10 purchase). Both bills would allow the agency to ask voters to increase that tax by up to an additional 0.3 percent.