Published: Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Commuters are voting with their bus fares
Whether it's rising gas prices, worsening traffic or a growing green ethic -- or perhaps all three -- more and more commuters are getting on the bus.
Community Transit reports that its annual ridership grew by 10 percent last year, to a record 10.9 million riders. Similar increases are being seen this year, too. Ridership between Snohomish County and Seattle was up 7.6 percent last year over 2006, but the biggest gains were on routes within Snohomish County -- 11.4 percent. And given that local service accounts for about 70 percent of CT's total ridership, that's some significant congestion relief on local roads.
It's also a nice return on the investment we all make in CT. The 0.9 percent sales tax in CT's service area -- essentially all of Snohomish County except Everett, where a 0.6 percent sales tax supports Everett Transit -- is yielding benefits for all commuters, even those who never take a bus.
While market forces are surely boosting ridership, CT has done its part to make transit a more attractive option and to keep up with increased demand.
Monday's announcement that CT will order 23 new double-decker buses for its commuter routes to King County is the latest example. Besides the obvious cool factor, the "Double Tall" coaches will seat more riders than the 60-foot articulated buses they'll replace, while using less freeway and parking space. And because of their superior stability and handling, they'll keep running on snow days, unlike the 60-footers.
Meanwhile, work continues toward a 2009 launch of CT's Bus Rapid Transit service along Highway 99 between Everett and Aurora Village. Comfortable new diesel/electric hybrid buses will stop every few minutes along the corridor, just as light rail would -- at a fraction of the cost.
CT spokesman Martin Munguia reports that the new Mountlake Terrace Park & Ride garage is scheduled to open in February 2009, tripling the number of parking spaces there, and that a new Marysville Park & Ride with 200 spaces should open by summer 2009. Since those facilities are expensive to build, CT is also looking to expand its Park & Pool program, Munguia said, where the agency leases parking spaces that go unused during the week -- like at churches -- for vanpool riders.
If light rail ever connects Snohomish County and Seattle, it's likely decades away. Sound Transit commuter rail is a good option for some, but won't run more than four round trips per day during peak commutes.
For the foreseeable future, bus service will be the county's primary form of transit. For a growing number of Snohomish County commuters, that seems quite agreeable.
Community Transit reports that its annual ridership grew by 10 percent last year, to a record 10.9 million riders. Similar increases are being seen this year, too. Ridership between Snohomish County and Seattle was up 7.6 percent last year over 2006, but the biggest gains were on routes within Snohomish County -- 11.4 percent. And given that local service accounts for about 70 percent of CT's total ridership, that's some significant congestion relief on local roads.
It's also a nice return on the investment we all make in CT. The 0.9 percent sales tax in CT's service area -- essentially all of Snohomish County except Everett, where a 0.6 percent sales tax supports Everett Transit -- is yielding benefits for all commuters, even those who never take a bus.
While market forces are surely boosting ridership, CT has done its part to make transit a more attractive option and to keep up with increased demand.
Monday's announcement that CT will order 23 new double-decker buses for its commuter routes to King County is the latest example. Besides the obvious cool factor, the "Double Tall" coaches will seat more riders than the 60-foot articulated buses they'll replace, while using less freeway and parking space. And because of their superior stability and handling, they'll keep running on snow days, unlike the 60-footers.
Meanwhile, work continues toward a 2009 launch of CT's Bus Rapid Transit service along Highway 99 between Everett and Aurora Village. Comfortable new diesel/electric hybrid buses will stop every few minutes along the corridor, just as light rail would -- at a fraction of the cost.
CT spokesman Martin Munguia reports that the new Mountlake Terrace Park & Ride garage is scheduled to open in February 2009, tripling the number of parking spaces there, and that a new Marysville Park & Ride with 200 spaces should open by summer 2009. Since those facilities are expensive to build, CT is also looking to expand its Park & Pool program, Munguia said, where the agency leases parking spaces that go unused during the week -- like at churches -- for vanpool riders.
If light rail ever connects Snohomish County and Seattle, it's likely decades away. Sound Transit commuter rail is a good option for some, but won't run more than four round trips per day during peak commutes.
For the foreseeable future, bus service will be the county's primary form of transit. For a growing number of Snohomish County commuters, that seems quite agreeable.
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