Everett Transit reorganizing bus routes for new Swift service starting late November

Published 10:49 pm Friday, November 20, 2009

EVERETT — The advent of Community Transit’s Swift bus rapid transit, expected to speed up trips on Highway 99 when it starts a week from Monday, will bring changes for people who ride Everett Transit buses as well.

Beginning Nov. 29, the day before Swift launches, Everett Transit is overhauling its system, starting four new routes, adding buses to all the others, changing or tweaking most of the routes and using a new numbering system.

As part of a deal between the two agencies, Everett Transit will cut back some service on bus Route 9, from Airport Road to Everett Community College, with Swift picking up the slack on part of that corridor.

“By reducing the number of trips there, we were able to take those service hours and implement them through the rest of the city on the rest of these routes,” said Steffani Lillie, Everett Transit program manager.

Everett Transit will cut back Route 9 service from every 20 to every 30 minutes, Lillie said. Swift will run a bus every 10 minutes on weekdays and every 20 minutes on nights and weekends from Aurora Village in Shoreline to Everett Station via Highway 99, Evergreen Way and Rucker and Pacific avenues.

Riders will have to pay more for Swift, though, than they do now for a ride on Everett Transit. The fare for an Everett Transit ride is 75 cents. For a Community Transit ride, it’s $1.50.

Riders will have several options.

Swift buses will not have fare boxes on board — riders must pay at the station as a way of keeping the buses running quickly.

Riders may pay the entire fare at the station; those with $27 monthly passes for Everett Transit riders may pay the difference either with cash, with a credit or debit card, or in advance by purchasing extra credits on passes. There are two ways to do this, either with a set amount or an “e-purse” that can range anywhere from $5 to $300. The extra amount remains valid until used.

Transit officials recommend that riders purchase a pass and the “e-purse” option. Paper tickets cannot be used for transfers between Community Transit and Everett Transit, but passes can.

Regarding the difference in price for riders used to paying the lower fare on that route, Lillie said that was considered. This way, there’s an option, she said.

“The service hours are still comparable and people can still get where they need to go,” she said.

J.T. Dray of Everett rides buses frequently around town. He doesn’t have a problem with the increased fare on that route.

“It would almost be worth paying the price for the convenience,” he said.

Dray is not so complementary of Everett Transit regarding their efforts to get the word out about the changes. He said it’s too hard to find information.

Lillie said Everett Transit has attended City Council meetings and neighborhood meetings, has posted rider alerts on buses, and has distributed fliers on buses. Beginning Tuesday, the agency had people dressed in red and black at bus stops and riding buses talking to riders, and it plans to do so through Wednesday, Lillie said. Information also is listed on Everett Transit’s Web site, though it takes some scrutiny to find.

“It’s inadequate for my taste,” Dray said.

Other route changes include Everett Transit taking over a commuter route from Community Transit that runs from the Mukilteo ferry dock to the Boeing plant. Called 177 by Community Transit, it will be named 70X by Everett Transit.

Riders on that route “are not going to see any change whatsoever except for the color of the bus,” Lillie said. “We’re basically taking that route off CT’s hands so they can operate Swift.”

Everett will run another new commuter route, the 79X, from Smokey Point to Everett Community College, Providence Regional Medical Center Everett at Colby and Naval Station Everett. Parking will be available at the Smokey Point Naval Support Complex at 13900 45th Avenue NE in Marysville, Lillie said.

“We haven’t operated to the Naval Station since 9/11,” she said.

Community Transit does not directly serve the college.

Another new Everett Transit route, the 12, will connect Boeing with Everett Mall via W. Casino Road.

“This is a service that customers have been begging for,” Lillie said.

The fourth new route, the 27, will connect the mall with Murphy’s Corner in southeast Everett.

The route numbering system was overhauled primarily to make more sense to the schedulers, Lillie said. Lower numbers originate farther west, higher ones farther east, while routes that run north-south are given odd numbers and those that run east-west are given even numbers.

Riders interviewed were taking a wait-and-see attitude.

Candi Hamilton of Monroe rides the number 9 to and from work down Evergreen Way. She said her main concern is making it to Everett Station in time to transfer to her bus home.

“I come all the way from Monroe to go to work every day, so it sucks, period,” she said.

Bill Sheets: 425-339-3439, sheets@heraldnet.com.