CT rides on to its 25th year

Transit agency celebrates 25th anniversary with shiny silver bus

By Kate Reardon

Herald Writer

When Ron Alldredge graduated from Washington State University 25 years ago and got his first job with Snohomish County, he didn’t want to have to drive his car to work every day.

Lucky for him, Community Transit was formed at about that same time. So for the past 25 years, he’s been riding the bus from Snohomish to Everett most workdays.

"I cannot drive my car cheaper than I can ride the bus," the 47-year-old said of his $2 round-trip bus fare.

At the end of any given workday, you may find Alldredge on the corner of Hewitt and Oakes avenues in front of the A-1 Loans and Pawn shop in Everett, where he catches the No. 720 back to Snohomish.

"The bus has been the true answer for me," he said.

So what does he do with all his free time on the bus?

Anniversary event

Community Transit will celebrate its 25th anniversary at 11 a.m. today at the Lynnwood park and ride lot, 202nd Street SW and 46th Avenue W. CT will unveil its silver anniversary bus, a 40-foot coach painted silver with a reflective “25” on the sides and back that will run throughout Snohomish County during the next year. The event will include CT and local elected officials and longtime CT bus riders.

"I’ve been known to take a quick catnap," he said, adding he also reads or watches the world go by to pass the time.

Alldredge will be one of the special guests at CT’s silver anniversary celebration today at the Lynnwood park and ride lot.

At the event, CT will unveil its silver anniversary bus, a 40-foot coach painted silver with a reflective "25" on the sides and back that will run throughout Snohomish County during the next year, CT spokesman Tom Pearce said.

Alldredge does drive his car on occasion.

"I may drive a car once or twice a week, depending on what the family is doing," he said.

Before CT was formed, Alldredge said he occasionally rode an old blue bus that ran from Index to Everett known as the Index Stage Line.

"I’ve been trained to look for transit," said Alldredge, a senior planner with the county planning department.

With the jumbled traffic situation nowadays in the Puget Sound area, Alldredge said he hopes others will give transit a try. One of the main reasons the region is in such a traffic mess is because people have gone away from the idea of going to work where they live, he said.

"We all have our own time frames and own schedules," he said. "If not a bus, I’d encourage any other use of alternative forms of transportation."

Today’s event will include others instrumental in the development of the agency, including Snohomish County Council and CT Board member Gary Nelson, who wrote the legislation enabling the creation of the local transit districts, and Dan McConnell, who thought up CT’s name.

You can call Herald Writer Kate Reardon at 425-339-3455 or send e-mail to reardon@heraldnet.com.

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