LYNNWOOD – Taxi driver John Lyons stepped off the bus Wednesday to a round of applause.
Lyons, an Everett resident, was being honored as Community Transit’s 150-millionth rider.
“Wow, I was shocked,” Lyons said. “Never in my wildest dreams. This is amazing.”
Lyons as awarded an annual bus pass, a $100 gift certificate and a Community Transit mug.
Lyons said he and his wife both rely heavily on the bus to save money.
“I support the bus 100 percent,” Lyons said. “Without the bus, I couldn’t afford to get to work, especially with gas prices going up.”
It took Community Transit 24 years to carry 100 million riders, but only six years to get to 150 million riders.
Community Transit has had three record-breaking months since October and is closing in on an average 1 million riders a month.
“That is a testament to how quickly our ridership is increasing,” said Joyce Olson, Community Transit chief executive officer. “High gas prices, a strong economy and frustration with congestion are driving people to try transit. Once they’ve tried us, they see how easy and convenient it is and they keep riding.”
Reporter Lukas Velush: 425-339-3449 or lvelush@heraldnet.com.
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