As I drove by a Swift bus on Highway 99 recently, I saw a decal noting that Swift had the highest ridership of all Community Transit routes. Ah, the power of playing with statistics to get the result you want. I just now read Bill Sheets “promotional” article dated Dec. 31, 2010. (“New Everett Swift bus stop opens“). How about some real investigative reporting?
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see how the proportion of empty seats on Swift far out-number those seats that are filled. Sure, if you count the total number of riders, Swift wins. However, remember that Swift runs 200 trips per weekday. Take the commuter route 413 for example. It runs 20 routes per weekday. I will guarantee you that the percentage of full seats on the 413 far exceed that of Swift and thus the revenue to operating costs for the 413 are far more favorable and the total mileage traveled is reasonably comparable. Yet I believe 413 commuters pay double the fare of Swift riders.
I also believe that Swift has negatively impacted ridership on CT’s nearly parallel 101 route of 75 daily weekday trips.
Of course, the operating costs of Swift are currently very favorable to Community Transit. The state of Washington’s taxpayers and probably some federal funding is paying for it. Community Transit simply found a way to bluff state grant allocators into funding for an unnecessary bus route. It is my understanding that the state is funding operation of Swift for two years. Then what? No doubt Swift will getting dismantled and its new buses will be distributed amongst more productive existing routes.
Community Transit can save no money by cutting Swift yet. They don’t pay for it. It will be a short-lived service when the state funding dries up.
Rick Eilman
Lynnwood
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