Public Hearing: August 5, 2021

Table of Contents
Section Page
Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 1

Priorities & Strategies for 2021-2026 ................................................................................. 2

The Agency .......................................................................................................................... 6

Physical Plant and Properties ........................................................................................... 11

Service Characteristics & Fares ......................................................................................... 16

2020 Activities & Accomplishments ................................................................................. 27

2021-2026 Services, Programs, Facilities & Equipment ................................................... 41

Financial Plan .................................................................................................................... 59

Appendix A: Environmental Determination of Non-Significance

Appendix B: Public Comment

Appendix C: Fuel Consumption and Accident Data

 Introduction
The Transit Development Plan (TDP) is a six-year plan required by Washington State, Revised
Code of Washington (RCW) 35.58.2795. The plan is updated annually and submitted to the
Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT).

Community Transit’s 2021 TDP summarizes activities and accomplishments from 2020, outlines
agency goals and strategies for 2021-2026, provides a financial forecast for these years, and
identifies resources needed.

The Washington State Transportation Plan provides six goals to guide and prioritize the
activities of public agencies in developing and maintaining our state’s transportation system.
Community Transit’s service, priorities, and strategies in this plan align with the state’s
transportation goals, which are:

• Economic vitality – To promote and develop transportation systems that stimulate,

support and enhance the movement of people and goods to ensure a prosperous
economy.

• Preservation – To maintain, preserve, and extend the life and utility of prior
investments in transportation systems and services.

• Safety – To provide for and improve the safety and security of transportation customers
and the transportation system.

• Mobility – To improve the predictable movement of goods and people throughout

Washington State.

• Environment – To enhance Washington’s quality of life through transportation

investments that promote energy conservation, enhance healthy communities, and
protect the environment.

• Stewardship – To continuously improve the quality, effectiveness and efficiency of the

transportation system.

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 Priorities & Strategies for 2021-2026
The COVID-19 pandemic reaffirmed the importance of public transit in providing people with
the mobility and access they need, and in supporting ongoing growth and economic
development across communities. While responding to the impacts of the pandemic,
Community Transit continues to work towards its top priorities:

• Continue to ensure a safe and healthy environment for our customers

We are continuing to implement COVID-19 safety measures such as masks, extra

cleaning and disinfection of all offices, facilities and vehicles. We will monitor state and
local guidance to ensure we continue to follow appropriate protocols.

• Increase ridership - ensure former riders feel comfortable returning to our services
and encourage new customers to use our services

The pandemic has impacted Community Transit’s ridership, and the agency has adapted
to respond to current needs and to plan for future needs. During the pandemic, 35% of
our riders have relied on our Swift Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) service. Our Swift network is
an essential service for many in our communities, providing critical access to local and
regional destinations including businesses, services and schools. As we move out of the
pandemic, and as our region continues to grow and light rail moves north, the need for
our bus rapid transit network will also grow.

• Provide equitable access to public transit across our service area, and expand our
public engagement and customer research programs

We are focused on ensuring we are providing equitable access to our services, by

expanding our public engagement and customer research programs, including
employing an on-board survey to support federal Title VI and system planning
requirements, as well as implementing several real-time “pulse” surveys to understand
current barriers to transit for both riders and non-riders. This will be helpful in informing
impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as any other established barriers.

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• Connect with Link light rail, first at Northgate in
2021, then Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace and
Shoreline (2024 planning, Swift network buildout)

Access to Sound Transit’s Link light rail is an

important agency priority, and connecting our
communities with improved regional access to
jobs, services and schools is essential. We will do
this first in October of this year, by routing our
800-series buses to Northgate Station, which will
shorten commute times into the University District
and provide more options to downtown Seattle
travel.

In addition, as we look forward to Link arriving in

Snohomish County in 2024, we plan for the major
service changes it will entail, and we evaluate
future fleet and staff requirements for its
implementation.
FIGURE 2-1

• Expand service and innovate with new/alternative service development

The travel needs of our communities were already changing before the pandemic, with
increasing growth, development and traffic as well as emergence of new technology and
mobility options. Although the long-term impacts of COVID-19 on commuters are
unknown, we see traffic patterns already returning to higher volumes, and while the
road network remains constrained, we continue to offer and research a variety of travel
and mode options.

Innovative public transportation services and delivery strategies may meet mobility
needs more effectively than regular bus service does in areas not well-suited to support
fixed-route transit, or where demand for travel innovation is unmet by traditional
service. Research and development is underway for new and flexible transportation
options that will connect communities in new ways, providing services that will both
integrate with, and provide alternatives to bus, BRT, commuter rail and light rail. We will
work with communities to understand local needs and pilot programs that offer
alternatives to fixed-route services. This may mean providing better-performing
connections to, from and between city centers, to serve rural communities, and to seed
new routes that would serve emerging markets.

3
• Continue to serve and evolve as an employer of choice, providing a safe, welcoming
and engaging work environment for all of our employees

Employees are Community Transit’s most valuable resource. Every day, hundreds of
dedicated people work hard to serve customers and our community in a variety of ways,
such as operating vehicles, maintaining engines, cleaning park & rides, helping
customers plan their journey, alerting riders to changing conditions, assisting drivers
with real time information, providing for safety and security, purchasing new
equipment, and planning and designing new services. Community Transit is known as an
employer of choice in the region, providing a great working environment and placing a
high value on employee satisfaction. This year, substantial effort has been placed on
keeping employees safe, supporting remote work, and transitioning to a safe return-to-
base plan. We implemented workforce health and safety measures such as health
checks, mask and social distancing requirements and more flexible COVID-related leave
policies.

Special consideration is also given to our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) program,
engaging leadership and employees in updating our DEI goals and implementing a
strategic approach to achieving them. Continuing to invest in a high-quality employee
experience will be vital to delivering service and operational excellence as the agency
expands over the next six years.

• Complete our base expansion and renovation projects

Modernizing and expanding our base facilities is required for ongoing expansion of
service and the fleet and workforce that will operate and support it. We are strategically
planning for the unprecedented one-time federal funding that creates the opportunity
for major investments in four key areas: service improvements, strengthened financial
reserves, innovation, and an expanded capital program. Our Facilities Master Plan
outlines six phases of investments in improving and expanding our base and customer-
facing facilities.

• Strengthen our commitment to environmental stewardship and innovation by

exploring the feasibility of future integration of zero emissions vehicles and
infrastructure

Part of our commitment to environmental stewardship involves a fleet plan that will
transition to zero emission technologies. In the next couple of years, we are conducting
a feasibility study in that regard, and plan to allocate capital funds in the next few years
to start implementing the study’s recommendations.

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 • Begin the next phase of long-term planning to chart the agency’s course beyond 2024
and out to 2050 (Long Range Plan update)

Community Transit adopted its long range plan in 2011, articulating a 20-year vision for
transit in Snohomish County. The plan has provided a valuable framework for
integration of transit, land use and infrastructure planning around Transit Emphasis
Corridors, and has been a policy roadmap guiding Community Transit service decisions
and influencing planning by local and regional partner agencies. Its success and the
significant changes in service and funding since 2011 have resulted in a need to update
the plan to a 2050 horizon year, in alignment with Puget Sound Regional Council’s Vision
2050, so that it continues to be a valuable guide to the development of the multimodal
transportation network in Snohomish County and within the Puget Sound region.

Community Transit’s 2021-2026 TDP focuses on implementing these priorities and strategies
while remaining flexible to respond to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The following
sections describe the specific initiatives, projects, programs, services, facilities and resources
included in this plan.

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 PROPERTIES

The Agency
Community Transit is a special-purpose, municipal corporation providing public transportation
services. In 1976, Snohomish County voters created Community Transit with an approved sales
tax to support a public transportation benefit area authority (PTBA). Today, the PTBA
encompasses most of urbanized Snohomish County, excluding the city of Everett.

As of April 1, 2020, Community Transit’s PTBA has 607,522 residents, about 73% of Snohomish
County’s 830,500 population (Figure 3-1). The remainder of the county’s population resides in
Everett (112,700) and in less populated areas of north and east Snohomish County.

FIGURE 3-1

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 PROPERTIES

Vision, Mission and Core Values

Community Transit’s Vision and Mission reflect the ongoing evolution of our services, as well as
the needs and expectations of the communities we serve. Our Core Values describe how we
approach our work and our interactions with others.

Vision: Travel made easy for all. Our daily focus is to make it easy for people to get places,
whether it is to and from work or school, to run errands, to access services, or to meet up with
friends.

Mission: We help people get from where they are to where they want to be. We think
holistically about our customers’ entire journey, which often includes experiences outside the
services we offer. We are an integral component of our community’s infrastructure, focused on
partnering with jurisdictions in our service area, other agencies, our community leaders, our
legislators, and our customers to make all components of travel easy, from beginning to end.

Core Values: Core Values apply both internally and externally, guiding how we treat each other
as well as how we interact with our customers, partners, vendors and our community. Our Core
Values represent what we should expect of ourselves as well as those with whom we work.

7
 PROPERTIES

Community Transit’s Governing Body

Community Transit’s governing body is a Board of Directors consisting of nine voting members
from within the PTBA and one non-voting member:

• Two members of the Snohomish County Council.

• Two elected officials from cities Community Transit serves with populations of
35,000 or more.

• Three elected officials from cities Community Transit serves with populations
between 15,000 and 35,000.

• Two elected officials from cities Community Transit serves with populations of less
than 15,000.

• One non-voting labor representative selected by the unions who represent some
Community Transit employees.

2021 Board of Directors

Board Chair Board Vice-Chair Board Secretary Board Member Board Member
Kim Daughtry Joe Marine Jan Schuette Jared Mead Tom Merrill
Council Member Council Member Council Member Council Member Council Member
City of Lake Stevens City of Mukilteo City of Arlington Snohomish County City of Snohomish

Board Member Board Member Board Member Board Member Board Member
Jon Nehring Lance Norton Sid Roberts Nicola Smith Stephanie Wright
Mayor Labor Representative Council Member Mayor Council Member
City of Marysville City of Stanwood City of Lynnwood Snohomish County

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 PROPERTIES

Chief Executive Officer Ric Ilgenfritz

Ric joined Community Transit as CEO in January of 2021, taking on the

role in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. As CEO, Ric leads a
workforce of more than 800 employees, guiding the agency’s mission
and vision, and providing organizational leadership to deliver high-
quality, innovative public transportation options to the people of
Snohomish County.

Ric’s career has been committed to public service. He is a seasoned

transit leader with nearly 20 years of executive experience in public
transit. Prior to joining Community Transit, Ric spent more than 16 years as a member of the
executive leadership team at Sound Transit, working to plan and implement a more robust
regional transit network to strengthen communities and support our economy.

Agency Structure
Community Transit’s 2021 budget provides for the organizational structure and full-time
equivalent employees (FTEs) described below (Table 3-1, Figure 3-2):

839.5
794.5 805.5
758.5
700.5 166.5
171.5 176.5
154.5 26.0
136.5 25.0 25.0
20.0 105.0
19.0 102.0 100.0 100.0
96.0

542.0 498.0 504.0

449.0 482.0

2017 2018 2019 2020 2021

Operations Vehicle Maintenance Facility Maintenance Administration
TABLE 3-1
Figures above include authorized FTEs, not all positions are filled at beginning of Budget year.
Contractors are not included in the count.

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 PROPERTIES

Organizational Chart:

FIGURE 3-2

FIGURE 3-2

10
 PROPERTIES

Physical Plant and Properties

Operations/Administration
Community Transit’s primary operating and maintenance
functions and corporate administrative offices are located at
the Merrill Creek Operating Base at 7100 Hardeson Road,
Everett, Washington.

Contracted bus service and vanpool/fleet vehicle maintenance,

in addition to administrative offices, are located at the Kasch
Park Operating Base at 2300 Kasch Park Road, Everett,
Washington.

Facilities maintenance and distribution/storage are located

at the Kasch Park Casino Road site at 2312 W Casino Road,
Everett, Washington.

Community Transit’s Ride Store provides ORCA fare card and

Regional Reduced Fare Permit (RRFP) sales and information, as
well as Lost and Found services. The Ride Store is located at the
Lynnwood Transit Center at 20110 46th Avenue W, Lynnwood,
Washington.

Park & Rides and Transit Centers

Community Transit serves 29 park & rides and
transit centers with parking capacity for almost
8,000 cars and 175 bicycles (Table 4-1 and Table
4-2). Major facilities (defined by the Puget Sound
Regional Council as more than 250 spaces) are
located in southwest Snohomish County from
Everett to the King County line. Smaller park &
rides with 250 and fewer spaces are located in

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 PROPERTIES

north and east Snohomish County. Eastmont and South Everett park & rides are only served by
either Sound Transit or Everett Transit.

There are also 15 park & pool lots in Snohomish County, with a total of 494 parking stalls. Park
& pools provide a convenient gathering place for the formation of carpools and vanpools. The
park & pool at I-5 and SR-531 is owned by WSDOT. The remaining fourteen park & pools are
leased by Community Transit from churches and other private parties. Some park & pools are
near Community Transit bus service and provide a parking alternative to some of the larger and
more crowded park & ride facilities.

Major Park & Rides and Transit Centers

(Park & rides with 250 or more parking stalls, transit centers with frequent bus service, sorted by size)
Car
Name Owner Service Providers Maintenance Bicycles1
Stalls
Community
Lynnwood Transit Center ST ST 1,370 32
Transit/ST
Community Transit/
Everett Station ET ET 1,188 10+
ET/ST/SKAT/IT
Community Community
Ash Way Park & Ride WSDOT 1,037 22
Transit/ST Transit
WSDOT/
Mountlake Terrace Transit Community Transit/ Community
Community 877 13
Center & Freeway Station ST/KCM Transit/ST
Transit/ST
Community Community
Mariner Park & Ride WSDOT 653 4
Transit/ET Transit
Community
Swamp Creek Park & Ride WSDOT Community Transit 422 2
Transit
Community
Snohomish Transit &
McCollum Park Park & Ride Community Transit 409 8
County Snohomish
County Parks
South Everett Freeway Station WSDOT ST/ET ST 398
Eastmont Park & Ride WSDOT ST ST 387
Community Community
Canyon Park Park & Ride WSDOT 286 10
Transit/ST Transit /ST
Community
Edmonds Park & Ride WSDOT Community Transit 256 6
Transit
Community Transit/
Aurora Village Transit Center* KCM KCM 202*
KCM
Edmonds College (EdC) Transit Community
EdC Community Transit 0
Center Transit & EdC
Community Community
Edmonds Station (bus facility) Community Transit 0
Transit Transit & ST
Community Community Transit/ Community
Seaway Transit Center 0 10
Transit ET/KCM/ST/Boeing Transit
Community Community
Smokey Point Transit Center Community Transit 0 16
Transit Transit
TABLE 4-1

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 PROPERTIES

1 Bicycle storage is in the form of lockers and racks: there are 5 bike spaces per bicycle rack.

Service Providers: ST= Sound Transit, ET= Everett Transit, IT= Island Transit, KCM= King County Metro,
SKAT= Skagit Transit
WSDOT = Washington State Department of Transportation

*Aurora Village Transit Center is listed under major facilities due to the regional nature of this hub and the frequency of
service.

Smaller Park & Rides

(Less than 250 parking stalls, sorted by size)
Car
Name Owner Service Providers Maintenance Bicycles1
Stalls
Marysville Cedar and Grove Community Community
Community Transit 222 18
Park & Ride Transit Transit
Community Community
Lake Stevens Transit Center Community Transit 207 13
Transit Transit
Community
Marysville Ash Ave Park & Ride WSDOT Community Transit Transit & City of 202 8
Marysville
Stanwood/
Community
Stanwood I-5 Park & Ride Snohomish Community Transit 147 6
Transit
County
Community
Monroe Park & Ride WSDOT Community Transit 102 2
Transit
Community
Snohomish Park & Ride WSDOT Community Transit 101 2
Transit
Community
Marysville I South Park & Ride WSDOT Community Transit Transit & 74
WSDOT
Community Transit / Community
Stanwood II (267th) Park & Ride WSDOT 73
Island Transit Transit
Marysville II 116th & I-5 Park & Community
WSDOT Community Transit 48
Ride Transit
Community
Sultan Park & Ride WSDOT Community Transit Transit & 38
WSDOT
Community
Gold Bar Park & Ride WSDOT Community Transit 30
Transit
Community
Arlington Park & Ride WSDOT Community Transit 25
Transit/WSDOT
Freeborn Park & Ride WSDOT Community Transit WSDOT 18

Brier Park & Ride Brier Community Transit Brier 3

TABLE 4-2
1 Bicycle storage is in the form of lockers and racks: there are 5 bike spaces per bicycle rack.

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 PROPERTIES

Park & Pools

(sorted by size)
Name Jurisdiction Owner Maintenance Stalls

Renew Church Snohomish County Private Party Owner Provided 75

Advent Lutheran Church Mill Creek Private Party Owner Provided 62

United Presbyterian Church of

Edmonds Private Party Owner Provided 58
Seattle

Smokey Point Community Church Arlington Private Party Owner Provided 50

Holy Cross Lutheran Church Lake Stevens Private Party Owner Provided 35

Cypress Semiconductor Lynnwood Private Party Owner Provided 31

Mill Creek Community Church Snohomish County Private Party Owner Provided 30

Bethesda Lutheran Church Mountlake Terrace Private Party Owner Provided 30

Marysville United Methodist

Marysville Private Party Owner Provided 25
Church

North Creek Presbyterian Church Mill Creek Private Party Owner Provided 23

Seattle Meditation Center Mountlake Terrace Private Party Owner Provided 22

Calvary Chapel Marysville Private Party Owner Provided 20

Edmonds Lutheran Church (84th

Edmonds Private Party Owner Provided 13
Ave)

Ebenezer Lutheran Church Lake Stevens Private Party Owner Provided 10

Edgewood Baptist Church Edmonds Private Party Owner Provided 10

TABLE 4-3

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 PROPERTIES

Bus Stops & Swift Stations

Community Transit buses serve 1,624 stops in Snohomish and King Counties. Nearly 400 of
these stops are equipped with passenger shelters. In addition to regular bus stops, Community
Transit’s system includes 66 Swift BRT stations, all providing raised platforms that facilitate
faster boardings, passenger shelters, benches and off-board fare payment. (Figure 4-1)

FIGURE 4-1

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 Service Characteristics & Fares
Community Transit operates three transportation modes: bus service, vanpool service, and Dial-a-
Ride Transit (DART) paratransit service. The agency also provides transportation demand
management and educational services.

Bus Service
Community Transit operates bus service that connects the majority of communities in Snohomish
County, as well as peak period commuter services to major destinations like the Everett Boeing
campus, the University District and downtown Seattle. Community Transit’s local bus routes
operate 365 days a year, and commuter services operate during peak commute hours on
weekdays.

Fares were most recently changed on July 1, 2019 (Table 5-1).

Reduced Fares
Adult Youth ORCA LIFT (low income)
(19-64) (6-18) RRFP* (Seniors-65+, Disabled, Medicare)
Swift BRT $2.50 $1.75 $1.25
Local (100 & 200 series routes) $2.50 $1.75 $1.25
Commuter (400 & 800 series routes) $4.25 $3 $2
TABLE 5-1
*Regional Reduced Fare Permit

Under contract with Sound Transit, Community Transit also operates Sound Transit Regional
Express Bus Service between Snohomish and King counties.

Most Community Transit bus service is directly operated by Community Transit employees out of
the Merrill Creek Operating Base in southwest Everett. A portion of Community Transit’s commuter
routes to downtown Seattle and all Community Transit-contracted Sound Transit Regional Express
Bus routes are operated under contract with First Transit, Inc. out of the Kasch Park Operating Base
in southwest Everett.

Community Transit’s Long Range Transit Plan describes the bus service network as Core,
Community-Based and Commuter services. Maps showing the geographic extent of these service
types and descriptions of key characteristics follow.

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Core Service
Community Transit provides frequent service on a
number of routes serving Transit Emphasis Corridors.
These core routes, which include Swift Bus Rapid
Transit (BRT) service, are in high-demand transit
markets, and provide frequent and direct connections
between various centers in the urbanized areas of
Snohomish County.

Swift Bus Rapid Transit

Swift BRT is Community Transit’s High Capacity
Transit (HCT) service (Figure 5-1). Swift
incorporates key elements of bus rapid transit
design such as landmark stations, uniquely
branded vehicles, off-board fare collection, real-
time bus arrival information, priority bus lanes
and fast, frequent and reliable service. Our long
range plans call for a network of Swift lines
connecting multiple destinations in urban areas
throughout the county, as well as connecting to
regional light rail service.

The Swift network currently consists of two

lines: Blue and Green. The Swift Blue Line
launched in 2009, operates in the Highway 99
corridor and connects Everett Station at the
north end with the Aurora Village Transit Center
in King County. Service on the Swift Green Line
began in March 2019 and connects the
Boeing/Paine Field Manufacturing and Industrial
Center with the Canyon Park Regional Growth
Center, in Bothell.
FIGURE 5-1

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Other Core Routes
Other core routes in Community Transit’s system generally provide direct and frequent service
between major destinations (Figure 5-2). In addition to Swift, core routes include the 101, 105, 115,
116, 196, 201 and 202. These are the trunk lines of Community Transit’s local service network,
providing the fastest way to get between major destinations on the bus. Over time, some of these
corridors will transition to Swift service.

FIGURE 5-2

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Community-Based Service
Community-based service feeds core service and connects outlying communities. Routes in this
category are less frequent, but more flexible than core routes, sometimes following a less direct
path to link smaller scale destinations. While not considered to be trunk lines, community-based
routes play a vital supporting role in the transit network.

Feeder Routes
In southwest Snohomish County, the Marysville-Tulalip area, and the Highway 2 corridor from
Everett to Monroe, local routes provide neighborhood connections and carry riders to core service
routes. We call these “feeder routes”. Feeder routes includes the 106, 109, 111, 112, 113, 119,
120, 130, 209, and 222 (Figure 5-3).

FIGURE 5-3

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Rural Routes
In less-densely populated areas of north and east Snohomish County, rural routes provide
important connections between outlying communities and the core service network (Figure 5-4).
Rural routes include the 220, 230, 240, 270, 271 and 280.

FIGURE 5-4

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Commuter Service
Commuter service generally provides peak period, peak direction service for trips destined to and
from major activity centers. This service is comprised of in-county commuter routes serving Boeing
in southwest Everett and inter-county commuter routes to downtown Seattle and the University
District.

Commuter routes include the 107, 227, 247 to Boeing-Everett (routes 270/271 and 280 also include
select trips to Seaway Transit Center); routes 402, 405, 410, 412, 413, 415, 416, 417, 421, 422, 424,
425 and 435 to downtown Seattle; and routes 810, 821, 855, 860, 871 and 880 to the University
District (Figure 5-5).

FIGURE 5-5

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Vanpool/Ride-Matching
Vanpools are an efficient way to serve commuters whose
schedule or origin/destination are not conducive to regular
bus service travel. Vanpools serve commuter groups with an
origin or destination in Snohomish County. Community
Transit staff provides assistance to vanpool groups with
monthly bookkeeping, maintenance, emergencies, and any
other vanpool program issues. A staff person is on call 24
hours a day to respond to vanpool emergencies such as
accidents or breakdowns.

Community Transit is continuing to offer a new vanpool option to help facilitate first/last mile
connections with transit. Customers close the gap from home to work with a shared ride in a
vanpool. For those who commute on a bus or train, sharing a van is easy, fast and cost-effective.

Community Transit also offers ride-matching services throughout the region to those interested in
carpooling and vanpooling. Commuters are matched by where they live, their destination, and their
work schedule. When a person applies for a ride match, a list of others looking to share the ride will
be sent to them. In addition, their name is added to the RideshareOnline database of more than
25,000 commuters who want to share the ride within the Puget Sound region.

Vanpool rates are based on miles traveled, van size, and schedule (i.e. 5-day work week).
Table 5-2 is a sample of the current monthly rates:

5-Day Work Week 9/80 Flex Schedule

Miles Traveled Small Van Large Van Miles Traveled Small Van Large Van
Up to 20 $313 $441 Up to 20 $283 $399
25 $358 $485 25 $324 $438
30 $400 $528 30 $362 $478
35 $457 $574 35 $413 $520
40 $513 $622 40 $465 $563
45 $570 $672 45 $516 $608
50 $627 $726 50 $567 $656
TABLE 5-2

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Dial-a-Ride Transit (DART) Paratransit
For customers who cannot use our bus services due to a disability, Community Transit offers
comparable origin to destination paratransit service within 3/4 mile of all local bus service routes
during the hours of bus service operation (Figure 5-6). Community Transit currently provides DART
paratransit service to approximately 6,850 registered customers with disabilities. Paratransit
service requirements are directly tied to the local bus service network. As local bus service expands
or contracts in geographic coverage and operating hours, DART operations are adjusted
accordingly. A single fare of $2.50 is charged for DART service.

DART Paratransit Service Area

FIGURE 5-6

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Other Programs & Services
Van GO Program
Van GO originated in 2000, following route and service cuts after the passage of Initiative-695. On
February 3, 2000, Community Transit’s Board of Directors unanimously approved a new Van GO
Program, granting six wheelchair accessible minibuses and six 15-passenger vans to qualifying non-
profit organizations throughout Snohomish County, to assist seniors, disabled persons and youth
affected by service cuts.

Community Transit has since granted 158 vehicles to non-profit organizations in Snohomish County
through the Van GO Program, to provide transportation services to residents. Retired Community
Transit vans sold at auction generally net a few thousand dollars each for the agency. By granting
some of these surplus vehicles to community groups, they can continue to provide many times that
value in transportation services.

Transportation Demand Management & Education Programs

Community Transit provides services that educate the public about transportation alternatives to
driving alone and how to use public transit.

Transportation Demand Management (TDM)

For over 26 years, Community Transit has provided TDM programs and services in Snohomish
County. The agency works with large businesses and residential communities in Snohomish County
and the City of Bothell to provide transportation solutions for their employees and residents.

These programs help reduce traffic congestion and fossil fuel consumption, helping our existing
transportation investments perform better, and improving outcomes for new transportation
investments by developing the market for Community Transit bus and vanpool services.

TDM programs leverage funding through a variety of local, state and federal sources. This funding is
critical to develop, maintain and grow effective programming to encourage ridership throughout
the county.

Community Transit TDM programs and services target two primary audiences:

▪ Commute Trip Reduction – Employer Program

In partnership with WSDOT, eight jurisdictions in Snohomish County and the City of Bothell,
Community Transit develops TDM programs for large worksites to meet the requirements
of the Washington State Commute Trip Reduction Efficiency Act.

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 ▪ Congestion Mitigation (Curb the Congestion) – Residential Program
In partnership with Snohomish County, Community Transit helps residents, students and
commuters travel more efficiently and environmentally along and through congested
roadways throughout the Southwest Snohomish County Urban Growth Area.

Travel Training Program

The Travel Training program is designed to teach the basic skills necessary to ride Community
Transit’s bus service. Travel Training is geared toward anyone who needs help navigating the transit
system, such as senior citizens, persons with disabilities, customers with limited English proficiency,
and new riders. This free program provides practical training on how to use Community Transit's
bus service.

Instruction is customized to meet individual needs and lasts anywhere from one hour to several
days — however long it takes the rider to feel safe and confident using Community Transit’s regular
bus service.

Group presentations and training are available for senior centers, residential facilities, adult family
homes, schools, and other organizations. These presentations provide a basic orientation to
Community Transit's bus system and other public transit options for Snohomish County residents.

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Regional Connections
Community Transit’s network includes important connections with several partner agencies at a
variety of regional transit centers and terminals. These connections include:

Sound Transit: ST Express bus at Ash Way Park & Ride, Canyon Park Park & Ride, Everett Station,
Lynnwood Transit Center, Mountlake Terrace Transit Center, Seaway Transit Center, the UW
Bothell/Cascadia College Campus and downtown Seattle, Sounder Commuter rail at Edmonds
Station, Everett Station, Mukilteo Station, and King Street Station in Seattle. ST Link light rail
connections are planned for Northgate Station starting in 2021.
Everett Transit: Everett Station, Mariner Park & Ride, Mukilteo ferry terminal, North Broadway
(Everett Community College/Washington State University), Seaway Transit Center, and the Swift
corridors.
King County Metro: Aurora Village Transit Center, Mountlake Terrace Transit Center, Seaway
Transit Center, the UW Bothell/Cascadia College campus, downtown Seattle, and the University
District (starting in 2021, connections to the University District will take place at Northgate
Station)
Washington State Ferries: Mukilteo and Edmonds ferry terminals
Tulalip Transit: Tulalip Tribes Reservation
Sauk-Suiattle DC-Direct Shuttle Public Transit: Darrington
Skagit Transit: Everett Station
Island Transit: Stanwood, Everett Station
Through regular, ongoing coordination and integration with partner agencies, Community Transit
works to maintain and improve inter-system connections to provide a convenient regional transit
experience for the riding public.

26
 2020 Activities & Accomplishments
Ridership
The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a dramatic decrease in ridership in 2020 from the growth
trend the agency was experiencing in prior years. State “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” orders for
non-essential workers had an immediate and deep impact on all services, especially commuter
bus routes and vanpool. However, many essential workers continued to depend on Community
Transit service and the agency quickly adjusted to accommodate social distancing and other
safety requirements. We did not miss a day of service during the pandemic.

In 2020, Community Transit had 5,677,228 boardings on bus, DART paratransit and vanpool
service, representing a decrease of approximately 49 percent from 2019. Figure 6-1 illustrates
ridership by mode and performance center, with 5,305,854 regular bus service boardings,
301,987 vanpool boardings, and 69,387 DART boardings. Average weekday ridership was
18,414. Ridership on Saturdays averaged 9,307, while Sunday and holiday ridership averaged
7,089 riders.

2020 Share by Mode

DART 2020 Boardings by Mode
Vanpool Paratransit
5% 1,000,000
1%
800,000
(COVID-19 impact)
600,000
400,000
200,000
0
July
January
February

May
June

August

October
November
March

Fixed-Route
April

December
September

94%

Fixed Route Vanpool DART Paratransit

FIGURE 6-1

27
2020 Bus Service (as reported to NTD)
Annual Revenue Hours Annual Revenue Miles Unlinked Boardings

504,234* 7,756,117 5,305,854

TABLE 6-1
* Revenue hours reported to NTD include in-service time and layover time. These hours are higher than reported
in Section 7 for future service plans, which are based on in-service time only.

2020 Total Bus Boardings

2,000,395 (COVID-19 impact)

1,375,670

790,174 859,973

279,656

Core Routes Community Based Routes Commuter

Swift Corridor Based Local Feeder Suburban/Rural Commuter
FIGURE 6-2

2020 Unlinked Monthly Bus Boardings

900,000

800,000

700,000

600,000

500,000
(COVID-19 impact)
400,000

300,000

200,000

100,000

0
Jan-20 Feb-20 Mar-20 Apr-20 May-20 Jun-20 Jul-20 Aug-20 Sep-20 Oct-20 Nov-20 Dec-20

Swift Corridor Based Local Feeder Suburban/Rural Commuter

FIGURE 6-3

28
2020 Vanpool (as reported to NTD)
Annual Revenue Hours Annual Revenue Miles Unlinked Boardings
64,964 2,075,348 301,987
TABLE 6-2

2020 Monthly Vanpool Boardings

60,000
50,000
40,000
(COVID-19 impact)
30,000
20,000
10,000
0
Jan-20 Feb-20 Mar-20 Apr-20 May-20 Jun-20 Jul-20 Aug-20 Sep-20 Oct-20 Nov-20 Dec-20

FIGURE 6-4

Vanpool Fleet Utilization 2020

Total Vehicles* Active Vanpools Average Occupancy
Van Type (year-end) (year-end) (Percent Seats Filled)
7-Passenger 372 227 47%
12-Passenger 54 19 37%
15-Passenger 35 15 44%
All Vans 461 261 45%
TABLE 6-3
* Includes spares

2020 DART Paratransit (as reported to NTD)

Annual Revenue Hours Annual Revenue Miles Unlinked Boardings
37,745 679,973 69,387
TABLE 6-4

2020 Monthly DART Paratransit Boardings

20,000
15,000
10,000
(COVID-19 impact)
5,000
0
Jan-20 Feb-20 Mar-20 Apr-20 May-20 Jun-20 Jul-20 Aug-20 Sep-20 Oct-20 Nov-20 Dec-20

FIGURE 6-5

29
Fleet
In 2020, Community Transit owned, operated, and maintained 306 buses, 461 vanpool vans and
52 DART paratransit vehicles. Our bus fleet is comprised of 30-foot, 40-foot and 60-foot buses
as well as 62-foot Swift BRT buses, and 42-foot double decker buses dubbed “Double Talls,” the
first of their kind in Washington State. The average age of our bus fleet is 7 years. Innovations
within our bus fleet include passive restraint systems for wheelchair users, on-board bicycle
racks on our Swift BRT buses and the agency’s first 40-foot diesel-electric hybrid buses. The
fleet by vehicle type in December 2020 is shown in Table 6-5.

Revenue Vehicle Fleet by Type, December 2020

Type Propulsion Count

30 Foot Bus Diesel 13

40 Foot Bus Diesel 102

40 Foot Bus Hybrid 15

60 Foot Bus Diesel 74

Double Tall Bus Diesel 69

Swift Bus Hybrid 15

Swift Bus Diesel 18

Bus Subtotal 306

DART Gasoline 52
& Diesel

Vanpool Gasoline 461

Total Fleet All Types 819

TABLE 6-5

30
Bus Service
Community Transit remains steadfast in fulfilling the commitments made when voters
approved Proposition 1 to fund increased and new services in 2015. During 2020, expansion
plans were temporarily paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The goal was to maintain as
much service as possible in order to accommodate safe travel for essential workers and other
customers. In addition to the two main service changes in 2020, service levels were adjusted in
the spring and summer to respond to the pandemic travel conditions and regulations.

March 2020 Service Change

The March 2020 service change focused on improving reliability and connection quality. Local
and commuter routes were retimed on weekdays, and approximately 5,000 service hours were
added as a result. In order to improve trip planning and real-time customer information,
considerable effort was placed on updating the entire network with more accurate bus stop
(1,600+) locations and coordinates.

COVID-19 Related Service Changes: Spring/Summer 2020

In direct response to COVID-19, between March and July 2020, Community Transit reduced and
subsequently partially restored service on directly operated and contracted commuter fixed-
route bus operations. The table below summarizes the approximate changes to weekday
service:

Service Level (vs. Pre-COVID

Service Implementation Date
March 2020 Service)

March 22, 2020 100%

March 30, 2020 75%
April 13/21, 2020 70%
July 6, 2020 75%
September 20, 2020 85%

September 2020 Service Change

The COVID-19 pandemic impacted plans for substantial service increases for September 2020.
Instead of adding new hours, the agency approved restoring service to 85% of March 2020
service levels, including restoration of Swift Blue and Green Line service to 100% of March 2020
service levels. Given ongoing uncertainty, ridership levels continue to be closely monitored,
especially with respect to the Seattle commuter market.

31
Vanpool Program
Community Transit’s vanpool program added five active vanpool groups and continued offering
a vanpool option to improve a first/last mile connection between transit centers and residential
and employment centers. There are currently three vanpool groups using the new option.

During 2020, the vanpool program designed, tested and implemented a new self-exchange
maintenance program. Customers can conveniently drop off and pick up their van for
preventative maintenance anytime between 4 a.m. and 8 p.m., Monday through Friday. The
internal process between vanpool and the maintenance team also changed, improving
communications and improving vehicle turn-around time for customers.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the vanpool program offered lower fares for customer
groups that were not commuting due to teleworking, to hold their vans, and provided safety
kits to all customer groups. The program also temporarily reduced ridership requirements from
five people to two people per van, to allow for physical distancing.

With an inventory of vans available for those in the community still commuting, a new
marketing campaign to promote Vanpool service to essential workers was launched. Work on
this campaign included optimization of Vanpool website content, such as simplifying pages for
readability, adding an interest form to the site for lead generation, and adding health and
safety messaging specific to Vanpool.

Capital Projects
Preservation Projects
During 2020, Community Transit made progress on or completed the following preservation
projects to maintain the agency’s operational and transit facilities in a state of good repair:

Merrill Creek Operations Base: Ash Way P&R:

▪ Completed pavement Project Phase II ▪ Completed transit lane repairs
Edmonds P&R:
Kasch Park Operations Base:
▪ Completed paving and asphalt
▪ Completed roof repair and restoration
remarking

Facility Master Plan

The Facility Master Plan outlines a six-phase approach to ensure Community Transit has the
capacity for expansion to meet growth, maintains system reliability and increases operational
flexibility (see section 7 for details on all phases). Work on the plan started in 2020:

32
Casino Road (Facilities Master Plan Phase 1): convert existing Casino Rd, unoccupied space,
into new Community Transit main administrative office building; relocating administrative staff
to allow for capacity expansion and renovation of Merrill Creek Operating Base.
▪ Completed design, began construction

Facilities Master Plan Phase 2: convert existing Merrill Creek Administration Building into
Transportation Operations Building, with expanded capacity, modern equipment and
technologies.
▪ Began design

Facilities Master Plan Phase 3A: expand the west end of the Merrill Creek Operations Base,
increasing capacity to include all vehicle types, and modernizing equipment.
▪ Began design

Other Capital Facilities

Seaway Transit Center
The Seaway Transit Center, opened in March 2019, is the northern terminus for the new Swift
Green Line connecting Boeing/Paine Field in Everett with Canyon Park in Bothell. The facility
includes 13 bus bays for Swift Green Line, other Community Transit routes, Everett Transit, King
County Metro, Sound Transit and private employer shuttles. The facility includes passenger
shelters, walkways, bicycle racks, landscaping, driver restrooms, and accommodations for
supervision and security. In 2020, Community Transit received a Silver Certification from the
Greenroads Foundation for using low impact environmental development practices. We also
completed construction on six new shelters in 2020 under the original funding.

Seaway Transit Center was funded through a State Regional Mobility grant, FTA Small Starts
grant and local funds.

I-5 Approach Widening on 128th Street for Swift Green Line

The Swift Green Line crosses Interstate-5 at 128th Street. Modifications were made to the
approaches to maintain speed and reliability, as part of the Swift Green Line project. The 128th
Street and I-5 approach widening project was completed in phases. In 2021, the contract and
jurisdictional requirements will be closed out.

33
Swift Green Line Corridor Stations
The Swift Green Line project included construction of 31
BRT stations at 16 intersections in the corridor and a
terminal station at Canyon Park Park & Ride. Amenities
include the uniquely branded Swift shelter design, benches,
wind screens, 10-inch raised curbs for near-level boarding,
ORCA fare card readers, ticket vending machines, maps and
customer service information and electronic real-time
passenger information signs. Concrete improvements to
the adjacent road lane provides a durable platform for
Swift buses stopping at the stations.

Construction of the stations began in 2018 and was

completed in 2019. Station construction was financed with
an FTA Small Starts grant and local funding. In 2021, the
contract and jurisdictional requirements were closed out.
FIGURE 6-7
6-6

Community Programs
This community-based transportation mobility solutions program launched in fall 2019 with a
pilot project in Lynnwood. Community Transit is actively working with the City to develop
innovative and cost-effective mobility solutions. The goal is to provide new travel options that
integrate with new emerging technologies and existing bus service. The goal for this first pilot
project is to test a new mobility option in early 2022 that will complement existing
transportation services to help people get around the city.

Marketing, Transportation Demand Management (TDM) &

Community Engagement

Health & Safety During the Pandemic

2020 brought new challenges as the COVID-19 pandemic required major adaptations to plans,
including changes to our operations to prioritize safety and health. Communication and
marketing efforts focused on messaging related to COVID-19 and safety measures for use on
buses, vans, bus stops, transit centers, operating bases and administrative offices.

34
In May 2020, Community Transit collaborated with regional transit partners to create and share
public service announcement-style videos and print ads that sought to reassure the community
and encourage them to stay home, stay healthy, and support transit as an essential service.
Safety messaging work continued throughout the year, along with preparation for a marketing
campaign to expand those messages to a wider community audience.

In September 2020, Community Transit joined six

local partner agencies, transit agencies across the
country, and the American Public Transportation
Association (APTA) to commit to industry best
practices for safe public transit in response to
public concerns about riding transit during
COVID-19 crisis. The commitment seal was incorporated into COVID-19 related safety
messaging and shared on social media and on the Community Transit website.

Commute Trip Reduction (CTR) – Employer Program

During 2020, Community Transit’s Marketing Division adapted much of their ongoing outreach
and education work to allow for social distancing. Training sessions for Employee
Transportation Coordinators (ETC), as well as ETC networking meetings, were shifted to a
hybrid of video training and virtual meetings. The annual Commute Options Award luncheon
also pivoted to an online event.

With much to learn about commute behaviors during the pandemic, and in an effort to inform
commute trip reduction programs in the future, the Marketing Division worked with WSDOT to
conduct a survey of employer worksites in the fall of 2020. The survey had 7,856 total
participants and reflected the major impacts of the pandemic on commute habits.

Congestion Mitigation – Residential Program

Community Transit launched a new program targeted to residential complexes and
communities within high congestion areas in south Snohomish County. The program
encourages and incentivizes use of modes like transit and vanpool to reduce single occupancy
travel to new movers and current residents in those congested areas.

35
Fourteen multi-family communities joined this program during
2020, and program staff anticipate growing to 30 community
partnerships by the end of 2021.

In partnership with Snohomish County, Community Transit also

provided ORCA cards with unlimited regional access for use by
essential workers through the end of 2020. During that time 143
workers used their promotional ORCA cards at least once and
4,946 total trips were provided.

Travel Trainer Program

Travel trainers provided 145 hours of training helping about 64 people learn how to ride the
bus during 2020, lower than in previous years, as impacted by the pandemic. Training included
a combination of presentations and working with individuals on a one-on-one basis. The
program is provided through a contract with Washington Vocational Services (WVS).

Supporting Agency Activities and Investments

Right-sizing the Workforce
During 2020, Community Transit reduced a net total
of 50 positions from the 2020 original budget, to
794.5 employees, not including contractors. The
majority of the reductions occurred in the
Transportation department (45 positions),
Maintenance department and the Training division
of the Administration department (10 positions), to
align with reduced service levels. The agency was
able to mitigate significant layoffs by offering
voluntary separation options and voluntary furlough when service was decreased, and has since
brought back many employees. Five FTEs approved prior to the pandemic were added in mid-
year 2020.

While the pandemic resulted in the agency pivoting how and when it recruited, it continued its
focused outreach and recruitment efforts to maintain interest and remain in contact with
candidates to support agency attrition and future growth. Employee hires during 2020 included

36
twenty drivers, four journey level workers and twenty-three various support roles. Vacant
positions were reviewed and filled unless there was a viable interim solution, in which case they
were maintained but unfilled where possible.

Creative solutions were incorporated into recruitment efforts to maintain social distancing
while allowing candidates the opportunity to interview, interact and preview roles. Onboarding
activities were also held with equity and safety measures in place. Significant collaboration
within the various teams to ensure transparency and communication resulted in systems and
processes that were welcoming and within agency protocols.

Technology Improvements
To improve operations and enhance the customer experience, the following projects were
initiated, in-progress or completed during 2020:

• Next Generation ORCA: substantial completion of preliminary design, and 50% complete
with final design for the region’s Next Generation ORCA system with vendor INIT.
Completed first testing phases and began critical System Integration Testing (SIT) phase.
• Passenger Information Control System (PICS): this project has been significantly
completed in 2020, bringing real-time data quality metrics and historical performance
calculations to the system.
• Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP): this system replaces the aging land mobile radio
system used by dispatch and coach operators. This system was fully tested in November
in December 2020, and is live on all fleets as of January 2021. System Acceptance
Testing procedures are underway and will be completed by mid-year 2021.
• Open Trip Planner pilot: procured and trialed a potential trip planner replacement,
accessible to both internal and external users. Determined Open Trip Planner to be a
viable replacement to the aging current platform (Trapeze ATIS) and recommended for
integration into the agency’s Digital Strategy.
• Customer comment system (branded internally as Connections): implemented an
Advanced Reporting Module which allowed for integration into the Data Mart.
Integrated Paratransit customer service team into Connections. Kicked off integration of
Connections and phone system, which will automate case creation when customers
phone in.
• Digital Strategies: completed design of Phase 1, rebuild of the corporate website (see
Section 7, Technology Projects for a detailed roadmap of the project).
• BusFinder implementation: officially launched new version of Busfinder in 2020.

37
Fares
In order to encourage social distancing, and in coordination with regional transit partners,
Community Transit temporarily suspended fare collection on all routes, including DART
paratransit services, in March 2020. Fare collection resumed on Swift routes on June 1, and the
remainder of service on July 1, 2020.

Planning Coordination
The following provides an overview of Community Transit’s representation on local, regional
and statewide organizations and committees to better integrate and align transportation plans:

• Snohomish County Tomorrow (SCT), an inter-jurisdictional forum of Snohomish County,

Snohomish County cities and the Tulalip Tribes. The primary function is to oversee
countywide planning and coordination and development of infrastructure and the
transportation system.
Community Transit staff members participate in the monthly Infrastructure
Coordination Committee (ICC) and Planning Advisory Committees (PAC) meetings.
Community Transit Board members also sit on several of the SCT Boards.

• SNOTRAC, a coalition that advocates for safe, equitable and accessible transportation
services and solutions to better connect people and communities in and beyond
Snohomish County. Community Transit is a sponsoring agency and is represented on the
SNOTRAC Executive Board and Partners Group.

• Everett Station District Alliance (ESDA), a non-profit organization of businesses, property

owners, residents and other stakeholders to foster a vibrant community around Everett
Station. Everett Station is a major transit hub for Snohomish County and includes
connections to Community Transit’s Swift and local bus networks. Community Transit is
a sponsoring agency and is represented on the ESDA Board of Directors.

• Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) is the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO)
for the Puget Sound region that oversees the regional growth strategy and
transportation plan, as well federal transportation funding for King, Kitsap, Pierce and
Snohomish Counties.
Community Transit staff serve on the following committees:
▪ Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory (BPAC) ▪ Special Needs Transportation
▪ Regional FTA Caucus ▪ TDM Advisory
▪ Regional Project Evaluation (RPEC) ▪ Transportation Operators (TOC)
▪ Regional Staff (RSC) ▪ Regional Traffic Operations

38
 Community Transit is also represented on the Transportation Policy Board by an
appointed Board member.

• Community Transit’s Transit Integration Division is part of the Stakeholder Advisory

Group that meets regularly with WSDOT and various jurisdictions to coordinate efforts
that focus on state capital projects in Snohomish County.

• WSDOT’s Transportation Demand Management Executive Board.

• Coordination with Sound Transit for ST2 and ST3 planning and construction of Link light
rail and Stride Bus Rapid Transit projects. This includes: bi-weekly construction meetings
for Lynnwood Transit Link Extension, BRT Interagency group meetings for I-405 BRT and
SR-522 BRT, ST3 Integration meetings on access projects and coordination with
Snohomish County.

• ORCA Regional Electronic Fare Collection System is shared by six transit agencies and
the Washington State Ferries. This requires regular coordination. Community Transit has
representation on the following work groups: Joint Board (i.e. agency CEOs and general
managers), steering committee, site managers, fares and finance staff, business
accounts, operations, marketing, and public information officers.

• Other national, state, and local forums that Community Transit participates in are:
American Public Transportation Association, Washington State Transit Association,
Washington State Transit Insurance Pool, Economic Alliance Snohomish County, and
Conference of Minority Transportation Officials Washington State.

39
 2021-2026 Services, Programs,
Facilities & Equipment
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Community Transit’s plans called for significant expansion of
services, as well as research and development of new services and mobility options to meet the
diverse travel needs of our growing communities. In response to the pandemic and related
economic impacts, Community Transit developed financial forecasts that reflected a substantial
reduction in revenue, and as a result, implemented a series of cost-saving strategies. However,
this year’s projected revenue allows for service expansion plans to resume again and progress
over the next six years.

Focus on 2024
A significant milestone in our growth over the next six years is aligning and connecting bus
service with Lynnwood Link light rail in 2024. This major effort includes the development of a
2024 fixed-route network plan that provides improved connections between buses and light
rail, expands the frequent service network, adjusts service to changing markets and ensures
equitable access to service. Strategies include restructuring the existing commuter service,
evaluating underperforming routes to reinvest resources in an equitable and efficient way, and
recommending options for service innovations that complement the improved fixed-route
service.

The plan will be based on: an integrated planning framework, taking into consideration
Community Transit’s adopted Long Range Transit Plan, its Swift network vision, and the 2015
Proposition 1 vision; collaboration, both external and internal; data-driven decisions, based on
research, customer surveys, performance reports, demographic data and modern analytics; and
alignment with industry best practices.

Highlights of the plan development schedule are: partner engagement in Summer 2021, initial
public input in Fall 2021, a draft plan for public input in Summer 2022, and final service plan
adoption in Fall 2022. The implementation of the plan will be in phases between 2023 and
2026.

The agency will continue to evaluate services, programs and projects described in this plan,
adapting scope and implementation schedules according to available resources.

40
Research and Public Engagement
A major focus over the next three years is research and public engagement to inform priorities
in innovation, the development of new services, and the expansion and redesign of existing
services. This research program is an important component of achieving the priorities and
strategies described in Section 2 (Priorities & Strategies for 2021-2026).

Community Transit has contracted with a consulting firm to help the agency identify, prioritize,
and implement research and engagement initiatives. These efforts are likely to include a wide
range of customer and public engagement strategies including random selection surveys, in-
person intercept surveys, customer observation, phone surveys, focus groups, and statistical
analysis of big data.

Additionally, Community Transit is developing more robust policies and practices around
equitable public engagement in the agency’s various outreach and public participation projects.
This work will help create a framework for significant public involvement, by relevant identified
audiences, in the public participation process for major agency outreach efforts that will tie
agency decisions to the transportation needs of our communities. Consistent with the agency’s
Mission, Vision and Core Values, there will be an increased focus on ensuring that public
engagement seeks to include representative demographics appropriate to each project.

Bus and Swift BRT Service Hours and Network Development

Responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, Community Transit presented two service scenarios in
the 2020 TDP: a slow recovery and a rapid recovery. The updated financial forecast expands
upon the rapid recovery scenario and pivots towards a new direction for future service
expansion. The table below summarize total service hours and bus fleet needs through 2026.

Fixed-Route Service Growth Plan

Annual Bus Service Total Hours
Year Hours Added Scheduled Total Bus Fleet
2020 Baseline 409,8951 306
2021 8,000 417,895 294
2022 22,000 439,895 294
2023 30,105 470,000 294
2024 50,000* 520,000 TBD
2025 15,000 535,000 TBD
2026 15,000 550,000 TBD
TABLE 7-1

41
1
Source of data for 2020 Total Hours Scheduled is scheduled in-service hours, as included in annual
budget documents and planning forecasts. These numbers differ from the presentation of revenue
hours in Table 6-1, which includes layover hours as required for federal reporting to NTD.

*Since 2024 involves a major restructuring of service, service hours and fleet forecasts are subject to
change as more precise service modeling is completed, and a more refined estimate will likely be
available by 2023. Overall, customers will see a significant increase in the number of trips, in part due to
new service growth, and in part due to the increase in efficiency resulted from providing most of the
service in-county. The increase in scheduling efficiency will also determine an increased efficiency in the
utilization of our fleet resources.

March 2021 (implemented)

In its March 2021 service change, Community Transit reflected a continued process of adjusting
to changing travel patterns, as well as restoring some service that was reduced earlier on in the
pandemic. The agency focused on weekday service and targeted increases to routes and times
where ridership data indicated a need for more capacity in order to maintain required social
distancing. These restored trips added approximately 3,900 service hours. Reflecting the
pandemic-related drop in congestion on I-5, approximately 4,600 hours in running time was
removed from several weekday routes.

October 2021 Service Change (planned)

This service change includes the restructure of the inter-county commuter service to the
University District in King County. Instead of traveling directly to the University of Washington,
the 800-series routes will take customers to the Sound Transit Link light rail at Northgate
Station, where they can connect with light rail to reach the University District and other King
County destinations. The agency will add 4,000 service hours on its 800-series bus routes to
improve frequency and connections between Link and Community Transit service. In addition
to the 800-series changes, Community Transit will add approximately 5,300 annual trips on bus
routes in other parts of the system experiencing significant ridership demand as travel begins to
resume in 2021.
Although the overall addition of service hours in 2021 is relatively minor, the changes represent
a significant shift in serving the University District, and highlight the opportunities presented in
the future, with Lynnwood Link light rail connections. Mitigating unreliable freeway travel times
with a shorter routes that connect with light rail service, Community Transit is able to add trips
and increase route frequency, offering a higher quality, more reliable network for its customers.
Connecting to Northgate Station is an early opportunity for Snohomish County travelers to
access the light rail system, expanding current service options.

42
2022 - 2026 Service Expansion Priorities
A significant effort is underway to prepare for a larger-scale restructure of the system in 2024.
From our new baseline 2020 service level, Community Transit plans to increase service by
approximately 27% by 2024, and by 34% by 2026, expanding and redesigning existing routes,
offering existing and new customers an improved system, with significant increases in service
options.
Priorities for service growth include:

• Redesigning the commuter bus network to serve Lynnwood City Center Station and
Mountlake Terrace Station when Lynnwood Link light rail opens in 2024.

• Implementing Swift Orange Line and Swift Blue Line Expansion: see details below.

• Restructuring local routes within the SR-527 corridor to better connect the Swift Green
Line with surrounding neighborhoods.

• Restructuring local routes along 164th St SW, 36th Ave W and 196th St SW in Lynnwood to
better complement the Swift Orange Line and provide more connections between Swift
and surrounding neighborhoods.

• Continuing to make improvements to local route frequency and span, new connections
and access in North and East Snohomish County. An example is a possible service
expansion in the SR-531 corridor in Arlington.

Swift Network Buildout

During this six-year period, two Swift network expansions are planned: the Swift Orange Line
and the Swift Blue Line Expansion. These system expansions will connect with Sound Transit’s
Link light rail in 2024. Later in this period, Community Transit will begin planning work for the
next expansion of the Swift network, including the Swift Gold Line between Everett and Smokey
Point, serving the growing population in Marysville and Arlington, and the new Cascade
Industrial Center. A tentative timeline is presented in Figure 7-1.

43
 FIGURE 7-1

Swift Orange Line

The Swift Orange Line will run along the 196th Street/164th Street corridors. The line is 11.5
miles long, with 13 station pairs and 2 terminals (Figure 7-2). The terminals will be located
adjacent to Edmonds College in Lynnwood and
McCollum Park near Mill Creek. The project also
includes priority treatments for speed and
reliability. A total of 42,500 annual service hours
are planned for this service.

The total project budget is $81 million, which

includes project development, design,
environmental review, construction and the
purchase of up to fifteen 60-foot articulated buses.
Planned funding for this project includes federal,
state and local funding: FIGURE 7-2

• $37.1 million Federal CIG Small Starts Grant for construction

• $16 million FTA and competitive grants towards project development,
construction of stations, and bus purchases
• $5 million Connecting Washington funding towards the Swift BRT network
expansion
• $22 million local funding

44
Swift Blue Line Expansion
The Swift Blue Line Expansion will extend Community Transit’s first BRT line to connect with
Link light rail at 185th Street in Shoreline by 2024 (Figure 7-3). Sound Transit is constructing a
Swift platform at its Shoreline North/185th Station to
facilitate this connection.

Phase 1 includes the scoping study, project

development, environmental review, construction of
stations, the purchase of four 60-foot articulated
buses, and implementation of speed and reliability
improvements primarily south of Airport Road. The
project will be paid for with a combination of local and
grant funding:
FIGURE 7-3

• $3.2 million FHWA-CMAQ grant

• $3.7 million WSDOT Regional Mobility grant
• $5 million local funding

Phase 2, to be completed after 2024, will include additional speed and reliability improvements
in the Swift Blue Line corridor.

Swift Gold Line (NEW)

The planning process for the fourth Swift Line will
begin in 2022.
The Swift Gold Line will be the fourth line of
Community Transit’s BRT network. From north to
south, the Swift Gold Line will begin at the
Smokey Point Transit center and end at the
Everett Station, with multiple stops along the
way including downtown Marysville, the Cascade
Industrial Center (CIC), and Everett Community
College. Ending at the Everett Station, this line
will provide easy public transit connections to
multiple modes of transportation, providing
riders with easy connections to a wide region.
Once completed, the Gold Line will serve and
FIGURE 7-4

45
benefit the areas of North Snohomish County Region including the communities of Everett,
Marysville, Arlington, the Smokey Point transit hub, Tulalip Tribes, Quil Ceda Village, and the
regional Cascade Industrial Center.

Figure 7-4 illustrates the planned BRT network with the conceptual fourth Swift Line
shown at the top.
The scoping study planned for 2022 will define project scope, schedule, and cost.

DART Paratransit
During 2020, Community Transit changed its paratransit vendor. Transdev Services, Inc. has
more than 100 years of experience in North America and operates as one of the largest private-
sector multi-modal providers of public transportation in the country. In the first two operating
quarters of the new contract, Transdev has maintained an average of 96% on-time
performance. The Ecolane app for Community Transit DART will be available to our
customers. This new technology will improve the bus riding experience by giving customers the
opportunity to reserve, cancel, and view when their bus will be arriving on their mobile
devices.

The new contract establishes a forecast of 81,000 hours of service beginning in 2022. The
forecasted hours for 2021 were reduced as a result of decreases in demand from the COVID-19
pandemic. Community Transit’s DART service hours are illustrated below (Table 7-2).

DART Service Hours

Actual Projected
2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026
Service Hours 36,370 64,800 81,000 81,000 81,000 81,000 81,000
TABLE 7-2

Vanpool Program
There were 461 vans (including spares) in the fleet and 261 active vanpool groups at the end of
2020. The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted vanpool customer demand, reducing the number
of active vanpool groups and requiring adjustments to fleet planning. The program is also
researching options to begin transitioning the fleet to alternative fuel vehicles in the coming
years, with the first 5 electric-hybrid vehicles in operation in 2021.

46
Vanpool maintenance reserve will increase to 74 vehicles as spare/loaner vans, to ensure fleet
availability when the demand from the commuter market returns. The 2021-2026 forecast
assumes that all available vans (excluding spares) are assigned to active vanpool groups. Figure
7-5 illustrates total fleet and active vanpool groups through 2026.

A vanpool fare study is being conducted in 2021 with two primary goals: simplify the existing
fare structure and attract and retain riders. The results of the study could result in a
recommendation to change the current fare structure for vanpool in 2022.

The Van Go program is also continuing during this planning period, as vehicles are available.
The program is seeking to award up to 12 vehicles in 2021. Non-profit 501(c)(3) organizations
will have an opportunity to apply in early fall.

Vanpool Program, 2020-2026

500
450
461

400
427

350
300
326

326

326

326

326

326
Vanpools

250
Active Vanpools
252

252

252

252

252

252

200
Total Fleet
150
100 (total fleet includes
50 34 vans for maintenance and
40 for future growth needs)
0
2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

FIGURE 7-5

47
Innovative Services
Demand for non-traditional transit service is increasing. In areas that are not well-served by
fixed-route service, where geographical coverage service gaps exist, or where demand for
different options is high, we seek to complement traditional transit options by working within
our communities to develop alternative services to
meet travel needs. Innovative service options can
include microtransit shuttles, ridesharing
partnerships, real-time rideshare, community vans,
or other innovative ways to provide mobility
responsive options to fit individual community
needs. These services may also be less costly and
provide a higher value to some community members
than traditional fixed-route bus service.

Community Transit is actively working with the City of Lynnwood on our first pilot project to
develop innovative services. The goal for this pilot is to test a new mobility option in early 2022
that will complement existing transportation services to help people get around the city.

The process for implementing an alternative service in a community includes several steps:
selecting the community; evaluating transportation needs and barriers; developing service
options in partnership with the community; developing and testing of a suite of service options
uniquely tailored to the area, service and demand; and finally, continuing to improve services
and offering customer support (Figure 7-6).

FIGURE 7-6

48
Marketing, Transportation Demand Management and Education
Programs
Repercussions from the COVID-19 pandemic are predicted to have long-reaching effects on the
economy, public perceptions and the choices consumers make. These challenges will continue
to require flexibility and will likely impact the methods used to reach people, their perceptions
of transportation options, and how we influence behavior change.

Projects for 2021 through 2026 include brand strategy work, transit awareness and ridership
campaigns, residential field marketing, employer program development, and marketing new
bus service options to include the Swift Orange Line and Link light rail connections.

Marketing efforts will be focusing on awareness of our

brand, services, safety measures and transportation
options through multi-tier, multi-channel advertising
campaigns. The focus of these campaigns will transition
from safety messaging into ridership messaging as we
move through reopening phases with service capacity and
availability expanding.

We are committed to using our Marketing and Transportation Demand Management programs
as key channels for promoting transit as a vital public service and a safe, reliable transportation
option for anyone who needs to travel in our region.

Congestion Mitigation – Residential Program

In partnership with Snohomish County, Community Transit’s
Marketing Division will continue to provide transportation
demand management services to multi-family communities and
neighborhoods along congested corridors. We will expand our
efforts to engage with new and current residents of south
Snohomish County to encourage and incentivize use of
transportation options, like buses and vanpool, to reduce single-
occupancy travel in highly-congested areas.

After the pandemic, there are plans to bring educational events to

multifamily communities for specific audiences, such as youth and
seniors. These events will cover topics such as how to ride transit,
ride matching assistance for vanpools and carpools, and ORCA
card distribution.

49
Community Transit has secured funding from the Federal Highway Administration's Congestion
Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program (CMAQ) to maintain and grow this program
beyond the 2022 conclusion of our partnership with Snohomish County. This next phase of TDM
in Snohomish County will focus on awareness, education and marketing of service and
infrastructure improvements planned during that period — specifically the opening of
Community Transit’s Swift Orange Line and Swift Blue Line Expansion.

Commute Trip Reduction – Employer Program

As a part of Community Transit’s Commute Trip Reduction program, we will continue to use
relationship-building, training and advocacy techniques to inform and inspire employees at
large worksites within our service area. As the pandemic continues to impact our local
economy, employer incentives and how people commute, we will use our network and
research to evolve our efforts. We will seek to build rich relationships with worksite staff and
engage with potential customers at worksites to encourage behavior change and trial of our
services.

Service Promotions
Future marketing efforts will also be focused on developing and implementing plans to
promote use of our service and new product pilots, such as:

• Customer Education Videos & Materials

Work on a series of videos and education materials that will help riders learn how to
plan a trip with us, how to ride our buses, how to buy an ORCA pass, and other common
questions we know new riders and seasoned riders frequently have.
• Website Content
Support with work on content updates to enhance customer experience, improve
readability, and increase search engine optimization—all in aid of promoting the use of
our services.
• Vanpool Refer-a-Friend
Work on implementation of a refer-a-friend offer for Vanpool customers, incentivizing
current vanpoolers to share the service with coworkers and providing reassurance to
new riders to join or start a vanpool.
• Innovative Services
Develop a comprehensive promotional plan for new services that result from the
Lynnwood Pilot Project which is designed to learn about transportation needs in the
area, test new transportation concepts with grant funds, and create options to
complement existing services.
• Swift Orange Line & Lynnwood Link Light Rail Connections
With the planned launches of Swift Orange Line and Lynnwood Link light rail in 2024,
Marketing is planning for campaigns and events to promote the new service and

50
 connections, with neighborhood-based education and awareness through field
marketing and broader community awareness through advertising.

Capital Facilities
Preservation Projects
Community Transit’s Capital program continues to address preservation and rehabilitation
during the next six years. The following projects are planned for design and construction within
2021 - 2026:

• Transit Facilities LED Lighting Upgrades

• Lake Stevens Transit Center refresh
• Additional potential preservation projects including:
o Arlington Park & Ride
o Marysville 1 Park & Ride
o Marysville Ash Ave Park & Ride

Transit Asset Management Plan

Community Transit adopted its first Transit Asset Management (TAM) Plan in September 2018.
This four-year plan provides an inventory and assessment of capital assets and describes
strategies to maintain them in a state of good repair. Assets are divided into three categories:

• Rolling stock - bus, ADA demand-response and vans

• Equipment - non-revenue service vehicles and equipment with a value greater than
$50,000
• Facilities – administrative, maintenance and passenger/parking

The TDP financial models inform plans for maintenance and replacement of capital assets
included in the TAM plan. This includes a vehicle model for rolling stock and a financial model
that includes all revenue, expense and reserve fund assumptions.

51
Bus Stop Program
Bus stops are the entry point through which every customer
accesses the bus system. Research has shown that the
quality, visibility and usability of these facilities is a significant
determinant of transit system ridership. As Community
Transit prepares to significantly expand bus service, we
recognize the importance of assessing our bus stop
infrastructure and amenities to determine where
improvements are needed. In this TDP, we are establishing a
new capital program reserve for bus stop improvements.
Funding for this program is initially set at $10 million for the 2021-2026 TDP. Scoping is
underway for a program that will assess current bus stop infrastructure, identify needs, and
prioritize a program of upgrades and improvements.

Speed and Reliability Improvements

Service quality and reliability are an integral part of both our customers’ experience and our
operational efficiency. Community Transit plans to make impactful investments in
infrastructure, technology, and innovation that will improve service quality, ease of use, and
environmental sustainability. Community Transit will undertake careful study and long range
planning over the next two years to develop a visionary and thoughtful approach informing
specific programming recommendations in that regard, and incorporate them in our planning,
budget, and future TDP updates.

Facilities Master Plan (FMP)

Service and fleet expansion beyond 2021 will stretch the
capacity of maintenance bays, bus parking and
operational support space at Community Transit’s
bases. A multi-phased and multi-year $129 million base
Facilities Master Plan (FMP) expansion program is
underway to support the agency’s expansion. The
preliminary project schedule and highlights:

• Phase 1 – design and renovate the Kasch Park

Casino Road building and move most
administrative personnel from the Merrill Creek
Administration building into the renovated
Casino Road building in 2022.

52
 • Phase 2 – design and renovate the Merrill Creek Administration building for
transportation employees and occupy in 2023.
• Phase 3A – design and renovate the Merrill Creek Operations Maintenance Bays. A
previously approved hoist replacement project has been incorporated into this phase of
the facilities master plan. Renovations include the addition of six maintenance bays.
Completion is anticipated in 2024.
• Phase 3B - design and renovate the Merrill Creek Operations Offices. Completion is
anticipated in 2025.
• Phase 4 – Kasch Park upgrades and renovations
• Phase 5 – Vehicle Storage/Training Facility to be completed in 2022
• Phase 6 - Ride Store Remodel & Improvements to be completed in 2024

TABLE 7-3

Fleet
Following is a summary of overall fleet growth by mode and a detailed breakdown of vehicle
replacement and expansion by type and year.

Fleet expansion during this planning horizon includes 21 60-foot articulated buses for the Swift
Orange Line and Blue Line Expansion, and 13 for the future Swift Gold Line.

53
 Revenue Vehicle Fleet Forecast
500 461

400
326 326 326 326 326 326
Vehilces in Fleet

306 294 294 294 TBD TBD TBD

300 Bus
DART
200
Vanpool
100 52 52 52 52 52 52 52

0
2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026
FIGURE 7-7

YEAR OF ORDER 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

BUS FLEET REPLACEMENT
40 Foot Bus 12 24
60 Foot Bus 8
Double Tall Bus 23
Swift BRT 15
BUS FLEET EXPANSION
40 Foot Bus
60 Foot Bus
Double Tall Bus
Swift BRT 21 13
VANPOOL REPLACEMENT
Vanpool Van 35 35 35 35 35
VANPOOL EXPANSION
Vanpool Van
DART REPLACEMENT
DART Bus 13 11 15 13 13
TABLE 7-4

Transitioning our Fleet: Zero-Emissions Feasibility Study

In 2022, the agency plans to conduct a feasibility study

for a transition to a zero-emission fleet, and begin
recommended implementation steps in the years that
follow. The study will identify the economic costs,
performance issues, risks, and recommended timeline
associated with the transition to a zero-emission bus
fleet. Electric

54
 The results of this study will inform decision making regarding our
fleet replacement policy, procurement, technology, and it will
consider the financial and operational impacts of zero-emission
technologies available, including: battery electric, fuel cell, solar, or
any other emerging technology considered commercially available
during the time period of this study. It will also highlight the
necessary infrastructure, partnership, or ancillary costs,
performance, risks, and timeline for a transition.
Fuel Cell

Improving our Customers’ Experience & Supporting Service

Expansion
Technology Projects
• Digital Experience: this division of the Customer Experience department targets the four
channels customers use to engage with Community Transit online – the agency website,
search engines, email/text messaging and social media. Full implementation will result
in a more personalized customer experience. A three-year roadmap was created to
develop and tactically implement changes that improve the customer experience before
Sound Transit’s Link light rail opens in Lynnwood in 2024. This program includes:
a. Website redesign: design, develop and implement a new website that is mobile
first and user friendly. The new website is expected to launch in 2021.

b. Enhance digital tools: incorporate attributes such as number of passengers on

the bus for social distancing into existing tools, look to integrate additional data
from third party providers like ridesharing companies, and consider other
enhancements or possibly new tools to improve the travel planning experience
in real-time for everyone.

c. Personalize the customer experience: use analytics and behavioral data to curate
a personalized digital user experience for Community Transit customers.

• Next Generation ORCA electronic fare collection system: complete final system design
in 2021, and begin transitioning to the new system in Q1 2022. Full implementation by
end of year 2022. Evaluate future phase development with regional partners.

55
 • Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) system: this system replaces the
aging land mobile radio system used by dispatch and coach operators;
complete system acceptance in Q2 2021, and a round of system
enhancements by the end of 2021.

• Customer comments system (internally branded as “Connections”):

continue with implementation of the phone system integration.

• Swift ticket vending machines: continue to implement ticket purchase improvement

process requested by customers. Evaluate current TVMs and order machines for the
Swift Orange Line and Blue Line Expansion in 2024.

• Open Trip Planner: implement, customize, and launch new trip planning platform
incorporated into Digital Strategy. Implement new ‘CallTaker’ module for Customer Care
team, replacing ATIS desktop client for customer support calls.

• Missed passenger feasibility study: identify and test opportunities to improve

communication between waiting passengers and coach operators. The study will be
completed in 2021 and potential technology improvements will be identified for future
implementation.

• IT Asset Management Strategy: Research industry best practices to identify a process,

roadmap and financial planning to ensure community transit’s technology assets are
budgeted, accounted for, maintained, upgraded, and replaced.

Employment
As Community Transit adjusts service, the agency will
adjust staffing to support trips on the road. The
greatest need will continue to be hiring additional
coach operators as service increases, more mechanics
to maintain a our fleet and other support staff to
support longer hours of operation and more facilities.

Community Transit’s 2021 budget includes a total of

805.5 full time equivalent employees, not including
contractors.

56
Regional Planning and Coordination
Community Transit will continue to participate in transportation and land use planning
discussions at the state, regional, county and local levels. This includes engagement with
partner agencies and jurisdictions in planning for future improvements to the regional transit
system, new stations, terminals and modes and their integration with our network. Examples of
this planning include:

• Coordination with Sound Transit, Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace and Shoreline

around extension of Link light rail to Lynnwood in 2024 and eventually to Everett.
• Coordinate transit integration with WSDOT’s design of the Legislative Evaluation &
Accountability Committee (LEAP) Transportation projects.
• Cooperation with the City of Shoreline in their Transit Service Integration Plan
(TSIP) that will identify policies addressing future transit needs throughout
Shoreline once light rail service begins (2024). The TSIP is a coordinated plan in
which Shoreline is working with Community Transit, King County Metro and Sound
Transit.
• Working with Bothell, King County Metro, Sound Transit and UW Bothell/Cascadia
College on master plans for transit service and the UWB/CC campus and the arrival
of Stride (Sound Transit bus rapid transit system).
• Coordination with Sound Transit, City of Seattle, WSDOT and King County Metro in
Downtown Seattle Transit Coordination (DSTC) and service design around the
Northgate Station.
• Coordination with PSRC and Snohomish County Tomorrow Planning Advisory
Committee on Vision 2050 updates.
• Participate and coordinate with SNOTRAC.
• Participation and coordination with the Everett Station District Alliance (ESDA).
• Participation in national, state and local forums pertaining to industry best
practices and coordination of services.

57
 Financial Plan
Community Transit looks forward to the next six years and beyond through the lens of
innovation and expansion. Federal stimulus funds and a quick economic rebound have provided
the agency with a unique opportunity to invest in both one-time transformative technology and
expand its base of service, to meet community mobility needs. Our strategy to achieve these
goals includes:

• Expanding our service to meet the needs of a growing county;

• Developing new innovative service modes;
• Capital investment in facilities, technology and vehicles to support expansion and
innovation;
• Continually refining and strengthening our financial reserves to support our expansion
and innovation goals.

We will accomplish all this in alignment with the ongoing service expansion of our regional
transit partners.

Revenue
Retail sales tax provides funding for the greatest share of Community Transit’s operations. It is
collected on retail sales made within Community Transit’s public transportation benefit area in
Snohomish County, in the amount of 1.2%. It has traditionally made up 70% or more of the
total general fund operating revenue. Other operating revenue sources include fares and
contributions from federal, state, and local governmental entities. In addition, the agency earns
income from a service contract with Sound Transit, covering the cost of providing the service,
and from miscellaneous sources such as bus advertising, sale of surplus equipment, and interest
earned on investments.

During the pandemic, Community Transit did not experience a significant decline in sales tax
revenues. The 2020 actual collections, at $154.4 million, exceeded forecasts outlined in the
2020 TDP. The 2021 budget was set at a conservative sales tax revenue forecast of $121.5
million, was amended by Board action in June 2021 to $139 million, and will be amended again
in December to reflect the more positive trend. Current projections forecast sales tax revenues
growing at a rate of 6% from 2020 actuals, to $163.7 million.

58
The following graphic, Figure 8-1, illustrates the current sales tax assumption through 2026:

Sales Tax Revenue by Year

$250

$203
$200 $195
$188
$180
$172
$164
Millions

$151 $154
$150 $139

$100

$50

$-
2019 Actuals 2020 Actuals 2021 2021 Re- 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026
Amended projection Proposed Proposed Proposed Proposed Proposed
Budget

Proposed 2021-2026 Transit Development Plan

FIGURE 8-1

Operating Fund Revenues

Most revenue inputs, with the exception of the sales tax forecasts, are based on prior year
actuals, contractual agreements, or grant estimates. Federal emergency stimulus funding has
been updated to match Community Transit allocations, or billings to the granting agency. Table
8-1 provides 2020 actuals, the 2021 projected budget, and the forecast for 2022-2026.

Operating Revenue 2020 2021

(in millions) Actuals Projected 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026
Sales Tax 154.4 163.7 171.9 180.5 187.7 195.2 203
Fares 9.3 13.2 18.0 21.7 24.1 24.8 25.3
Sound Transit1 20.9 18.9 19.4 20 20.6 21.2 21.9
Grants & Local
9.9 13.7 7.8 7.4 6.0 5.2 3.8
Contributions
Advertising 0.34 0.09 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3
Federal Stimulus
33.0 83.4
Funds
Other 3.2 2.0 2.4 2.4 2.4 2.4 2.4
Total Revenues1 $231.1 $295.0 $219.8 $232.3 $241.2 $249.2 $256.7
1
TABLE 8-1 Totals may not match due to rounding actual dollar amounts for table

59
Operating revenue assumptions include:
• The change in sales tax revenue throughout the planning period is forecast as 6% in
2021, 5% in 2022, and 4% growth annually through 2026.
• Sound Transit – the revenue from this contract is dependent on the Operating
Agreement between Community Transit and Sound Transit. This forecast is subject to
change as Sound Transit revises its service plan. Changes reflect service reductions in
response to the economic recession, and integration with Link light rail in 2021
(Northgate) and 2024 (Lynnwood). Community Transit contracts with First Transit to
provide the service, and revenues from Sound Transit cover the cost of the contracted
service and the associated administrative costs.
• Fare revenue assumptions are adjusted from pre-pandemic forecasts for COVID-19
service reductions and ridership losses. The short and long term impacts of the
pandemic on ridership are unknown at this time. A fare study conducted in 2020
assessed revenue changes resulting from bus system integration with the Sound
Transit’s Link Light Rail expansion into Snohomish County. That assessment model was
used in projecting the fare revenue through 2026, using the actual 2020 revenue as a
new baseline.
• One-time federal stimulus funds have been accounted for in updated revenue forecasts.
This federal funding provides a significant one-time opportunity for Community Transit
to make impactful investments in technology, innovation, and infrastructure that will
improve service quality, ease of use, and environmental sustainability for years to come.
While this plan update begins to show the potential scale of that investment,
Community Transit will undertake careful study and long range planning over the next
two years to develop a visionary and thoughtful approach informing specific
programming recommendations for these resources.

Operating Grants (by year of award)

Operating Grants &
Local Contributions 2020 2021
(in millions) Actuals Budget 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026
Federal Operating
4.9 9.0 2.3 2.1 3.2 2.4 2.7
Grants
State and Local
4.9 4.7 5.5 5.3 2.8 2.8 1.1
Operating Grants
Total Revenues1 $9.9 $13.7 $7.8 $7.4 $6.0 $5.2 $3.8
TABLE 8-2
1
Totals may not match due to rounding actual dollar amounts for table

60
Capital Grants (by year of award)
Capital projects are funded with federal, state and local funds. Table 8-3 illustrates the
approved and forecast federal and state grant funding sources. Funds are not typically available
in the year of award.

Capital Grants 2020 2021

(in millions) Actuals Projected 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026
Federal Formula 13.7 12.0 12.9 12.0 $ 12.6 $ 13.6 15.0
Federal Competitive 14.2 6.8 7.0 7.3 27.0
Federal CIG Small Starts 37.1
State Grants 8.7
CARES Act 6.1
Total Revenues1 $27.9 $62.0 $28.6 $19.3 $12.6 $13.6 $42.0
TABLE 8-3
1
Totals may not match due to rounding actual dollar amounts in table

Expenses
Operating Expenses
The current projections allow for service expansion between 2022 and 2026, and the operating
expenses reflect new service, beyond pre-COVID restoration of service. In addition to new
service, operating expenses are forecast to increase due to inflationary growth in baseline
costs. Operating expenses includes bus service, DART paratransit, vanpool, service innovation,
and all supporting programs and administration.

Operating Expense assumptions:

• The annual growth in operating expenses for existing services, 2019 to 2020, was 1%,
and is projected to remain at 1% in 2021. The growth rate was adjusted to 3.3% for
2022-2026 to account for inflationary factors in the Puget Sound region.

• Operating expenses are projected to grow from $168 million in 2021 to almost $227
million by 2026, and new service hours added account for most of that growth.

• Operating expenses include $4.9 million in 2020, and $4.6 million in 2021 for COVID-19
costs. This includes, but is not limited to, increased costs for nightly cleaning and
disinfecting of vehicles, personal protection equipment (PPE), service recovery vehicle
costs, supplemental leave and premium pay.

Table 8-4 provides a summary of forecasted operating expenses through 2026, and includes the
cost of operations, baseline and new service.

61
 Annual Operating Expense, All Modes, 2020-2026 (in millions)
2020 2021
Actuals Projected 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026
$157.3 $168.0 $169.4 $184.0 $200.1 $213.8 $226.5

TABLE 8-4

Responding to COVID-19
Community Transit entered 2020 in a strong financial position and reacted early and effectively
when the COVID-19 pandemic struck. To address potential impacts of the pandemic,
Community Transit undertook various strategies to ensure that its operations would fit within
forecasted revenue streams.

In addition to reductions in service levels and operational staffing, Community Transit also
adjusted paratransit and fixed-route service contractors’ compensation, as well as other
operating expenditures including staffing costs, professional services, fuel, and travel, to ensure
that the agency could operate within the most conservative scenario that was developed.

This early focus on cost control, along with continued increased federal assistance in 2021 and
2022, have allowed Community Transit to avoid any significant financial losses related to the
pandemic. Updated forecasts now provide financial capacity to support substantial service
expansion to accommodate returning ridership and integration with Lynnwood Link light rail in
2024.

Capital Program
Capital program priorities include State of Good Repair projects for fleet, facilities and
technology; Swift Program for buildout of the Swift BRT network; local capital projects, and a
new focus on Service Quality, Innovation, and Sustainability. As described above, financial
capacity for new capital investment has been substantially increased by one-time federal grants
and stimulus funding distributions.

The 2021-2026 TDP provides a conceptual understanding of the scale of this new capacity and
provides for major planning studies over the next two years that will inform more specific
recommendations for programming these capital investments in the 2022 and 2023 TDP
updates.

62
C
2020 2021
Capital Projects (in millions) Actuals Projected
2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

STATE OF GOOD REPAIR

Fleet Replacement
Bus Fleet 14.3 16 15.2 27.0 16.4
Vanpool Fleet 0.2 1.4 1.4 1.5 1.5 1.6
DART Fleet 0.1 1.4 1.1 1.8 1.7 1.6
Support Fleet 0.1

Facility Master Plan 6.7 121.8

Facility Preservation 1.9 5.6 3.3 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0
Next Generation ORCA 1.0 8.1
Technology Preservation/Replacement 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.5

SWIFT PROGRAM
Swift Green Line 1.0
Swift Orange Line 3.3 1.1 81.0
Swift Blue Line Expansion 0.6 11.9
Swift Gold Line 0.2 6.0 67.5

SERVICE QUALITY, INNOVATION, SUSTAINABILITY

Zero Emission Infrastructure 50.0
Bus Stop Program 10.0
Future Service Quality, Innovation, Sustainability (to be 100.0
informed by Long Range Plan)

Local Capital Projects 3.6 23.5 2.7 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5
TABLE 8-5

Several capital projects above have multiple funding sources:

• Bus replacements are generally funded with federal formula and local funds. These
amounts are highlighted in Table 8-5 above.
• Swift Orange Line funding includes federal and state grants and other state and local
funding. Details are provided in Section 7 (2021-2026 Services, Programs, Facilities &
Equipment).

63
 • Swift Blue Line expansion includes grant and local funding. Details are provided in
Section 7 (2021-2026 Services, Programs, Facilities & Equipment).

Reserves and Fund Balances

Community Transit defines “fund balance” as modified working capital, in essence, cash and
cash equivalents plus accrued revenues and less accrued expenses. A reserve is defined as a
portion (or all) of the fund balance that is legally or managerially designated for a specific
purpose or purposes. Each fund maintains a level of reserves that meets or exceeds Community
Transit’s reserve policy.

Community Transit maintains reserves in multiple funds. These reserves are designated for
operations, vehicle replacement, facility preservation, and expansion projects. Funds are also
maintained for workers’ compensation claims and debt service payments. The Facility and
Technology Expansion Fund represents funds designated for specific projects associated with
expanded services and technologies.

One important measure of the agency’s financial capacity is the “unassigned fund balance” in
the general fund that is available in each year of the plan for sustainability and expansion.
These are funds accessible for additional service, new initiatives, programs and projects after
fully funding current operating and capital obligations and required reserves.

The following graphic, Figure 8-2, summarizes Community Transit’s projected ending cash
balances by year:

FIGURE 8-2

64
The following summarizes specific requirements for a selection of the reserves below:

Reserve Fund Purpose

Operating Six months’ capacity for all agency operating expenses, exclusive of Sound
Transit service, and a $5 million fuel reserve to cover increases in the cost of
fuel above budget.

Vehicle The locally-funded portion of costs to replace both vehicles for revenue
Replacement service and support. The balance in this fund is based on a calculation of the
anticipated lifespan of each vehicle, the forecast replacement cost at end-
of-life and the planned local funding share of that replacement cost.
Agency targets for local funding share of each vehicle type are: 20% for bus,
100% for vanpool and DART paratransit, 100% for support vehicles.

Infrastructure Reserve to fund facility preservation projects. One-year need estimated at

Preservation 1.5 percent of the total replacement cost of all facility/system/technology
assets, excluding vehicles. Reserve balance target is equal to estimate for
current year and three subsequent years (four years total). Added a $10
million reserve fund for technology preservation.

Facility & The Facility and Technology Expansion Fund includes capital funding
Technology designated for specific projects related to service or technology expansion.
(IT) Projects This includes expanding the Swift BRT network, operating base expansion,
the wireless communications system, Next Generation ORCA, innovative
initiatives etc.

In 2012, Community Transit hired the accounting firm Moss Adams to conduct a review of its
reserves. The report and recommendations dated October 1, 2012 were implemented in the
budget and Transit Development Plan. In 2020, Community Transit staff initiated a new reserve
study to re-assess the appropriateness of the current reserves and evaluate the level of
reserves needed by Community Transit. The study, which is being conducted by Government
Finance Officers Association, is nearly complete and will likely inform the 2022 Budget and next
year’s Transit Development Plan. This study will include updated, risk-based recommendations
and will contain a model to calculate a fuel reserve.

For the 2021-2026 Transit Development Plan, additional reserves have been added. These
include:

65
 • A $50 million contingency for the infrastructure and vehicles that would be required
if/when Community Transit adopts Zero Emissions Vehicles technology.
• A $100 million reserve to address service quality, innovation and sustainability.
• A $10 million preservation reserve for Information Technology Replacement. This
amount will be updated in the future, based on the findings of the IT Asset
Management Study.
• An increase in operating reserves from two months operating expenses to six months.
• The reinstatement of the $5 million fuel reserve.
• Adjust the Workers Compensation reserve back to $5 million to reflect increased future
hiring of employees, which has an impact on claims reserves required as per actuarial
calculations.

The following table illustrates current and forecast reserve targets:

Reserve Funds 2020 2021

(in millions) Actuals Budget 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026
Operating Reserve 22.5 73.8 74.3 81.3 89.0 95.6 101.6
Fuel Reserve - 5.0 5.2 5.3 5.5 5.7 5.9
Vehicle Replacement 44.7 42.5 42.3 43.9 46.1 46.6 47.1
Preservation Reserves: 21.9
Infrastructure Preservation 21.9 17.0 16.9 16.9 16.9 16.9
Technology Preservation1 10.0 10.0 10.0 10.0 10.0
Workers Compensation 4.5 4.5 4.7 5.0 5.2 5.5 5.7
Debt Service 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6
Total Reserves 94.2 148.3 154.1 163.0 173.3 180.9 187.8
One-time Investments
Facilities and Technology
Expansion 71.1 15.0 32.8 18.8 4.8
Bus Stop Program2 10.0 9.0 8.0 7.0 6.0
Zero-Emissions Vehicles &
Infrastructure2 50.0 45.0 40.0 35.0 30.0
Service Quality, Innovation &
Sustainability2 50.0 100.0 80.0 60.0 40.0
TABLE 8-6
1
In order to manage upcoming technology preservation projects, establish a $10 million reserve fund
that would be maintained. The estimated annual expenditure is $3 million, subject to change based on
the IT Asset Management Study in 2021-2022.
2
One-time budget expenditures allocated to these projects will be refined in the next two years, based
on further studies. The expenditure estimates by year may change.

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Appendix A:
Environmental Determination

WAC 197-11-970 Environmental Determination:

Determination of Non-Significance (DNS)

Project Title & Description of proposal:

Community Transit 2021 6-Year Transit Development Plan (TDP).

The TDP provides a framework describing annual growth in hours of transit services as well as the vehicles,
personnel and facilities required to support this growth. The plan also gives an overview of new service
priorities through 2026, new initiatives and updates the financial plan. Some highlights from the plan
include:

• 2020 accomplishments: ridership, service improvements, fleet, employment, etc.

• Priorities for 2021-2026:
o Expansion of Community Transit’s Swift Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) network.
o Integration with Sound Transit’s Link light rail and Stride Bus Rapid Transit (BRT).
• Extends the planning horizon for the service and capital plan through 2026.
• Due to updated revenue forecasts and one-time federal funding relief funds, this plan
includes financial modeling that allows service growth:
➢ The operation of 550,000 bus service hours by 2026, and DART paratransit and
vanpool service to meet customer demand.
➢ Fully fund vehicle replacement to maintain to maintain fleets in a state of good
repair.
➢ Update all financial information, beginning with year-end 2020 information, and
including all reserves.

A copy of the complete DRAFT 2021 6-Year TDP is available on Community Transit’s website at
www.communitytransit.com, under the “Projects” tab.

Proponent:
Snohomish County Public Transportation Benefit Area Corporation
aka Community Transit
Thomas Tumola, Manager of Planning
7100 Hardeson Road
Everett, WA 98203

Location of proposal, including street address, if any:

Community Transit’s public transportation benefit area (PTBA) in Snohomish County, Washington. The
PTBA includes all municipalities in Snohomish County, with the exception of the City of Everett, and
portions of unincorporated Snohomish County.
Lead Agency: Community Transit

Threshold Determination:
The lead agency for this proposal has determined that the proposal does not have a probable significant
adverse environmental impact on the environment. An environmental impact statement (EIS) is not
required under RCW 43.21C.030(2)(c). This decision was made after a review of the completed
environmental checklist and other information on file with Community Transit. This information is
available to the public upon request.

This Determination of Non-significance (DNS) is issued under WAC 197-11-340(2) and Community
Transit’s SEPA rules (Resolution 3-05). The lead agency will not act on this proposal for 14 days from the
date of issue. Comments must be submitted no later than 14 days after date of issue, by 5:00 p.m., July
16, 2021. Comments should be submitted to the responsible official at the address given below. The
responsible official will reconsider the DNS based on timely comments and may retain, modify, or, if
significant adverse impacts are likely, withdraw the DNS. If the DNS is retained, it will be final after the
expiration of the comment deadline.
Responsible Official: Roland Behee
Position/Title: Director of Planning and Development, Community Transit
Telephone: (425) 348-7100
Address: Community Transit
7100 Hardeson Road, Everett, WA 98203
Appeals to this determination may be made to the above responsible official no later than 14 calendar
days from the date of issuance of this DNS (July 16, 2021) by submitting a written statement requesting
an appeal, setting forth the information required by Community Transit’s SEPA rules (Resolution 3-05),
and paying the required fee. Those appealing should be prepared to make specific factual objections.
Contact the responsible official to read or ask about the procedures for SEPA appeals.

Auxiliary aids and services and communication materials in accessible format can be arranged with
sufficient notice by calling (425) 348-7100.

Date of Issue: July 1, 2021 Signature:

___________________________________________
Roland Behee, Director of Planning & Development
Appendix B:
Public Comments
Public Comment Period for the Draft TDP is July 1, 2021 – August 5, 2021
Public Hearing: August 5, 2021

2021-2026 TRANSIT DEVELOPMENT PLAN

Appendix C:
Fuel Consumption and Accident Data
2020 Fuel Consumption (as reported to NTD)
Gallons of Diesel Fuel Gallons of Unleaded Gasoline
(5% Bio Diesel)
Bus 3,238,405
Vanpool 105,525
Paratransit 119,301
Support Vehicles 81,708

2020 Accident Data (as reported to NTD)

Fatalities Collisions Reportable Injuries
Bus 0 12 17
Vanpool 0 5 3
DART Paratransit 0 3 3

2021-2026 TRANSIT DEVELOPMENT PLAN