EVERETT — Combining the city’s Everett Transit bus system into the region’s Community Transit system would yield more routes in Everett, later service hours and shorter bus wait times, leaders from both systems presented last week.
Presentations last week showed the culmination of studying since the last decade if consolidation makes sense.
Everett Transit currently operates 10 bus routes, of which three are on routes that stop at intervals of 30 minutes or better, and three operate to 9 p.m. or later.
The consolidated map suggests 15 bus routes inside Everett, of which 14 would be on routes that stop at intervals of 30 minutes or better, and all 15 would operate to 9 p.m. or later. Some Everett routes would run to destinations such as Lynnwood’s future light rail station.
Shorter intervals between buses increases ridership, and the plan’s architects see nine p.m. as a key time buses should be running at the earliest, Community Transit’s chief operating officer Roland Beehee said.
The situation is Everett Transit doesn’t have the money to grow its service at the speed the public wants, Everett Transit’s director Tom Hingson outlined last week.
“A consolidated system would be better able to provide more services in the city of Everett” versus Everett Transit trying to grow its service levels on its own, he told the Everett City Council.
Everett Transit is governed by the city but runs financially independent. Everett Transit levies a 0.6 percent sales tax. Community Transit, too, uses sales tax. Its rate is 1.2 percent.
If it’s decided to proceed, requiring a ballot measure, Everett voters inside city limits would be the only ones to have the final say.
The agencies aren’t rushing.
“Expect a long and robust period for input” before any requests to make decisions are made, Hingson said.
