Community Transit Cuts

Board Selects Hybrid Service Alternative
Plan to cut 20 percent of service in 2012 has most commuter routing remaining same, new local routing planned

Snohomish County, Wash. – In 2012, Community Transit’s commuter service will maintain much of its current routing with fewer trips, while local service will be restructured to serve higher ridership corridors. This afternoon, the agency’s Board of Directors voted 6-3 to approve a plan to cut Community Transit bus service 20 percent effective Feb. 20, 2012.

After a summer-long public comment process that included reviews of four proposed service plans, the board chose the so-called Hybrid Alternative, which combines the commuter routing proposed in Alternative I with the local routing of Alternative III, with some modifications. The board did not restore service on Sundays or major holidays.

Snohomish County Councilmember Dave Gossett, Lynnwood Councilmember Ted Hikel, Mountlake Terrace Mayor Jerry Smith, Snohomish County Councilmember Dave Somers, Mill Creek Mayor Mike Todd and Stanwood Mayor Dianne White voted in favor of the plan. It was opposed by Mukilteo Mayor Joe Marine, Marysville Mayor Jon Nehring and Gold Bar City Councilmember Steve Slawson.

Descriptions of the plan are available on the agency’s website, and the agency’s blog.

This fall, Community Transit will develop maps and schedules for each of the routes and will launch a public education effort early in 2012. While no specific trip times are available yet, what is known is there will be fewer trips on almost every route, bus frequency will be decreased and the buses will end service between 10 and 11 p.m. on weekdays. Currently the last weekday route finishes at about 1 a.m.

“It’s never easy to cut service because of the impacts on so many lives,” Gossett said. “We listened to the public’s input on this issue, and that guided our decision.”

The board looked at four alternatives – three that were presented to the public in June, and the Hybrid Alternative that was developed at the board’s direction after the initial public comment period on the original three alternatives closed in mid-July.

With the decision, Community Transit will cut about 20 percent of its service starting Feb. 20, 2012. The agency will save about $12 million with the service reductions. The number of jobs that will be eliminated has yet to be determined.

The service cuts are necessary because Community Transit’s sales tax revenue has fallen by more than 20 percent from the level it received in 2007, the last pre-recession year. Meanwhile, operating expenses such as fuel, supplies and labor costs have continued rise.

Community Transit Public Hearing

Agency Proposes 25-Cent Fare Increase, Service Cuts and Suspensions

January 8, 2010

Ongoing recession impacts drive need to close $11 million budget gap

Snohomish County, Wash. - For the third year in a row, Community Transit has had to make cuts to its budget because of lower revenues due to the economic recession. The agency cut about $14 million in staff, training and marketing over the past two years that did not impact customers. For 2010, the agency is proposing a major cut in service, as well as a fare increase for local bus and DART paratransit customers, that would take effect in June.

Service cuts and suspensions
Nearly all of Community Transit’s 64 local and commuter bus routes would be affected in an effort to eliminate service that is duplicated by other providers, streamline routes and make existing service more efficient. The agency is also proposing to suspend all service on Sundays and major holidays, including DART paratransit service and Swift bus rapid transit. By closing its base on these lower ridership days, the agency achieves 47 percent of the proposal’s savings with only 35 percent of total service hours cut and an impact to fewer customers.

Combined, these proposed service cuts and suspensions would save the agency $5 million in the second half of 2010 and $11 million in 2011.

Fare increase
The proposed fare increase would raise local bus and DART fares by 25 cents for all fare categories: youth, adult and reduced fare (senior/disabled/Medicare). Even with the proposed fare increase, Community Transit’s local bus fares would be comparable with other local transit fares in the region. The proposed fare increase would raise about $250,000 in the second half of 2010 and $500,000 in 2011.

“This is an unavoidable situation and we’ve held off as long as we could, but like most other businesses we’ve been hard hit by the economy and it’s now impacting our customers,” said CEO Joyce Eleanor.

Route-by-route details of the proposal are posted online and available on buses. A video featuring CEO Joyce Eleanor that outlines the agency’s economic situation and provides information on the proposals also is posted on the agency’s website, as well as on YouTube and Facebook.

“I realize that some people depend on Sunday and holiday transit service, but without this move we would need to propose deeper cuts to service every other day when even more people would be impacted,” said Eleanor. “This is a service suspension and we will make these cuts the highest priority to be restored as soon as the agency can financially do so.”

Eleanor and staff will host five community meetings throughout January at which details of the proposal will be shared, and riders and members of the public can ask questions.

On Feb. 4, the Community Transit Board of Directors will hold a public hearing on the proposal at its regular monthly meeting, at 3 p.m. in the Community Transit Board Room, 7100 Hardeson Road, Everett. The board is expected to take action on the proposal on March 4. If approved, the fare increase would go into effect on June 1 and service cuts on June 13.

Community Transit Cuts

Dear Bridge Staff and Friends and Advocates for the Disabled,

These service cuts eliminate Sunday transportation - to Church, Family, and Community social activities for many of the people we serve.

See full text from the Community Transit web site below... or go to http://www.communitytransit.org/News/New.cfm?id=1368

If you find this as unacceptable as we do please attend the public hearing. On Feb. 4, the Community Transit Board of Directors will hold a public hearing on the proposal at its regular monthly meeting, at 3 p.m. in the Community Transit Board Room, 7100 Hardeson Road, Everett.

If you would like to coordinate, collaborate and combine our voices please call or e-mail reply to me.

“When you give a banquet or reception, invite the poor, the disabled, the lame, and the blind.

Then you will be blessed” Luke 14: 13-14

Best Regards & Prayers for those we are blessed to Serve,

Jack Staudt

Executive Director - Bridge Disability Ministries - www.bridgemin.org