1996 Summary Public Transportation Systems in Washington State September 1997 This publication was prepared by the Public Transportation and Rail Division with partial financial assistance through a grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Transit Administration, under the Federal Transit Act of 1991. 1996 Summary Public Transportation Systems in Washington State September 1997 This report can be read and downloaded in part or in its entirety from the website of the Washington State Department of Transportation, Public Transportation and Rail Division: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/pubtran/industry/publications.htm This publication was prepared by the Public Transportation and Rail Division with partial financial assistance through a grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Transit Administration, under the Federal Transit Act of 1991. Contents 1 Introduction 3 State Policies and Objectives for Public Transportation 5 About This Summary 7 Statewide Highlights 11 System Totals 15 Ben Franklin Transit 19 Clallam Transit System 23 C-TRAN (Clark County) 27 Community Transit (Snohomish County) 33 Cowlitz Transit Authority (Community Urban Bus Service) 37 Everett Transit 41 Grant Transit Authority 43 Grays Harbor Transportation Authority 47 Intercity Transit (Thurston County) 51 Island Transit 55 Jefferson Transit Authority 59 King County Department of Transportation (Metro Transit Division) 65 Kitsap Transit 69 Link (Chelan-Douglas Counties) 73 Mason County Transportation Authority 77 Pacific Transit System 81 Pierce Transit 87 Prosser Rural Transit (Benton County) 91 Pullman Transit (Whitman County) 95 Regional Transit Authority 99 Skagit Transit Authority 103 Spokane Transit Authority 109 Twin Transit (Lewis County) 113 Valley Transit (Walla Walla County) 117 Whatcom Transportation Authority 121 Yakima Transit 125 Washington State Ferries 131 High Capacity and Demand Management Transportation Programs 135 Other Transportation Programs 141 Glossary of Public Transportation Terms 145 Statewide Operating Statistics — 1996 149 Statewide Financial Summary GC9704-413/350 i ii Introduction Purpose public transportation service in the cities and New Systems in 1996 The Washington State Department of suburbs. The Interstate highway system Local voters authorized funding for two new Transportation (WSDOT) prepares the annual permitted faster intercity service. Private transit systems in November 1996: the transit statistical summary. The intent for this intercity bus carriers steadily reduced service Regional Transit Authority for the urbanized summary, required by Section 35.58.2796 to␣ the more remote areas of the state. areas of King, Pierce, and Snohomish RCW, is to provide uniform data to transit In some instances, cities responded Counties, and Grant Transit Authority for the providers, the Legislative Transportation immediately — using new public public transportation benefit area including Committee, and local and regional transportation taxing authority — sometimes most of␣ Grant County. There were no new governments. The summary contains contracting with the private sector. Public areas annexed to any public transportation narratives describing each transit agency’s transportation service disappeared in other benefit areas this year. operating characteristics and services, locales. Private nonprofit organizations filled highlighting their achievements in 1996, these voids, serving the elderly, persons with Public Transportation outlining their objectives for 1997, and mental disabilities, and persons with low and␣ Rail Division identifying elements of their transit incomes. They pioneered a new method of development plans. WSDOT’s Public service using smaller vehicles: dial-a-ride, The role of the Public Transportation and Rail Transportation Office compiled the statistics also␣ known as paratransit. Division is to implement and help update the from numerical data provided by the policy statements associated with personal Meanwhile, local governments persuaded individual␣ agencies. mobility in WSDOT’s Washington’s the␣ Washington State Legislature to enable Transportation Plan. This includes advocating special purpose districts to provide public for increased funding and coordination Background transportation. The state legislature authorized associated with public transportation at the The extent and nature of public transportation metropolitan municipal corporations in 1969, state and federal levels of government. services have changed since the Washington county transportation authorities in 1974, and public transportation benefit areas in 1975. State Legislature authorized cities to levy a Federal Funding household tax in 1965. Public transportation benefit areas appeared Congress authorized federal funding for public There were few cities providing public and expanded most coincidentally with the decline or loss of federal and state funding transportation projects in the Intermodal transportation in 1965. Cities were the only Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) governments operating public transportation for␣ transporting elderly, persons with mental disabilities, and persons with low incomes. through October 1997. Congress made the services; these operated along fixed routes. last annual appropriation of ISTEA funding in Private bus companies provided public Interest in more regional public transportation services increased with population growth. September 1996 for the federal fiscal year transportation in a number of cities and beginning October 1996. Congress will need regionally out of Seattle. Private intercity There were 24 local governmental public to renew authorization for federal funding in bus␣ carriers provided service along most transportation systems in 1996␣ — 18 of 1997, or it will lapse. state␣ highways. which are public transportation benefit areas. As costs increased, farebox revenues failed There were other passenger transportation to␣ keep up and subsidies did not appear. The services, such as intercity passenger rail, high private bus companies gradually abandoned capacity transit, Washington State Ferries, and transportation for persons with special needs. 1 2 State Policies and Objectives for␣ Public Transportation In 1992, the Washington State Legislature State Definition of directed WSDOT to define public transportation Public␣ Transportation to develop a comprehensive public A publicly supported system of services and transportation plan. The plan would identify facilities that provides an alternative to the state policies and objectives for public single occupant automobile and enhances transportation. The 1993 enactment of mobility, environmental quality, and Chapter␣ 47.06 RCW further strengthened this appropriate land use patterns. Such systems mandate. It requires a public transportation may include any combination of services, plan as an element of the multimodal, facilities, and infrastructure related to transit, Washington’s Transportation Plan. paratransit, ridesharing, intercity bus, airport Also in 1992, the State Transportation shuttles, passenger rail, ferries, pupil Commission developed and adopted transportation, high capacity transit, a␣ definition of public transportation. transportation demand management, people Subsequently, WSDOT created a series movers, bicycle, and pedestrian programs. of␣ policy service objectives to guide future public transportation development. Washington State Public Transportation Transit Authorities Legend Transit Systems Blaine Oroville Northport Lynden Regional Systems 5 10 City Systems Bellingham Republic PTBAs that have been formed Friday Sedro Woolley and are pending local voter Harbor Colville approval for funding. Anacortes Mount Vernon Omak 11 Chewelah Newport Oak Harbor 1 Clallam Transit Port 5 Arlington 97 Townsend Stanwood 13 395 2 2 Jefferson Transit Authority 1 Marysville 3 Mason County Transportation Authority Forks Port Angeles 12 Sequim Everett Coulee Dam 4 Grays Harbor Transportation Authority Monroe Deer Park 101 Mukilteo 14 Chelan 5 Intercity Transit (Thurston County) Poulsbo Edmonds Davenport 6 Twin Transit (Lewis County) 2 2 18 97 Waterville 2 7 Pacific Transit System Bainbridge Island Wilbur Bellevue 16 Spokane 8 Cowlitz Transit Authority (Longview/Kelso) Bremerton East Wenatchee North Bend 9 C-TRAN (Clark County) 15 Seattle Leavenworth Ephrata Cheney 23 10 Whatcom Transportation Authority 101 SeaTac Wenatchee 90 11 Skagit Transit Authority 3 Auburn 97 4 Shelton Tacoma 90 12 Island Transit Enumclaw Quincy 195 Olympia Federal 90 Ritzville 13 Community Transit (Snohomish County) Elma 17 Cle Elum Moses Lake Hoquiam Way 14 Everett Transit Tumwater Lacey 25 Aberdeen Ellensburg Colfax 15 Kitsap Transit 5 Othello 12 24 16 King County Department of Metropolitan Raymond 82 Pullman Services (Metro Transit) South Bend Centralia Selah 395 17 Pierce Transit 101 Chehalis Morton 12 Yakima 18 Link (Chelan-Douglas Counties) 6 Connell 12 7 19 Yakima Transit Long 19 Clarkston 5 21 Dayton 20 Prosser Rural Transit (Benton County) Beach Castle Sunnyside Asotin Rock Toppenish Richland Pasco 21 Ben Franklin Transit (Benton-Franklin Cathlamet Kelso 22 Prescott Counties) Longview Prosser Kennewick 12 Walla Walla 22 Valley Transit (Walla Walla County) 8 97 20 January 1997 23 Spokane Transit Authority Woodland Bingen / Battle Ground 82 24 Pullman Transit 9701-133 8/97 White Goldendale City Population 9 Stevenson Salmon 25 Grant Transit Authority Camas N 10,000 and Over Vancouver Wishram 10,000 and Under Washougal