Community Transit plans to add back some trips in the fall, but the increase would be only 5 percent of the service that was cut after the recession in 2010 and 2012.
More trips serving key points such as the Alderwood mall, Edmonds Community College and park-and-ride lots are among the additions, scheduled to take effect Sept. 29.
The restored service is a prelude to plans in 2015 to add back another 15 percent of the service that was cut previously, spokesman Martin Munguia said. Those additions have yet to be determined.
The bus agency, which serves Snohomish County outside of Everett, receives about 70 percent of its operating funds from sales tax dollars. Those funds plummeted during the recession that began in 2008, but in the past couple of years revenue has been rebounding, officials said.
This fall, in some cases, Community Transit will add trips to existing routes.
For example, on route 130, frequency will be increased from every 60 minutes to every 30 minutes during midday hours between the Edmonds train station on the waterfront and the Lynnwood park-and-ride lot via Aurora Village and Mountlake Terrace.
More-frequent trips are being added on routes 201 and 202 between the Smokey Point and Lynnwood park-and-ride lots, via Marysville, Everett and the Mariner and Ash Way commuter lots. This will add 23 trips per day and improve connections with east-west routes, according to Community Transit.
Route 120, which has been carrying riders between Canyon Park in Bothell and the Lynnwood park-and-ride, is to be extended west to serve Edmonds Community College, Munguia said.
Route 113 is being restored to the original course from Mukilteo to the Lynnwood park-and-ride. The modified, truncated version took riders to Ash Way, where they had to transfer to get to Lynnwood.
“A lot of people complained about that,” Munguia said.
In 2010 and 2012, Community Transit cut 37 percent of its service and laid off 203 employees, including about 150 drivers, he said. Now the agency is hiring again.
“We’re doing a heavy recruitment,” Munguia said. “We need about 50 drivers for this year and next year.”
People may apply at tinyurl.com/3esv8bw.
Staff members plan to visit park-and-ride lots and Edmonds Community College in coming weeks to answer questions about service changes. For the schedule, go to tinyurl.com/lb8cjrq.
Bill Sheets: 425-339-3439; bsheets@heraldnet.com.
Public hearing
A public hearing on Community Transit’s fall service additions is scheduled for 3 p.m. May 1 at Community Transit headquarters, 7100 Hardeson Road in Everett. It’s accessible for bus riders via Everett Transit route 8. Comments will be accepted in writing and by phone through May 2. Write to servicechange@commtrans.org, call 425-353-RIDE (7433) or send a letter to Community Transit, 7100 Hardeson Rd, Everett 98203.
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