City
Community Transit Outlines Cuts; Still No Sunday Service
Community Transit, which serves Snohomish County, adopted a "hybrid" service alternative yesterday that eliminates eight routes entirely, eliminates all bus service on Sundays, and revises (in most cases, shortens or reroutes) another dozen routes.
Routes 118, 121, 131, 190, 221, 271, 275, and 401 will be eliminated entirely. Routes 112, 113, 115, 116, 119, 130, 201, 202, 222, 240, 270, 280, and several other routes will be revised or cut.
Community Transit had to make the cuts to fill a $12 million 2012 budget shortfall. The cuts come on the heels of earlier service reductions this year and in 2010, when the agency eliminated Sunday service, cut commuter service, eliminated local routes, and cut early-morning and late-night trips. Last year, the state legislature opted not to give the county the authority to pass a $20 vehicle license fee to preserve transit service; King County, the only county that received the authority to pass the fee, voted to do so last month.
The legislature is expected to discuss and possibly pass a comprehensive transportation package when it meets next year. That could include giving Community Transit---along with other transit agencies including Pierce Transit, which has also made dramatic cuts---the authority to raise revenue to restore service.
Community Transit has more details about the service changes on its web site.
Routes 118, 121, 131, 190, 221, 271, 275, and 401 will be eliminated entirely. Routes 112, 113, 115, 116, 119, 130, 201, 202, 222, 240, 270, 280, and several other routes will be revised or cut.
Community Transit had to make the cuts to fill a $12 million 2012 budget shortfall. The cuts come on the heels of earlier service reductions this year and in 2010, when the agency eliminated Sunday service, cut commuter service, eliminated local routes, and cut early-morning and late-night trips. Last year, the state legislature opted not to give the county the authority to pass a $20 vehicle license fee to preserve transit service; King County, the only county that received the authority to pass the fee, voted to do so last month.
The legislature is expected to discuss and possibly pass a comprehensive transportation package when it meets next year. That could include giving Community Transit---along with other transit agencies including Pierce Transit, which has also made dramatic cuts---the authority to raise revenue to restore service.
Community Transit has more details about the service changes on its web site.
