The Route Ahead | December 2019 | Community Transit News from CEO Emmett Heath

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December 2019 |  Community Transit News from CEO Emmett Heath

Dave Earling

CEO Emmett Heath thanked Edmonds Mayor Dave Earling for his combined 20 years of service on the board, including two terms as chair.

Earling Leaves Community Transit Board After 20 Years of Service

Community Transit said thanks and goodbye to longtime board member Edmonds Mayor Dave Earling this month. On Dec. 5, at Earling’s last meeting of the Community Transit Board of Directors, Community Transit CEO Emmett Heath awarded Earling with a special plaque and shared fond memories and thanks for his service.

Earling served two stints on the Community Transit Board, from 1992-2003 and 2012-2019. He was board chair twice, in 1999 and 2019.

Earling reflected on his time serving the Community Transit Board by stressing the importance of this work. Link to video:  https://vimeo.com/378901338


Community Transit Bus

Community Transit's 2020 Budget Projects 5% Increase in Service

This month the Community Transit Board of Directors approved the agency’s 2020 budget. The budget will increase service 5% in 2020 as the agency expands bus service for Snohomish County residents.

The agency's 2020 budget includes a base expansion and continued development for Swift Orange Line project.

To learn more about the agency's 2020 budget, visit: www.communitytransit.org/budget.


Swift 15M Rider

Swift Serves its 15 Millionth Rider

Just a week after its 10-year anniversary, Community Transit’s Swift bus rapid transit service transported its
15 millionth rider.

Abbas Razaghzadeh was designated the 15 millionth person to ride Swift as he rode the Swift Blue Line to Crossroads Station in Lynnwood this morning. The calculation was made by Community Transit’s data analysts, who track bus ridership numbers every month.

“I ride Swift five days a week and take buses everywhere I go,” said Razaghzadeh, a vision-impaired rider who travels with his service dog Rocky.

Razaghzadeh received a Swift prize pack containing an umbrella, Oxy Gene bobble head, canvas bag and two tickets to an Everett Silvertips hockey game. He also was given a Swift Green Line commemorative ORCA card with $50 preloaded fare.

To read the full news release, visit: www.communitytransit.org/news


Marathon runners

4 Community Transit Employees Run Marathon Together

After training together for months, four employees ran the 50th Anniversary Seattle Marathon on Dec. 1.

“I decided to run it because my 50th birthday was a few days later,” said Coach Operator Instructor Tamara Smith.

Smith is a veteran runner, currently training for a 100-mile race on Dec. 30. Smith’s husband Don ran with her that day, his fourth marathon, but it was a first for fellow coach operator Robert Gaines.

Dispatcher Jessica Greene just started running this year, but had already completed several 5ks and a half triathlon. She powered through “a brick wall” to finish Seattle Marathon’s half-marathon.

Jessica has advice for anyone thinking about making changes in their life: “Don’t be afraid of failure -- be afraid of being in the same place a year from now that you are in today.”


If you have any questions, please email TheRouteAhead@commtrans.org.

    Emmett Heath, CEO
    Community Transit