Fares return to Swift, Service changes to arrive in July
As employees return to work, Community Transit is adjusting service and is returning to collecting fares on a few routes.
Community Transit began collecting fares for Swift Blue and Swift Green bus rapid transit lines Monday, June 1. Unlike other Community Transit bus routes, Swift riders pay fares at Swift stations, not at the front of the bus.
Fares on all other Community Transit buses will remain suspended for the month of June, with a plan to restore fare collection in the coming months based on updated safety measures.
Mountlake Terrace Freeway Station to close for five months beginning in July
Community Transit and Sound Transit will close the freeway station at the Mountlake Terrace Transit Center starting July 6 through late November. The nearly five-month closure is needed to facilitate construction of the Link light rail extension north to Lynnwood.
Community Transit Routes 410, 413, 415, 435 and Sound Transit Routes 511, 512 and 513 will not serve the Mountlake Terrace Transit Center during this time. While the freeway station is closed, riders can continue to use the transit center’s parking garage.
Just announced! Swift Blue Line will connect with Link light rail in 2024
Community Transit recently announced its preferred route to connect the Swift Blue Line bus rapid transit service with Sound Transit’s Link light rail in Shoreline, in 2024. The proposed alignment via 200th St., Meridian Ave., and 185th St. would continue to use the Aurora Village Transit Center on its way to connect to light rail.
In February, Community Transit conducted an online survey and community outreach effort to gather feedback from customers and the public. The survey presented three possible extension routes to connect the Swift Blue Line to the 185th St. light rail station at Interstate 5, as well as other possible upgrades to the Blue Line corridor.
For information about fares and service changes, please see our latest News.
Around the Region
Sound Transit Restarts Service and Re-introduces Fares
Sound Transit has temporarily reduced Recovery Fares in response to the economic impact of the pandemic as the agency re-introduces fares on Link light rail and Sounder. Service on Link has also increased, with trains running every 20 minutes during the day until after the p.m. peak. Link will continue to run every 30 minutes during evenings and on weekends.
The fare of $1 on Link and $2 on Sounder will be available from ticket vending machines through June 30.
King County Metro goes to Flat Fare
After receiving responses from two separate surveys, King County Metro is moving to a new simple single fare of $2.75 for all regular adult fare passengers July 1. Riders will no longer pay additional surcharges for zones or travel during peak commute hours.
Trainings & Events
June 17-18: RideshareOnline.com Trainings hosted by King County Metro
June 17, 10-11:30 am: RideshareOnline.com Basic Training
(2 hours Advanced Training credit)
June 18, 10-11:30 a.m.: RideshareOnline.com Incentive Management
(2 hours Advanced Training credit)
Please Note:
1. If you are planning to attend, please also RSVP to CTR@commtrans.org.
2. The introductory ETC training for RideshareOnline.com must be completed before attending the Incentive Management training.
3. Prior to orientation, trainees should visit www.RideshareOnline.com, and:
4. Create an account.
5. Create a trip.
6. Record trips for the previous week on the commute calendar.
7. Determine what incentives are available to you..
8. Find possible rideshare matches for your trip.
June 24, 1-2 p.m. ETC Networking Meeting Online
(1 hour Advanced Training credit)
Community Transit will host this quarter’s networking meeting virtually. The agenda is still being set but will include opportunities to share ideas with your fellow ETCs, get important program updates and have some fun.
RSVP to CTR@commtrans.org.
June 30, 1-2 p.m.: New Employees - Onboarding Best Practices and Info Share
(1 hour Advanced Training credit)
This webinar will cover tips for new hires and influencing behavior change. When habits change as they have over the past several months, now is a good time to reconsider all employees as new employees in terms of transportation options. As we head back to our offices, we can create new approaches to presenting transportation information. There will be time to brainstorm and share your onboarding practices with each other.
RSVP to CTR@commtrans.org.
Recorded Webinars and Trainings Online Anytime
You can watch recorded trainings on our ETC Resources page and complete the ETC Webinar Survey to get advanced training credit hours.
In addition, here is an external webinar we recommend:
Bike (Back) to Work: How to Motivate Employees to Ride Now and When Offices Re-Open presented by Bikes Make Life Better
(1 hour Advanced Training credit)
Don’t forget to fill out an ETC Webinar Survey to get advanced training credit.
Creativity driving today's Vanpools
Community Transit’s Vanpool program has long been a much in-demand service with top-notch customer satisfaction ratings and a waiting list for vans. The Vanpool program allows a group of 5+ workers to share their commute in a Community Transit van — with the monthly rate per person covering the cost of the van, insurance, gas and maintenance.
With the changing commuting environment right now, Community Transit has responded by easing requirements for the minimum number of riders needed to start and maintain a Vanpool from five to two. This allows additional flexibility for non-traditional work schedules and extra room for social distancing. This is an especially great solution if your employer provides transportation subsidies that cover vanpool costs.
This is a unique opportunity for your employees to join an existing vanpool or start a new one, with vans in inventory and ready to go. Our Vanpool team is available to assist any employees who may be interested. For more information please reach out to CT Vanpool.
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