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Community Transit's Monthly Newsletter January 2021 |
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Gambian Talent Promotions representative dangles the keys to the Van GO vehicle.
Twelve 15-passenger surplus vans, otherwise earmarked for auction, were awarded in November to 12 local nonprofit organizations who answered a call to enhance their service. The vans were awarded at the Nov. 5 Community Transit Board of Directors virtual meeting through the agency’s Van GO vehicle grant program.
The process for award recipients to receive their Van GO vehicles was a bit different this year to help keep recipients and our employees healthy and safe. Rather than have the recipients arrive at once and celebrate, as was done in previous years, recipients were provided set appointment times to sign paperwork, take safely distanced photos, and receive their Van GO vehicles. Even though things were different this year, we still found a way to support and celebrate the amazing work that is happening in many communities throughout Snohomish County, safely.
The vehicles, originally part of Community Transit’s vanpool fleet, will be used to improve access to transportation and strengthen connections in local communities. Recipients were chosen through a competitive process based on how they propose to use the vehicles to serve their communities.
More information about the Van GO program is online at bit.ly/VanGO2020News.
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When the “unplanned” happens, we have a service plan
As a public transit provider for more than 40 years, we like to think we are well-versed in handling unexpected service interruptions: snow, traffic, construction, and the occasional mechanical breakdown. Our customers need to know what is going on so they can make sound commuting decisions.
The arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic brought a new level of “interruption,” making us look at how we respond to planned and unplanned events. We talked to key staffers across the agency, got the details, and share what we learned on our blog.
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ORCA Card fee waived through Feb. 28
To encourage contact-free payment and improve access to transit service, all ORCA transit agencies including Community Transit are waiving the $5 fee for new adult and youth cards through February 28, 2021.
The ORCA card can be used on Community Transit bus service and on all other major public transportation serving King, Kitsap, Pierce, and Snohomish counties. With ORCA, customers can just tap and go — no need to handle cash and change when paying to ride the bus. ORCA also makes it simpler if riders transfer to another bus — riders simply tap their ORCA card each time they get on a bus and get a two-hour transfer.
Community Transit offers different types of ORCA cards and several fares, some at reduced rates. We also offer a reduced fare for income-eligible residents through the ORCA LIFT program.
For more information on ORCA and the current promotion, please visit our blog.
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Sound Transit construction includes I-5 nighttime closure
Work on Link light rail near the Mountlake Terrace Transit Center continues. A full closure of northbound I-5 lanes will take place overnight this weekend as work is being done on structural supports for the light rail bridge crossing the freeway.
Northbound I-5 lane closures will take place:
- Friday night, Jan. 22 through Saturday morning, Jan. 23, 11 p.m. – 6 a.m.
- Saturday night, Jan. 23 through Sunday morning, Jan. 24, 11 p.m. – 6:30 a.m.
- Sunday night, Jan. 24 through Monday morning, Jan. 25, 11 p.m. - 4 a.m.
While the freeway closure will only take place at night, the northbound Mountlake Terrace Freeway Station will be closed all weekend, affecting service on Route 512. Please visit https://www.communitytransit.org/linkconstruction for more information on service impacts.
Looking ahead, the local service bus loop at the Mountlake Terrace Transit Center will be moved several hundred feet to the east in late February to accommodate light rail construction. More information on that change will be posted on Community Transit’s website soon.
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Reminder: Wear your mask, keep your (social) distance
Until the day everyone is vaccinated and health and government entities say all the public entities are safe, please continue to help us keep public transit safer for everyone by:
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Wearing a mask. Please wear it in your vanpool, on the bus, on DART paratransit service, at bus stops, and at park & rides.
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Practicing social distancing. Get 6-feet of distance between you and others. Please be aware of seats that are roped off to encourage social distancing on board.
For additional tips, specific details, and links to resources, please visit https://www.communitytransit.org/coronavirus.
Thank you for helping to protect yourself, your fellow riders, transit workers, and all those with whom you come in contact.
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Getting to know you
This month I began serving as Community Transit’s new CEO. I’m thrilled to be on this journey with my new colleagues, serving the people of Snohomish County. I want to introduce myself and share a few thoughts on my first few days in this new position.
First, I want to thank our employees for their unwavering commitment to providing the essential service of public transit and for their commitment to agency efforts to keep each other and our customers healthy and safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.
I am a true believer in the power of public transportation to strengthen communities, connect people, and improve lives. Keeping each other and our communities safe gives us the chance to engage in that work every day. In my first few days, I have met many employees, visited some of our facilities, and ridden the Green Line to experience the service as our customers do. It’s essential for me to see the community, our transit centers, our park and rides, and our RideStore to become familiar with what our customers experience every day. I will continue visiting facilities and riding our services in the weeks and months ahead.
I also had the pleasure of meeting with two local nonprofit groups as they were awarded surplus vehicles through our Van GO program. The vehicles, originally part of Community Transit’s vanpool fleet, will be used to improve access to transportation and strengthen connections in local communities.
In addition, I began meeting with our partners – local transit agencies, jurisdictions and elected officials whose collaboration is key to delivering safe, efficient, reliable service within our region.
I’ve spent a lot of time during my career working to advance the regional transit vision in the Puget Sound. One of the highlights of my journey has involved working closely with policy makers from Snohomish County to expand transit options available to people moving within the county and across county lines, and building a more robust network to help people get from where they are to where they want to be. I look forward to bringing all the knowledge, skills and relationships I have developed over those years to the task of advancing Community Transit’s mission and plans.
It is clear in these early days of getting to know this agency that Community Transit is a family with a strong team culture. I am excited to be a part of this family and serve the community alongside such dedicated employees who make a positive difference in so many people’s lives every day.
Ric Ilgenfritz
Community Transit CEO
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If you have any questions about what you've read in this newsletter, please email TheRouteAhead@commtrans.org.
Chair Jon Nehring, Mayor of Marysville; Vice Chair Kim Daughtry, Lake Stevens City Council Member; Secretary Joe Marine, Mukilteo City Council Member, Tom Merrill, Snohomish City Council Member; Jared Mead, Snohomish County Council Member; Lance Norton, Labor Representative; Sid Roberts, Stanwood City Council Member, Jan Schuette, Arlington City Council Member; Nicola Smith, Mayor of Lynnwood; and Stephanie Wright, Snohomish County Council Member.
Board Alternates Mike Gallagher, Brier City Council Member; Laura Johnson, Edmonds City Council Member; James McNeal, Bothell City Council Member, and Kyoko Matsumoto Wright, Mayor of Mountlake Terrace.
© 2020 Community Transit | Agency Communications
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