Community Transit

Bus Rapid Transit

Swift bus rapid transit is different than other Community Transit services. It combines the efficiency and appeal of light rail with the flexibility and low cost of buses. What makes it Swift?

• No need for a schedule - Swift operates every 10 minutes weekdays from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. and every 20 minutes nights from 7 p.m. to midnight and on Saturdays 6 a.m. to midnight. Buses don't run on Sundays.
  
• Pay fares first – Riders pay their fares at the station while waiting for the bus, then board at any door when the bus arrives. Fares are: adults $1.75, youth $1.25, reduced $0.75.
• Fast boarding – Swift buses have three doors and you can enter at any one. Bicycles can be rolled onto bike racks located inside the back door.
• Accessibility – Most station platforms are just a few inches shorter than the floor of the bus, making it easy to step aboard. People who use wheelchairs enter at the front door and have an option to use a passive restraint system that doesn’t require coach operator assistance.
• High tech, high speed –ORCA smart card readers at each station make paying your fare fast and easy. The route also has transit signal priority at many intersections, allowing green lights to be extended for late-running buses.

How to Ride Swift

Fares

Swift fares are the same as on local buses (adult $1.75, youth $1.25, reduced fare $0.75), however on Swift you pay before you board - and you don't need to show the driver your pass or Swift ticket. It is important that waiting passengers pay their fares before the bus arrives, because there are no fareboxes on the bus, and buses don't stop for long at the station. Click here for step-by-step video on "How to Buy a Swift Ticket" (YouTube). Tickets are good for one ride on Swift and there are no transfers except with ORCA.


Passes: If you have a valid PugetPass, EdPass, U-PASS or FlexPass with a Community Transit logo, you've already paid your fare. Board Swift, but be prepared to show your pass if requested by a Swift ambassador.

Transfers: Only ORCA card users will get a credit for their fare if they transfer to or from another bus. Cash and credit-paying customers receive a ticket to use as proof-of-payment on Swift, but the ticket is good only for one ride on Swift, and not good as a transfer to other services. If you use an ORCA card, the full transfer value is held on the card and will apply to the next bus or train you board within the two-hour transfer time. An ORCA card is the same as an old paper transfer, making it easy and less expensive to take more than one bus.

Swift Ambassadors will be on board Swift buses to randomly check for fare payment and a $124 citation may be written for those who fail to pay. Be prepared to show your ORCA card or Swift ticket upon request. Ambassadors and transit police have the authority to ask for passenger identification (RCW 81.112.210).

Boarding

 Pay your fare in advance and be prepared to board immediately when the bus comes to a complete stop - buses will not be at stations long. Most passengers can board at any of the three doors. Pavement markers indicate that passengers using mobility devices should board at the front door, while passengers with bicycles should board at the rear door. The second and third doors are wide enough for people to board and deboard at the same time; stay on the right side as you get on or off.

Once you board the bus, take your seat quickly or grab a hand rail or strap if you choose to stand. The coach operator will not wait for passengers to be seated before leaving the station. Please do not block doorways or aisles.

Route

Swift serves a 17-mile stretch of the Highway 99/Evergreen Way/Rucker Avenue corridor between Shoreline and Everett.

The Swift route has 10 miles of transit signal priority (TSP) intersections, which can extend a green light a few seconds to keep late-running buses on schedule. There are seven miles of transit-only lanes in the corridor, and plans include further traffic improvements.

Swift stations are located about 1 to 2 miles apart.

Destinations

Both Swift terminals are major transit hubs. At the south end, the Aurora Village Transit Center in Shoreline offers connections to Community Transit and King County Metro Transit buses that serve south Snohomish County, north King County and downtown Seattle.

At the north end, Everett Station offers connections to Community Transit, Everett Transit, Island Transit, Skagit Transit and Sound Transit buses, as well as Sounder commuter trains, Greyhound and Amtrak.

Local stops near Swift stations offer transfers to additional stops in the corridor as well as east-west service provided by Community Transit and Everett Transit.

Key destinations served by Swift include:

• Snohomish County Campus - Downtown Everett
• Everett Clinic – Gunderson Building
• Edmonds Community College
• Premera Blue Cross
• Stevens Hospital

Stations

About Stations

Swift stations provide shelter, seating and service information to help riders get to their destinations quickly.

Larger than a standard bus shelter, Swift stations are identified by a distinct roadside marker that stands out along the corridor. The stations are designed with ample lighting and translucent weather barriers that are graffiti-resistant. Frequent visits by transit police as well as regular upkeep of the facility will help riders feel safe and secure during their brief waits.

Ticket vending machines allow those without transit passes to purchase a ticket in advance and board the bus through any of three doors. A raised curb allows for easy access onto the low-floor Swift buses, and inlaid icons indicate where riders should wait to board the bus, for example, people who use wheelchairs board at the first door.

Large information kiosks at the stations provide easy-to-understand information about how to ride Swift, how to make connections onto other transit modes and directional information to familiarize yourself with the area around that station. In addition, each station has creative features inlaid in the concrete that identify them with that community and help to make each station unique.

Station Locations

Click on a station name to learn more about nearby destinations and connecting bus services. Use the interactive route map to view the area around each station.

Aurora Village Transit Center
1524 N. 200th Street, Shoreline

• Northbound: Bay 9.
• Connections: Community Transit Routes 101, 118, 130, 131 King County Metro Transit Routes 301, 303, 331, 342, 346, 358, 373.
• Notes: This station platform is not raised, but the bus can be lowered if needed to reduce the step on board at the front door. Limited parking, restrooms, phone available.
  

Hwy. 99 & 238th Street
Edmonds

• Northbound: Station is north of 238th Street.
• Southbound: Station is south of 238th Street.
• Connections: Community Transit Routes 101, 118, 416.
  

Hwy. 99 & 216th Street
Edmonds, Lynnwood

• Northbound: Gateway Station is north of 216th Street.
• Southbound: Station is south of 216th Street.
• Connections: Community Transit Routes 101, 110, 405, 406, 871. Many routes connect at the Edmonds Park & Ride, one block west of Hwy. 99 on 72nd Avenue W.
• Notes: Stevens Hospital and Premera Blue Cross corporate offices are nearby.
  

Hwy. 99 & 196th/200th Streets
Lynnwood

• Northbound: Heron Station is north of 200th Street.
• Southbound: Crossroads Station is south of 196th Street.
• Connections: Community Transit Routes 101, 115, 116, 118.
• Notes: Edmonds Community College is nearby.
  

Hwy. 99 & 174th/176th Streets
Lynnwood

• Northbound: Cherry Hill Station is north of 176th Street.
• Southbound: International Station is at 174th Street.
• Connections: Community Transit Routes 101, 119.
  

Hwy. 99 & 148th Street
Snohomish County

• Northbound: Station is south of 148th Street.
• Southbound: Station is south of 148th Street.
• Connections: Community Transit Routes 101, 113, 119, 415, 880, 885.
  

Hwy. 99 & Lincoln Way
Snohomish County

• Northbound: Station is north of Lincoln Way
• Southbound: Station is south of Lincoln Way
• Connections: Community Transit Routes 101, 417, 880.
  

Hwy. 99 & Airport Road
Everett, Snohomish County

• Northbound: Station is north of Airport Road.
• Southbound: Station is south of Airport Road.
• Connections: Community Transit Routes 101; Everett Transit Routes 2, 9.
  

Evergreen & 4th Avenue
Everett

• Northbound: Station is south of Fourth Avenue.
• Southbound: Station is south of Fourth Avenue.
• Connections: Everett Transit Routes 7, 8, 9.
  

Evergreen & Casino Road
Everett

• Northbound: Station is south of Casino Road.
• Southbound: Station is south of Casino Road.
• Connections: Everett Transit Routes , 3, 7, 9, 12, 14.
• Notes: Pedestrian bridge over Hwy. 526 connects Casino Road with Beverly Lane west of Hwy. 99.
  

Evergreen & 50th Street
Everett

• Northbound: Station is north of 50th Street
• Southbound: Station is south of 50th Street
• Connections: Everett Transit Routes 7, 9, Sound Transit Route 513
  

Evergreen & 40th/41st Street
Everett

• Northbound:Station is north of 40th Street, near Everett Clinic
• Southbound: Station is south of 41st Street
• Connections: Everett Transit Routes 3, 7, 9, 18; Sound Transit Route 513
  

Pacific & Colby/Wetmore
Everett

• Northbound: Station is east of Colby on eastbound Pacific Avenue
• Southbound: Station is east of Wetmore on westbound Pacific Avenue
  
• Connections: Everett Transit Routes 3, 4,  17, 18, 25. 79; Sound Transit Routes 510, 513
• Notes: Snohomish County Campus and Comcast Arena nearby
  

Everett Station
Everett

• Southbound: Bay G1
• Connections: Community Transit Routes 200, 201, 202, 270, 271, 275, 280; Everett Transit Routes 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 17, 18, 25, 29, 701; Sound Transit Routes 510, 532, Sounder; Island Transit; Skagit Transit; Amtrak; Greyhound, Northwest Trailways
• Notes: ORCA cards may be purchased at ticket machines on the train platform (near the overhead walkway building), at the customer service center on the south side of Everett Station and at the ticket machine inside the station.
  

Vehicles

Swift vehicles are stylized 62-foot articulated, hybrid diesel-electric buses with a sleek Swift logo and colorful graphics. The buses are designed with other features you won’t find on a standard bus, including:

• Three doors for quick boarding.
• Wheelchair boarding at the first door.
• Bicycle boarding at the third door onto onboard bike racks fitting up to three bikes.
• Wide seats with extra legroom for a comfortable ride.
• Standing room for riders who prefer to stand for shorter trips.
• Seating for 43 passengers and overall capacity up to 80 riders.

These buses were specially built for Community Transit’s Swift line by New Flyer in St. Cloud, Minn.

Accessibility

Priority for front seats is given to seniors and people with disabilities. Pavement markers on the station platform indicate that passengers using mobility devices should board at the front door, where a ramp can be deployed if needed. Most station platforms are just a few inches shorter than the floor of the bus, making it easy to step aboard  (Aurora Village is the only station without a raised curb).

With wider aisles and no farebox, it’s easy to get onto the bus and into a designated wheelchair position. The two wheelchair bays can either be used in the standard, front-facing position or in a rear-facing position that requires no assistance -- simply back up to the padded backboard, set your brakes and pull down the armrest.

When you approach your station stop, use the call button located in the priority seating area to signal the coach operator that you will be deboarding. The operator can then deploy the ramp or allow extra time at the station as needed.

Bicycles

Roll-on racks to enable three bicycles to fit inside the rear door of Swift buses without blocking the aisle. Racks fit standard bikes with wheels from 20 to 29 inches in diameter and tires up to 3 inches wide. Items that extend to the side or rear may need to be removed.

To load your bike, enter at the rear door and simply push it onto the rack in front of you. Make sure that your front wheel is centered and secure under the roller. Fold-up seats are located near the bike racks so you can keep an eye on your bike and be ready to deboard. To remove your bike, pull back firmly.

If the rack is full but the bus is not, the coach operator has discretion to allow you to board and hold your bike securely. However, room for passengers and safety always take priority. If the vehicle is crowded, you may need to wait for the next bus.

Resources

• Swift Photo Album
• Swift Rider Information Card (pdf)
• Swift Determination of Non-Significance 6/2/08
• Swift SEPA Environmental Checklist
• Everett Transit Swift Information

More on Bus Rapid Transit

• King County Metro Transit Rapid Ride (external link)
• Federal Transit Administration Bus Rapid Transit (external link)
• American Public Transportation Association BRT Resource Guide (external link)

Station Construction

In 2010, the city of Everett and Community Transit are working together to site and construct two additional Swift station pairs on Evergreen Way between Airport Road and 50th Street.

Community Transit is also working on technology upgrades for Swift, including signs at each station to indicate the arrival time of the next bus, automated station announcements and automatic passenger counters. These improvements are expected to be implemented in 2011.