Meet “Bluebell,” Community Transit’s restored 1959 GMC "New Look" bus and the original coach used when CT launched service in 1976. Now a mobile museum, the bus features artifacts and memories from 50 years of serving Snohomish County.

Fifty years ago, bus drivers roamed the streets of Snohomish County in search of people who needed a ride. Often, someone would flag down one of the blue 1950’s-era buses just like they’d hail a taxi. In the early days, the bus fare was only 20 cents.

Community Transit started with 21 leased buses serving six cities on October 4, 1976. Today, Community Transit operates more than 300 buses across 19 cities serving more than 2,000 bus stops along 34 routes, including Swift bus rapid transit (BRT). Other popular services include Vanpool, DART paratransit, and Zip Shuttle.

“Our vision has always been simple: we get people from where they are to where they want to be. That was true in 1976, and it’s true today,” said Community Transit CEO Ric Ilgenfritz. “When you’re traveling from point A to point B, we’re here for you—and we honor the millions of passenger journeys that have defined Community Transit history.”

“Community Transit may have started small, but in 50 years it’s grown to meet the needs of so many different people,” said Mukilteo Mayor and Community Transit Board Chair Joe Marine. “Popular services like Zip Shuttle have been embraced by the community, and more people are discovering the value that public transit brings to their lives.”

For 50 years, people across Snohomish County have used Community Transit service to get to jobs, schools, appointments, and the places that matter in everyday life. As the agency celebrates its golden anniversary, the community that helped make local transit what it is today is invited to learn more about transit history and join in the festivities in the coming months.

Community Transit on HistoryLink.org
Community Transit partnered with HistoryLink to gather and share stories from the last 50 years. From the days without defined bus routes to the addition of new services such as microtransit, people can learn all about the evolution of transit in Snohomish County by viewing the online timeline.

Bluebell, the mobile museum
For a hands-on experience, one of Community Transit’s original 1959 GMC buses has been outfitted with an immersive display showing the history of transit in Snohomish County. The bus is named “Bluebell” following a social media contest and will travel to various local events this spring and summer.

50^th Anniversary ORCA card and trading cards
As treats for the public, commemorative Community Transit 50th Anniversary ORCA cards will be given out at select events, and trading cards featuring vehicles from different eras or routes will also be available at all 50th anniversary events.

Later in the year, Community Transit will announce more ways to celebrate with riders. Follow Community Transit on Facebook and Instagram or visit ctgo.org/CT50 for more information.