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Kitsap Transit
Kitsap Transit Bus 757 at the Washington State Ferry terminal in Bremerton
Founded1978
Commenced operation1983
HeadquartersBremerton, Washington
LocaleKitsap County, Washington
Service typeBus, foot ferry, vanpool, paratransit
Routes40
Hubs9
Fleet120 buses
Fuel typeDiesel
OperatorKitsap County Public Transportation Benefit Area Authority
Websitekitsaptransit.com

Kitsap Transit is a public transit agency serving Kitsap County, Washington, part of the Seattle metropolitan area. The system is based in Bremerton and operates bus service on 40 fixed routes, a foot ferry, a vanpool system, worker-driver services, and dial-a-ride services.

In 2015, Kitsap Transit carried a total of 3,813,509 passengers across all its services.[1]

History

Beginning in 1971, the city of Bremerton operated a municipal transit system that had been bought out from a private company.[2]

A countywide public transportation benefit area (PTBA) was formed in 1978 to explore a transit system for Kitsap County as a whole. A 0.2 percent sales tax was put before voters in May of that year for a countywide system, but was rejected.[2] A second attempt was put on the September 27, 1982 ballot, with a 0.3 percent sales tax and a limited PTBA serving Bremerton, Gorst, Port Orchard, Poulsbo and Silverdale. The PTBA was approved by 55.6 percent of voters, and service began in January 1983, taking over the Bremerton municipal system.[3]

In 1992, Kitsap Transit became the first transit agency in the United States to install a traffic signal preemption system for bus priority, beginning with 40 buses and 42 traffic signals in a year-long trial of the "Opticom" system.[4]

Kitsap Transit formed a public-private partnership with Kitsap Ferry Company to operate a passenger ferry service between Bremerton and Seattle in 2004, replacing a former Washington State Ferries passenger run that was suspended the previous year.[5] The service was suspended in 2007, after voters rejected a sales tax increase to fund the ferry's rising fuel costs.[6] Kitsap Transit, looking to revive the service, placed a 0.3 percent sales tax on the November 2016 ballot to fund fast ferry service, which was passed by voters.[7] The new Kitsap Fast Ferries service began operation on July 10, 2017, traveling 28 minutes between Bremerton and Seattle.[8]

In 2008, Kitsap Transit purchased Horluck Transportation, the operators of a foot ferry from Bremerton to Port Orchard and Annapolis, for $1.52 million.[9]

During a period of declining sales tax revenue following the Great Recession, Kitsap Transit made major service cuts to make up for a budget shortfall. Sunday and holiday service was discontinued in February 2009, low-performing routes were consolidated or eliminated later that year. Fares were raised twice to $2, and employees were laid off.[10]

In 2015, Kitsap Transit tested a double-decker bus from Alexander Dennis on routes serving ferry runs[11] and in July 2016 placed an order for 11 Enviro500 MMC coaches.[12] The coaches are expected to be delivered in 2017.

Services

Kitsap Transit oversees the operations of these services:

  • Routed bus service (40 routes; 120 buses)
  • Foot ferry service (Bremerton to Port Orchard and Annapolis)
  • ACCESS (Door-to-door/curb-to-curb service for elderly and disabled)
  • Worker/Driver (Commuter routes operating between various points in Kitsap County and either the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton or Naval Submarine Base Bangor. Drivers are full-time employees at the Navy installations who are also employed as part-time Kitsap Transit operators.)
  • Vanpool
  • TIP (Transit Incentive Program), a program for employees at federal work sites.
  • SCOOT (Smart Commuter Option of Today), a carsharing program in the urbanized areas of Kitsap County.

Kitsap Transit participates in the ORCA Card program.

Kitsap Transit routes connect to Jefferson Transit, Mason Transit Authority, Pierce Transit and the Washington State Ferries terminals in Bremerton, Bainbridge, Kingston and Southworth.

Administration

Kitsap Transit is overseen by a ten-member executive board composed of the three county commissioners, the mayor of Bremerton, a Bremerton City Council member, appointed representatives from the cities of Bainbridge Island, Bremerton, Port Orchard, and Poulsbo, an at-large member from the three smaller cities, and a non-voting member representing the agency's labor unions.[13]

Current fleet

As of February 2016[14]: 24–33 
Fleet
Number(s) 		Thumbnail Year Manufacturer Model Notes
730–747 2003 Gillig 40' Phantom
  • Does not include 738[14]
750–751 2003 Gillig 35' Low Floor
752–761 2004 Gillig 35' Low Floor
762–766 2005 Gillig 35' Low Floor
770–774 2004 Gillig 40' Low Floor
775–779 2005 Gillig 40' Low Floor
780–787 2016 Gillig 30' Low Floor
975–978 2002 ElDorado 24' Aerotech
979–980 2003 ElDorado 26' Aerotech
6000–6042 1993–2002 MCI 102D3
  • Previously used coaches purchased for Worker/Driver routes.
7000–7016 2010 Arboc Spirit of Mobility SOM26D
7017–7025 2012 Arboc Spirit of Mobility SOM26D

References

  1. ^ "Kitsap Transit Quarterly System Report: 4th Quarter, 2015" (PDF). Kitsap Transit. January 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 16, 2016. Retrieved August 23, 2016. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ a b Division of Public Transportation Planning (August 1978). "Local Transit-Statewide". Public Transportation in Washington State, 1978 Summary (PDF) (Report). Washington State Department of Transportation. p. 23. Retrieved August 23, 2016.
  3. ^ Public Transportation Office (October 1984). "Local Transit". Public Transportation in Washington State (PDF) (Report). Washington State Department of Transportation. p. 85. OCLC 13007541. Retrieved August 23, 2016 – via National Transportation Library.
  4. ^ Whitely, Peyton (July 6, 1992). "Buses in Bremerton get the green light". The Seattle Times. Retrieved August 23, 2016.
  5. ^ Gilmore, Susan (July 31, 2004). "Kitsap Transit chief takes risk with ferries". The Seattle Times. Retrieved August 23, 2016.
  6. ^ Gilmore, Susan (March 9, 2007). "Bremerton passenger ferry run to end March 30". The Seattle Times. Retrieved August 23, 2016.
  7. ^ Garnick, Coral (August 5, 2016). "With a fast ferry on the ballot, commuting from Kitsap County may get easier". Puget Sound Business Journal. Retrieved August 23, 2016.
  8. ^ Friedrich, Ed (March 24, 2017). "Kitsap Transit sets proposed schedule for new foot ferry". Kitsap Sun. Retrieved June 15, 2017.
  9. ^ "Kitsap Transit buys Horluck". Port Orchard Independent. June 12, 2008. Retrieved August 23, 2016.
  10. ^ Friedrich, Ed (July 19, 2009). "Kitsap Transit Is Proposing More Service Cuts Come Fall". Kitsap Sun. Retrieved August 23, 2016.
  11. ^ Friedrich, Ed (May 26, 2015). "Kitsap Transit trying out double-decker bus". Kitsap Sun. Retrieved August 23, 2016.
  12. ^ Englehardt, Bruce (July 29, 2016). "100 More Double-Deckers for Snohomish and Kitsap Counties". Seattle Transit Blog. Retrieved June 16, 2017. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  13. ^ "Transit Board". Kitsap Transit. Retrieved August 23, 2016.
  14. ^ a b Transit Development Plan, 2016–2021 (PDF) (Report). Kitsap Transit. February 2016. Retrieved August 23, 2016.
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