UnSound Transit: Snohomish adds 23 double-decker buses

The phrase,'Unsound Transit', was coined by the Wall Street Journal to describe Seattle where,"Light Rail Madness eats billions that could otherwise be devoted to truly efficient transportation technologies." The Puget Sound's traffic congestion is a growing cancer on the region's prosperity. This website, captures news and expert opinion about ways to address the crisis. This is not a blog, but a knowledge base, which collects the best articles and presents them in a searchable format. My goal is to arm residents with knowledge so they can champion fact-based, rather than emotional, solutions.

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

Snohomish adds 23 double-decker buses

Tuesday, April 1, 2008 - Page updated at 12:00 AM

Community Transit to add 23 double-decker buses to Snohomish County-Seattle routes

By Mike Lindblom

Seattle Times transportation reporter

Community Transit plans to buy 23 double-decker buses to carry growing numbers of riders from Snohomish County to their jobs in Seattle, the agency announced Monday.

The Everett-based agency has one double-decker bus now.

The purchase is expected to cost $18 million, and the buses would be delivered in two years. At nearly $800,000 per bus, the double-deckers cost more than a typical bus. But with 70 seats plus standing room, three double-deckers can carry as many people as four typical articulated buses, saving on fuel and repairs, said transit agency spokesman Tom Pearce.

Transit-board members are seeking an $8 million federal grant to help cover the purchase, and final approval is expected in May.

Ridership on Community Transit increased last year by 10 percent, to a total 11 million trips. Of its 64 routes, 30 go into Seattle.

Community Transit is the second agency in the U.S. to buy modern, two-level buses, said Pearce. Las Vegas launched a double-decker service in 2005. Double-decker buses are used extensively in London and Hong Kong.

Mike Lindblom: 206-515-5631 or mlindblom@seattletimes.com

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