Sound Transit Express Buses
Encyclopedia
Sound Transit Express is the bus network of Puget Sound transit agency Sound Transit
. The agency, based in Seattle, Washington
, provides inter-county bus service throughout 53 cities in three counties (King
, Pierce
, and Snohomish
). While Sound Transit oversees, plans, and funds the service, operation and maintenance of the buses is contracted out to King County Metro, Pierce Transit
, and Community Transit.
Passengers who cross a zone line in King County or a county border will have to pay extra. However passengers who have to travel through four zones from Everett to Tacoma will only pay for the three-zone fare.
The fares are as follows:
Sound Transit does not operate any routes that travel in more than 4 zones.
Transfers are no longer accepted or given out on Sound Transit routes. Passengers can use an ORCA card to transfer between ST routes or other agencies and will receive an electronic transfer.
The ST Express routes and operators are as follows († are routes which operate seven days a week; the remaining routes operate Monday through Friday, mostly only during rush hour. Route 510 and route 578 operate Monday-Saturday only, while route 512 operates Sunday only):
region ST Express serves, and feature a freely-adapted representation of the Sound Transit bus and train system map on the seating fabric.
Sometimes King County Metro, Community Transit and Pierce Transit use their buses on an ST Express route, and in turn ST Express buses are sometimes used on the local transit agencies' routes. This usually only happens when a bus breaks down and there's no other choice available at the garage.
Sound Transit
Sound Transit has been the popular name of Washington state's Central Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority since September 19, 1999. It was formed in 1996 by the Snohomish, King, and Pierce County Councils...
. The agency, based in Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
, provides inter-county bus service throughout 53 cities in three counties (King
King County, Washington
King County is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. The population in the 2010 census was 1,931,249. King is the most populous county in Washington, and the 14th most populous in the United States....
, Pierce
Pierce County, Washington
right|thumb|[[Tacoma, Washington|Tacoma]] - Seat of Pierce CountyPierce County is the second most populous county in the U.S. state of Washington. Formed out of Thurston County on December 22, 1852, by the legislature of Oregon Territory...
, and Snohomish
Snohomish County, Washington
Snohomish County is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. It is named after the Snohomish tribe. Since 2000, the county's population has grown from 606,024 to 713,335 residents , making it one of the fastest-growing in the state, ranking third in overall population after King and...
). While Sound Transit oversees, plans, and funds the service, operation and maintenance of the buses is contracted out to King County Metro, Pierce Transit
Pierce Transit
Pierce Transit, in full the Pierce County Public Transportation Benefit Area Corporation, is the public transit authority of Pierce County, Washington. Based in Lakewood, Washington, it was founded in 1979...
, and Community Transit.
Fare zones
ST Express uses a fare zone system, which comprises 5 regions:- Seattle/North King County (merged into King County zone June 1, 2011)
- East King County (merged into King County zone June 1, 2011)
- South King County (merged into King County zone June 1, 2011)
- Pierce County
- Snohomish County
Passengers who cross a zone line in King County or a county border will have to pay extra. However passengers who have to travel through four zones from Everett to Tacoma will only pay for the three-zone fare.
The fares are as follows:
- One zone-$2.00 (18-64); $1.00 (6-18); $0.75 (65+/Disabled)
- Two zone (within King County)-$2.50 (18-64); $1.75 (6-18); $0.75 (65+/Disabled)
- Multi-County-$3.00 (18-64); $2.50 (6-18); $1.50 (65+/Disabled)
Sound Transit does not operate any routes that travel in more than 4 zones.
Transfers are no longer accepted or given out on Sound Transit routes. Passengers can use an ORCA card to transfer between ST routes or other agencies and will receive an electronic transfer.
Bus routes
Sound Transit oversees 24 ST Express bus routes, which are operated under contract by Community Transit (First Transit operates under contract with CT), King County Metro, and Pierce Transit. Prior to the creation of Sound Transit, the routes were part of these agencies' systems. When Sound Transit implements a new bus route, changes are frequently made to existing routes that serve the area to avoid overlapping.The ST Express routes and operators are as follows († are routes which operate seven days a week; the remaining routes operate Monday through Friday, mostly only during rush hour. Route 510 and route 578 operate Monday-Saturday only, while route 512 operates Sunday only):
Community Transit
-
- 510 - Seattle/Everett †
- 511 - Seattle/Ash Way Park & Ride via Lynnwood †
- 512 - Seattle/Everett
- 513 - Seattle/Everett via Eastmont
- 532 - Bellevue/Everett
- 535 - Bellevue/Lynnwood †
King County Metro
-
- 522 - Seattle/Woodinville †
- 540 - Kirkland/U District
- 542 - Redmond/Green Lake via U District
- 545 - Seattle/Montlake/Redmond †
- 550 - Seattle/Bellevue †
- 554 - Seattle/Issaquah †
- 555 - Issaquah/Northgate
- 556 - Issaquah/Northgate via University District
- 560 - West Seattle/Bellevue via Sea-Tac Airport and Renton †
Pierce Transit
-
- 566 - Overlake/Auburn via Renton and Kent
- 574 - Lakewood/Sea-Tac Airport via Tacoma and Federal Way †
- 577 - Seattle/Federal Way †
- 578 - Seattle/Federal Way/Auburn/Sumner/Puyallup, Tacoma (selected trips) †
- 586 - Tacoma/U District
- 590 - Seattle/Tacoma
- 592 - Seattle/Dupont via Lakewood
- 593 - Seattle/South Tacoma via Tacoma
- 594 - Seattle/Lakewood via Tacoma †
- 595 - Seattle/Gig Harbor
- 599 - Tacoma/Lakewood Sounder Connector
Bus Fleet
Sound Transit owns a fleet of 250 buses operated by three different local transit agencies. Sound Transit buses are painted white with aqua, turquoise, and blue waves along the sides, representing the Puget SoundPuget Sound
Puget Sound is a sound in the U.S. state of Washington. It is a complex estuarine system of interconnected marine waterways and basins, with one major and one minor connection to the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Pacific Ocean — Admiralty Inlet being the major connection and...
region ST Express serves, and feature a freely-adapted representation of the Sound Transit bus and train system map on the seating fabric.
Current ST Express Bus fleet (2011-)
- GilligGilligGillig Corporation, formerly Gillig Bros., is a manufacturer of heavy-duty low-floor transit buses located in Hayward, California. Prior to 1993, Gillig had also been a manufacturer of school buses.-History:...
(122):- King County Metro
- 9000, 9023-9036, 9043-9044, 9055-9069 Phantom (1999) Partly Retired
- 9070-9089 Phantom (2001)
- 9090-9091 Phantom (2005)
- Community Transit
- 9016-9022, 9045-9054 Phantom (1999) Partly Retired
- 9112-9121 Phantom (2008)
- Pierce Transit
- 9001-9015, 9037-9042 Phantom (1999)
- 9092-9111 Phantom (2008)
- King County Metro
- New FlyerNew Flyer IndustriesNew Flyer Industries Inc. is a bus manufacturer in North America, headquartered in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. It also has factories in Crookston and St. Cloud, Minnesota, USA.-History:...
(21):- King County Metro
- 9200 DE40LF (2003)
- Pierce Transit
- 9400-9419 C40LF (2001)
- King County Metro
- New FlyerNew Flyer IndustriesNew Flyer Industries Inc. is a bus manufacturer in North America, headquartered in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. It also has factories in Crookston and St. Cloud, Minnesota, USA.-History:...
Articulated busArticulated busAn articulated bus is an articulated vehicle used in public transportation. It is usually a single-deck design, and comprises two rigid sections linked by a pivoting joint...
(137):- King County Metro
- 9500-9506 D60LF (1999) Partly Retired
- 9526-9536 D60LF (2001)
- 9537-9552 D60LF (2005)
- 9584-9586 D60LFR (2011) No Roof Fins
- 9600-9621 DE60LF (2005)
- 9622-9623 DE60LF (2008)
- 9624-9636 DE60LF (2010)
- 9637-9647 DE60LFR (2010) Roof Fins
- 9648-9651 DE60LFR (2011) Roof Fins
- Community Transit
- 9507-9524 D60LF (1999) Partly Retired
- 9525 D60LF (2001)
- 9553-9565 D60LFR (2010) Roof Fins
- 9566-9583 D60LFR (2011) Roof Fins
- 9587-9596 D60LFR (2011) No Roof Fins
- King County Metro
- Motor Coach IndustriesMotor Coach IndustriesMotor Coach Industries International Inc. is an American bus manufacturer based in Schaumburg, Illinois, and is a leading participant in the North American coach bus industry. It has various operating subsidiaries:...
(40):- Pierce Transit
- 9700-9712 D4500 (2005)
- 9713-9719 D4500 (2007)
- 9720-9722 D4500 (2009)
- 9723-9739 D4500 (2011)
- Pierce Transit
Sometimes King County Metro, Community Transit and Pierce Transit use their buses on an ST Express route, and in turn ST Express buses are sometimes used on the local transit agencies' routes. This usually only happens when a bus breaks down and there's no other choice available at the garage.