Skagit Transit is a public transit system in Skagit County, Washington, US. It operates 19 fixed-route bus routes, as well as paratransit and vanpool services across the entire county.[2] The agency was founded in 1993 and is funded by a 0.4 percent local sales tax.
History
The Skagit County public transportation benefit area, funded by a 0.2 percent sales tax, was approved by voters in Mount Vernon and Burlington in November 1992.[3] Bus service began on November 3, 1993, with a network of four routes serving the two cities and no fares.[4][5] The cities of Anacortes, La Conner, and Sedro-Woolley were annexed into the Skagit Transit service area in 1994, followed by Bayview and Concrete in 1995.[3]
Service was cut after the passage of Initiative 695 in 2000. A sales tax increase to restore service was rejected by voters in 2002;[4][5] as a result, the agency began charging fares.[6] Skagit Transit began operating inter-county routes to Island and Whatcom counties in 2005,[7] and expanded with a Mount Vernon–Everett commuter route in 2006 part-funded by Island Transit and the state government.[8][9] The agency also took ownership of Skagit Station in Mount Vernon, which is served by Amtrak Cascades and Island Transit.[7] A 0.2 percent sales tax increase was approved by voters in the November 2008 election, allowing for expanded service.[10]
Facilities
The primary maintenance and administration facility for Skagit Transit is located in Burlington.[11]
Regular fares for adults are $1 each way on local routes and $2 on County Connector routes; reduced fares for senior citizens, veterans, and people with disabilities are half the regular fare.[14] Since 2022, youth fares on Skagit Transit have been free as part of a statewide program.[15] The agency also offers day passes and monthly passes for both regular and reduced fares.[14] Fares can be paid with cash or the Umo fare card and smartphone app, which is shared with the Whatcom Transportation Authority.[16]
^ abcdPublic Transportation Division (November 2008). Summary of Public Transportation — 2007(PDF) (Report). Washington State Department of Transportation. Retrieved September 23, 2016.
^ abPublic Transportation Division (August 2006). Summary of Public Transportation — 2005(PDF) (Report). Washington State Department of Transportation. p. 131. Retrieved December 29, 2017.
^Public Transportation Division (September 2007). Summary of Public Transportation — 2006(PDF) (Report). Washington State Department of Transportation. p. 107. Retrieved December 29, 2017.
