Everett Transit buses at the "bus barn" parking lot seen Nov. 2. The electric buses were charging for their midday charging needs.
Photo by Michael Whitney.
EVERETT — Mayor Cassie Franklin made a statement last week giving the city government's stance that it doesn’t plan to act on merging Everett Transit into Community Transit at this time.
Franklin spoke to clear up a cloud of questions over state legislation which would give the countywide bus system, Community Transit, newfound authority to try annexing Everett Transit. It would only be executed if city of Everett leadership mutually agreed. No public vote needed, unlike how it works today. It is a provision in the state transportation funding bill, ESSB 1801, which is on Gov. Bob Ferguson’s desk.
Merging is “not aligned on our current priorities and not something we’re looking to act on,” Franklin said at last week’s council meeting.
“My administration and this council are focused on other, more urgent priorities, specifically actions that could save general fund dollars and create long-term, sustainable revenue for our city,” Franklin said.
Earlier this decade, the city studied consolidating Community Transit with Everett Transit, wrapping up the study in 2023 and WAS discussing the idea as late as January 2024. Community Transit approached Everett Transit with a takeover pitch in late 2019 when the city was evaluating Everett Transit’s future sustainability.
The two agencies have differing tax rates and two different union bodies.
Everett is an anomaly among the state’s 10 most-populated cities by having an in-city bus system. About 4,000 people ride Everett Transit local routes each weekday as of 2023.
