Welcome and thank you for visiting

This online open house provides an opportunity to learn more about Community Transit’s 2026-2031 Transit Development Plan (TDP).

The Transit Development Plan, also called the TDP, outlines the services and programs Community Transit plans to provide over the next six years. It also forecasts how we will finance those services and programs. The plan is reviewed and open for public comment every year.

Important note: the TDP does not address the proposed consolidation with Everett Transit.

The City of Everett and Community Transit are pursuing consolidation to form a unified and expanded transit system that will better serve Everett and Snohomish County residents. The current TDP does not outline changes to a potential future unified transit system as these items are still under discussion. As of June 2026, the City of Everett and Community Transit are developing an agreement that outlines the terms of the city's annexation into Community Transit's service area. Read more in a joint news release from the City of Everett and Community Transit.

Chapter 1 of the TDP provides an overview of the TDP process, and outlines Community Transit's strategic priorities and goals.

The TDP is a six-year plan required by Washington State, (RCW) 35.58.2795. Each year, Community Transit:

• Updates the plan
• Asks for input on the draft plan through a public comment period
• Presents the TDP to the Board of Directors for adoption
• Submits the TDP to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT)

Think of the TDP as a yearly check-in on our Long-Range Plan. The Long Range Plan lays out our vision for the future of transit over the coming decades. The TDP focuses on the midterm picture, providing a six-year plan for projects, service improvements, and initiatives that move us toward fulfilling that long-term vision. The TDP shows the progress we’re making and helps keep us on track year-to-year.

Alongside the TDP, we also develop a biennial budget that guides our short-term operations and capital projects. Together, the Long Range Plan, TDP, and budget create a roadmap for where we’re going, how we plan to get there, and what we’re doing right now.

Figure above: Diagram showing how long-range, six-year, and two-year transit plans work together to guide priorities, projects, and budgets over time

Community Transit 2026-2031 TDP

Community Transit’s 2026-2031 TDP summarizes activities and accomplishments from 2025, outlines agency goals and strategies for 2026-2031, provides a financial forecast for these years, and identifies resources needed.

Take together, these goals and strategies aim to provide you with more reliable service, better connections, and new, flexible ways to get around your community. Here’s what we’re planning:

• More frequent and reliable service on our current routes, building Swift Gold Line, extending Swift Green Line, and expanding Zip Shuttle service
• Continue implementing our five-year security enhancement strategic plan to provide safe and reliable transportation
• Continuing our testing of and planning for a zero-emission bus fleet

Chapter 2 of the TDP covers Community Transit as an agency, highlighting who we are, what we do, and how we serve you.

Where We Serve

We serve most of urban Snohomish County (excluding the City of Everett) as a Public Transportation Benefit Area, established by local voters in 1976.

Check out the system map in Chapter 2 of the TDP to see our full service area.

How We’re Organized

It takes a team of people to deliver the service Community Transit provides our ridership every day. That includes:

• Board of Directors: Consisting of nine voting members from cities Community Transit serves and one non-voting member, the Board of Directors governs Community Transit and votes on major decisions.
• Chief Executive Officer: CEO Ric Ilgenfritz leads a workforce of over 1,000 employees, guiding the agency’s vision and mission, and providing organizational leadership.
• Staff: Teams of bus drivers, mechanics, planners, customer service staff, and administrative staff to plan, build, operate, and communicate about our service.

Services We Provide
We offer a variety of transit options to meet the diverse needs of our community:

• Local bus routes connecting neighborhoods
• Express routes for faster, peak-hour travel
• Swift Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) on key high-demand corridors
• Zip Shuttle, an on-demand, app-based service in select zones
• DART paratransit for riders with disabilities
• Vanpool programs for groups commuting to shared destinations

Visit Chapter 2 of the TDP to read more about our fares, regional transit connections, facilities like bus stops and transit centers, and the community programs that help make Snohomish County a better place to live and travel.

Chapter 3 of the TDP highlights how our services and operations evolved in 2025, a year of major progress and preparation for the future of transit in Snohomish County.

2025 Highlights

Here’s what we accomplished together in 2025:

• Increased local bus frequency by adding nearly 16,000 service hours
• Revised route alignments to improve service to major residential, commercial and job centers
• Grew our ridership by 13% from 2024, totaling more than 9.5 million boardings across our system
• Completed changes to our fare system, including lowering our reduced fare rate
• Upgraded stations and completed speed and reliability improvements to our Swift Blue Line and Swift Green Line corridors
• Completed a year of pilot service for our Zip Shuttle Microtransit service and exceeded our goals for customers, boardings, and operational efficiency
• Delivered a year of clean transportation with a Battery Electric Bus pilot

Throughout 2025, we invited you to help shape these changes by sharing input, attending public events, and participating in surveys and outreach efforts. Learn more about these initiatives and how we engaged with you in the TDP PDF.

How will your service grow and improve over the next six years? Chapter 4 highlights programs and initiatives we are focused on for 2026-2031, which includes:

• Increasing bus service by 21% compared to 2025
• Continuing to grow the Vanpool program to meet demand
• Adding additional service to our existing Zip Shuttle zones and adding up to six additional zones
• Growing our ridership by 82% of 2024 ridership
• Extending Swift Green Line from Canyon Park to UW Bothell/Cascadia College
• Planning and starting construction on Swift Gold Line in Everett, Marysville, and Arlington, with service beginning as early as 2031
• Developing improvements to transit centers, implementing preservation projects at Park & Ride facilities, and designing new and improved bus stops
• Continuing to implement our Transit Security Officer program and implementing initiatives to enhance service reliability
• Purchasing our first fleet of 10 battery electric buses and continuing our zero emissions program
• Adding more buses and vehicles to our fleet and updating our office and maintenance buildings to meet these growth needs

Just like in 2025, you’ll have the opportunity to give input and participate in many of these initiatives. Learn more about Community Transit’s plans for 2026-2031 in the TDP PDF.

How will Community Transit deliver you excellent service and build for the future? We're optimistic about the region’s future while planning for potential economic ups and downs.

Chapter 5 outlines Community Transit’s financial plan, including:

• Revenue projections including from state and federal grants, sales taxes, and fares
• Operating expenses for 2026 through 2031 that are supported by those revenue sources
• Capital projects such as replacement buses, Swift bus rapid transit projects, and other facility and technology expansion and upgrades
• Reserves and fund balances that keep our finances running smoothly

Learn more about Community Transit’s Financial Plan for 2026-2031 in the TDP PDF.

Community Transit is helping preserve our environment and protect our collective health by transitioning to a zero-emission fleet by 2044.

A zero-emission fleet is a major investment in the health of our communities and the long-term sustainability of our transit service. Along with new buses, zero-emission planning includes preparing for changes to our facilities, operations, and training programs.

We are currently implementing a dual-track pilot program, testing Battery Electric Buses and Fuel Cell Electric Buses to understand which technology can best deliver reliable and cost-effective service for Community Transit’s riders.

What we accomplished in 2025:

• Completed 18,000 miles of service in 2025 using Battery Electric Buses
  • Routes included in testing: 101, 102, 106, 109, 111, 112, 114, 119, 121, 130, 201, 209, 271, 280, 907
• Tested a Fuel Cell Electric Bus in non-revenue trials
• Placed an order for 10 Battery Electric Buses to arrive by 2028, with 79% of the purchase price covered by state and federal funding

What we’re planning:

• Continuing to plan for how we will operate and maintain an increasing fleet of zero-emission buses, and how we will deploy them on our routes
• Preparing to put into service 10 new Battery Electric Buses in 2028
• Planning for continued scaling of the zero-emission fleet

Want to learn more? Visit our Zero Emission Fleet Transition page.

We created this site to provide an overview of the 2026 - 2031 TDP. After clicking through the sections above, please fill out our short survey to tell us how we're doing and what you're most interested in hearing from Community Transit in the future.

Complete the survey for a chance to win $200.*

*Open to legal residents of Washington state, who are at least 18 years of age or older at the time of entry. Ends July 2 at 12 p.m. Winners will receive one (1) $200 Gift Card. Odds vary. Sponsored by Community Transit. No purchase or payment necessary to win. See full rules at ctgo.org/sweepstakes.