Island Transit in Coupeville, Wash., is continuing service improvements under the agency’s Island Transit Maximized initiative.
In September of 2022, the agency introduced a new route, Route 9 West, optimized existing Route 14 by separating it into Routes 2 and 10 and implemented a pilot on-demand program for NASWI personnel. These changes provide service to previously unserved areas and increased accessibility and frequency to existing routes.
Beginning Jan. 30, additional service improvements for south Whidbey riders will be realized, as residents can now travel into Freeland with Route 60. Service hours were also increased across many of the routes on both Whidbey and Camano Islands, including two more service runs with the newest Route 9 servicing west Oak Harbor.
The most compelling change on Jan. 30 is the expansion of on-demand services, beginning with Zone 3 in northwest Oak Harbor, previously known as Route 3. The expanded pilot program, Island Transit Go!, provides a flexible and convenient alternative to fixed route services designed to improve connections to transit hubs and popular destinations such as shopping centers and grocery stores. Riders can schedule online, with an app or by calling dispatch. This service matches multiple riders headed in a similar direction into a single vehicle, allowing for quick and efficient shared trips. Additional on-demand zones will be created as the year progresses.
The service for Zone 3 will run from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Friday. NASWI personnel will now have increased pickup and drop off locations to and from the base in the morning and afternoon hours. The new on-demand system will also take the place of the current paratransit booking system. Paratransit riders will continue to have full access to their fare free services across both islands.
“As we move forward with this pilot project, we hope to grow ridership and offer alternative mobility solutions for people who otherwise may not have considered public transit as an option,” states Todd Morrow, Island Transit executive director. “We will learn and grow with this project, evaluating performance measures and determining what adjustments we may have to make as the year progresses.”
