Sound Transit Express

Sound Transit Express (ST Express) is a network of regional express buses, operated by the multi-county transit agency, Sound Transit. The routes connect major regional hubs throughout 53 cities in three counties (King, Pierce, and Snohomish) in the Puget Sound region. Sound Transit Express ranks first in the nation in the number of commuter bus passengers carried and in vehicle miles driven.[3] The first nine routes began operating in September 1999.[4]

Sound Transit Express
A double-decker Sound Transit Express bus on Route 513 at Mountlake Terrace Freeway Station
SloganRide the Wave
ParentSound Transit
Founded1996
HeadquartersSeattle, Washington
LocalePuget Sound region
Service areaKing, Pierce, and Snohomish
Service typePublic Transit
Routes28
Hubs8
Fleet280 buses
Daily ridership66,360 (May 2016, weekdays)[1]
Annual ridership18,468,373 (2016)[2]
Fuel typeCNG, Diesel, and Diesel-electric hybrid
OperatorCommunity Transit, King County Metro, and Pierce Transit
Websitewww.soundtransit.org

Unlike a typical transit bus, Sound Transit Express routes typically make limited stops as they travel longer distances on the freeways. Most routes operate seven days a week, with runs throughout the day. Where available, buses use transit-only lanes, high-occupancy vehicle lanes, high-occupancy toll lanes, express lanes and direct access ramps to speed travel times.

While Sound Transit oversees, plans, and funds the service, operation and maintenance of the buses is contracted out to Community Transit (who subcontracts with First Transit), King County Metro and Pierce Transit.

Fares

ST Express uses a fare zone system, which comprises 3 regions:

  • King County
  • Pierce County
  • Snohomish County

The fares are as follows:

Fare typeOne-countyMulti-county
Adult$2.75$3.75
Senior (65+) / Disabled / Medicare
(Regional Reduced Fare Permit required)		$1.00$1.00
Low-income
(ORCA LIFT card required)		 $1.50 $1.50
Youth
(6–18 years)		$1.50$1.50
Children
(0–5 years, with fare paying passenger)		Free

Paper transfers are not accepted or issued on Sound Transit routes. Passengers who use ORCA may transfer between ST routes or routes operated by most other agencies within two hours of initial payment. If the fare for the second route is higher, the difference will be charged.

Routes
Sound Transit Express route 545 serving the Montlake Freeway Station

27 Sound Transit Express bus routes are overseen by the agency.[5] Buses are operated under contract[6] by King County Metro, Pierce Transit and Community Transit (who subcontracts with First Transit). 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:[7]

Route Off-Peak Service Weekend Service Start Via End Operator
510 No
(use route 512)		 No
(use route 512)		 Downtown Seattle I-5, South Everett Freeway Station Everett Station

Downtown Everett (select trips only)

 Community Transit
511 No
(use route 512)		 No
(use route 512)		 Downtown Seattle I-5, Mountlake Terrace Freeway Station, Lynnwood Transit Center Ash Way Park & Ride Community Transit
512 Yes Yes Downtown Seattle I-5 & NE 45th, I-5 & NE 145th, Mountlake Terrace Freeway Station, Lynnwood Transit Center, Ash Way Park & Ride, South Everett Freeway Station Everett Station

Downtown Everett (select trips only)

 Community Transit
513 No No Downtown Seattle Mountlake Terrace Freeway Station, Eastmont Park & Ride Seaway Transit Center Community Transit
522 Yes Yes Downtown Seattle Lake City Way, Bothell Way NE, Ballinger Way, Kenmore Park & Ride, University of Washington, Bothell/Cascadia College Woodinville Park & Ride King County Metro
532 No
(use routes 535 & 512)		 No Downtown Bellevue Bellevue Transit Center, Totem Lake Freeway Station, Brickyard Freeway Station (reverse peak only), I-405 & NE 195th (reverse peak only), Canyon Park Park & Ride , Ash Way Park & Ride, South Everett Freeway Station Everett Station Community Transit
535 Yes Saturday only Downtown Bellevue Bellevue Transit Center, Totem Lake Freeway Station, Brickyard Freeway Station, Bothell Park & Ride, University of Washington, Bothell/Cascadia College, Canyon Park Park & Ride, Alderwood Mall Lynnwood Transit Center Community Transit
541 No No University District (Seattle) University of Washington, University of Washington station, Evergreen Point Freeway Station, Yarrow Point Freeway Station, Redmond Technology Station Overlake Park & Ride King County Metro
542 Yes Yes Green Lake P&R (peak)

University District (Seattle) (off-peak)

 University of Washington, University of Washington station, Evergreen Point Freeway Station, Yarrow Point Freeway Station, Overlake Transit Center, SR-520 & NE 51st Freeway Station, Downtown Redmond Redmond Transit Center King County Metro
544 No No South Lake Union (Seattle) Evergreen Point Freeway Station, Yarrow Point Freeway Station, Redmond Technology Station Overlake Park & Ride Pierce Transit
545 Yes Yes Downtown Seattle Capitol Hill (select trips), Montlake Freeway Station, Evergreen Point Freeway Station, Yarrow Point Freeway Station, Overlake Transit Center, SR-520 & NE 51st Freeway Station, Downtown Redmond, Redmond Transit Center Bear Creek Park & Ride King County Metro
550 Yes Yes Downtown Seattle Mercer Island Park & Ride, South Bellevue Park & Ride, Bellevue, Bellevue Transit Center Bellevue (Library) King County Metro
554 Yes Yes Downtown Seattle Mercer Island Park & Ride, Eastgate Freeway Station, Issaquah Transit Center, Issaquah Highlands Park & Ride Issaquah Highlands Park & Ride

Redmond (185th Avenue NE & Redmond/Fall City Road, select weekday trips only)

 King County Metro
555 No No Northgate Transit Center Montlake Freeway Station, Evergreen Point Freeway Station, Yarrow Point Freeway Station Bellevue Transit Center King County Metro
556 No No Northgate Transit Center University District (Seattle), University of Washington, University of Washington station, Evergreen Point Freeway Station, Yarrow Point Freeway Station, Bellevue Transit Center, South Bellevue Park & Ride, Eastgate Freeway Station, Issaquah Transit Center Issaquah Highlands Park & Ride King County Metro
560 Yes Yes Bellevue (105th Ave NE & NE 2nd St) Bellevue Transit Center, Newport Hills Park & Ride, Kennydale Freeway Station, Renton, Renton Transit Center, Sea-Tac Airport, SeaTac/Airport Station, Burien Transit Center Westwood Village Pierce Transit
566 Yes No Overlake Transit Center

Renton Transit Center (mid day)

 Bellevue Transit Center, Newport Hills Park & Ride (off peak only), Kennydale Freeway Station (off peak only), Renton, Renton Transit Center, Kent Station, Auburn Park & Ride Auburn Station Pierce Transit
567 No
(use route 566)		 No Overlake Transit Center Bellevue Transit Center Kent Station Pierce Transit
574 Yes Yes Sea-Tac Airport SeaTac/Airport Station, Kent/Des Moines Freeway Station, Star Lake Freeway Station, Federal Way Transit Center, Tacoma Dome Station, SR-512 Park & Ride Lakewood Transit Center Pierce Transit
577 Yes Yes Downtown Seattle I-5 Federal Way Transit Center Pierce Transit
578 Yes Yes Downtown Seattle Federal Way Transit Center, Auburn Station, Sumner Station Puyallup Station Pierce Transit
580 No No Puyallup Station Fairground Red Lot, South Hill Park & Ride, SR 512 (select trips only) , I-5/SR 512 Park & Ride (select trips only) South Hill Park & Ride

Lakewood Station (select trips only)

 Pierce Transit
586 No No University District (Seattle) University of Washington Medical Center, SR-520, I-5 Tacoma Dome Station Pierce Transit
590 No
(use route 594)		 No
(use route 594)		 Downtown Seattle SODO Busway, Tacoma Dome Station Tacoma Dome Station

Downtown Tacoma (select trips only)

 Pierce Transit
592 No No Downtown Seattle SR-512 Park & Ride, Lakewood Station DuPont Station Pierce Transit
594 Yes Yes Downtown Seattle SODO Busway, Tacoma Dome Station, University of Washington Tacoma, Downtown Tacoma, SR-512 Park & Ride Lakewood Station

DuPont Station (select trips only)

 Pierce Transit
595 No No Downtown Seattle SODO Busway, Tacoma Community College Transit Center, Narrows Park & Ride, Kimball Drive Park & Ride Gig Harbor (Purdy Park & Ride) Pierce Transit
596 No No Sumner Station SR-410 Bonney Lake Park & Ride Pierce Transit

Fleet

Sound Transit owns a fleet of 280 buses[8] 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 Sound region ST Express serves, and most feature a freely-adapted representation of the Sound Transit bus and train system map on the seating fabric.

Occasionally, vehicles that are not in Sound Transit livery are used on Sound Transit routes by the operating agencies. Also, Sound Transit vehicles may also be used by the local agencies for other commuter routes. This is due to vehicles having mechanical problems, vehicle allocation issues, and assignment errors.

Manufacturer and modelImageMotorLengthPassengersPurchasedQtyFleet NumbersOperator
Gillig Phantom Cummins ISL 40' 42 (seated) 2005 2 9090-9091[9] King County Metro
2008 22 9092-9113 Pierce Transit
8 9114-9121 Community Transit
New Flyer D60LF Caterpillar C9[10] 60' 56 (seated) 2004 16 9537-9552 9539-9540, 9542-9543, 9545, 9547-9548 and 9550 retired from KCM. Community Transit (5) / Pierce Transit (3)
New Flyer DE40LF Cummins ISL40'34 (seated)20031[11]9200[12]King County Metro
New Flyer DE60LF Caterpillar C9 / GM-Allison EP50 [13] 60' 56 (seated) 200422[11]9600-9621[14] King County Metro
Cummins ISL / GM-Allison EP50 20082[11]9622-9623
200913 [11]9624-9636
Motor Coach Industries D4500 Detroit Diesel Series 60 EGR[15] 45'[15] 57 (seated) 200513[16]9700-9712 Pierce Transit
Motor Coach Industries D4500CL Cummins ISM 45'[15] 57 (seated) 20087[8]9713-9719 Pierce Transit
20093[8]9720-9722
201017[8]9723-9739
New Flyer D60LFR Cummins ISL9 60' 56 (seated)[17] 2010 13[18] 9553-9565 Community Transit
2011 18 9566 / 9567-9583 Community Transit / King County Metro
Cummins ISL9 60' 56 (seated) 2011 3 9584-9586 King County Metro
10 9587-9596
2012149800-9813
59818-9822
previously 51214-51218
New Flyer DE60LFR Cummins ISL9 / Allison H 50 EP 60' 56 (seated) 2010 11[18] 9637-9647 King County Metro
2011 4[8] 9648-9651
Gillig Low Floor BRT Hybrid Cummins ISL9 / Allison H 40 EP 40' 35 (seated)[19] 2012 22[19] 9201-9222 Pierce Transit
Gillig Low Floor BRT Cummins ISL9 40' 35 (seated) 2012 2[8] 9122-9123
2015 3[8] 9124-9126 King County Metro
New Flyer Xcelsior XDE60 Cummins ISL9 / Allison H 50 EP 60' 57 (seated) 2014 8[8] 9652-9659 King County Metro
2014 7[8] 61401-61407 Pierce Transit
Cummins L9 / BAE Systems HybriDrive Series-E 60' 57 (Seated) 2020 31 9660-9690 King County Metro
New Flyer Xcelsior XD60 Cummins ISL9 60' 57 (seated) 2014 4[8] 9814-9817 King County Metro
2014 3[8] 51401-51403 Pierce Transit
Alexander Dennis Enviro500 MMC Cummins ISL9 42' 82 (seated) 2015 5[8] 91501-91505 Community Transit
2017 32 91701-91732
Cummins L9 42' 82 (seated) 2020 13 91901-91913
Gillig Low Floor BRTPlus CNG Cummins Westport ISL G 40' 35 (seated) 2015 17[20] 41501-41517 Pierce Transit
2016 5 41601-41605
Motor Coach Industries D4500CT CNG Cummins Westport ISX12 G 45' 57 (seated) 2016 12 9301-9312 Pierce Transit

References
  1. "May 2016 Service Performance Report" (PDF). Sound Transit. July 7, 2016. Retrieved July 16, 2016.
  2. "Service Delivery: Quarterly Performance Report - Fourth Quarter, 2016" (PDF). Sound Transit. March 2, 2017. Retrieved April 12, 2017.
  3. Rogoff, Peter (January 29, 2016). "CEO Report for January 29, 2016". Sound Transit. Retrieved February 1, 2016.
  4. "Regional transit history 1997 - 2003". Sound Transit. Retrieved 2017-03-11.
  5. "Sound Transit: ST Express Regional Bus Service". Sound Transit. Retrieved 2009-11-10.
  6. "Sound Transit: Lost & Found". Sound Transit. Retrieved 2009-11-10.
  7. "Lost & Found". Sound Transit. Retrieved 2009-05-24.
  8. "Draft 2015 Service Implementation Plan - Appendix B: Fleet Plans" (PDF). Sound Transit. p. 111. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 November 2014. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  9. "ST Express 40-foot Diesel Bus Specifications (Gillig)". Sound Transit. Archived from the original on 2007-05-22. Retrieved 2007-05-19.
  10. "ST Express 60-foot Diesel Low Floor Bus Specifications (New Flyer)". Sound Transit. Archived from the original on 2007-09-19. Retrieved 2007-05-19.
  11. "MOTION NO. M2009-15: Contract with New Flyer Corporation" (PDF). Sound Transit. 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-06-20. Retrieved 2009-07-23.
  12. "ST Express 40-foot Diesel-Electric Hybrid Bus Specifications (New Flyer)". Sound Transit. Archived from the original on 2007-09-19. Retrieved 2007-05-19.
  13. "Hybrid Vehicle Specifications". New Flyer Industries, Inc. Archived from the original on 2007-04-16. Retrieved 2007-05-19.
  14. "New Flyer Articulated Hybrid Diesel-Electric Bus". Sound Transit. Archived from the original on 2007-05-23. Retrieved 2007-05-19.
  15. "ST Express 45-foot Long-Haul Bus Specifications (MCI)". Sound Transit. Archived from the original on 2007-09-19. Retrieved 2007-05-19.
  16. "MOTION NO. M2009-09: Contract with Motor Coach Industries" (PDF). Sound Transit. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-06-20. Retrieved 2009-07-23.
  17. "Sound Transit: Sound Transit board approves purchase of clean diesel and hybrid buses". Sound Transit. 2011-02-24. Retrieved 2011-02-24.
  18. "MOTION NO. M2010-01: ST Express Bus Procurement – ST2 Expansion Service" (PDF). Sound Transit. 2010-01-14. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-06-20. Retrieved 2010-01-18.
  19. "MOTION NO. M2011-04 Purchase 24 Forty-Foot Replacement Buses" (PDF). Sound Transit. 2011-02-24. Retrieved 2011-02-25.
  20. "MOTION NO. M2014-06" (PDF). March 27, 2014. Retrieved December 31, 2015.
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