Link Transit

For the light rail system in Seattle, see Link light rail.
Link Transit
FoundedNovember 21, 1989 (1989-11-21)
Commenced operationDecember 16, 1991 (1991-12-16)
Headquarters2700 Euclid Avenue
Wenatchee, WA 98801
LocaleWenatchee–East Wenatchee metropolitan area
Service typeBus service, paratransit
Routes18
Stops573
Fleet65 buses and paratransit vehicles[1]
Daily ridership3,610 (2014)
Annual ridership987,376 (2014)
Fuel typeDiesel
General ManagerNick Covey
Websitewww.linktransit.com

Link Transit is the public transit authority of Chelan and Douglas counties in the U.S. state of Washington. It operates fixed bus and paratransit services between 17 communities in the Wenatchee–East Wenatchee metropolitan area, including the cities of Chelan, Leavenworth, Waterville and Wenatchee. In 2014, Link Transit carried 987,376 passengers on its 18 bus routes.[1]

It is one of only two public transportation benefit areas, along with Ben Franklin Transit in the Tri-Cities, to cover more than one county.[2] The Chelan-Douglas Public Transportation Benefit Area was founded in November 1989 and a 0.4% sales tax was approved by voters in September 1990 to fund a bus system. The Link Transit moniker was adopted shortly before bus service began on December 16, 1991.[1] Link Transit was initially a fare-free system until February 2000.[3]

Routes

An electric bus operated by Link Transit on Route A

Link Transit operates 18 bus routes, with service operating from Monday through Sunday. 3 of these routes are "trolley" routes using trolley-replica buses branded as "The Current", running electric battery buses and not charging fares; 6 are intercity routes connecting Wenatchee to outlying communities via major highways; and one is a season route to the Mission Ridge Ski Area, branded as "SkiLink", which is free for pass holders to the resort.[4][5][6]: 3  Link Transit also operates one dial-a-ride service in Leavenworth.[7]

Most of these bus routes connect to the three main transit centers in Wenatchee and its suburbs: Columbia Station, Wenatchee Valley Mall in East Wenatchee, and Olds Station Park & Ride. Most routes also operate in loops with one-way segments.

Bus routes

Route Inbound terminus Outbound terminus Via Bi-directional Saturday service Notes
1 Columbia Station Methow Street, Crawford Avenue, Miller Street, Russell Street, Ferry Street No Yes
5 Columbia Station Walmart Cherry Street, Western Avenue, Fifth Street, Wenatchee Valley College, Maple Street No Yes
7 Columbia Station Ninth Street, Wenatchee Valley College, Western Avenue, Washington Street No Yes
8W/8E Columbia Station Wenatchee Valley Mall, Olds Station Park and Ride, Central Washington Hospital Yes Yes Routes split by direction
11 Wenatchee Valley Mall Eastmont Avenue, 4th Street, Kentucky Avenue, 3rd Street, 5th Street, 8th Street Yes
(route 12) 		No Running in opposite direction as route 12
12 Wenatchee Valley Mall 8th Street, 5th Street, 3rd Street, Kentucky Avenue, 4th Street, Eastmont Avenue Yes
(route 11) 		No Running in opposite direction as route 11

Intercity routes

Route Inbound terminus Outbound terminus Via Off-peak service Saturday service Notes
20 Columbia Station Manson Orondo, Chelan No No
21 Columbia Station Manson Entiat, Chelan Yes Yes
22 Columbia Station Leavenworth Olds Station, Cashmere, Peshastin Yes Yes
23 Columbia Station Rock Island East Wenatchee Yes Yes
24 Columbia Station Malaga Yes Yes
25 Columbia Station Waterville East Wenatchee, Orondo No No
26 Columbia Station Ardenvoir Olds Station, Entiat No No
28 Columbia Station Cashmere Olds Station Yes Yes
40 (SkiLink) Olds Station Columbia Station, East Wenatchee Mission Ridge Ski Area No Yes Seasonal route, only operates from November to April primarily on weekends

Shuttle and urban routes

Shuttle routes are fare-free and run at higher frequencies.

Route Inbound terminus Outbound terminus Via Saturday service Notes
A Columbia Station Wenatchee Valley Mall Mission Street Yes Replaced route 19
B Columbia Station Wenatchee Valley College Worthen Street, Riverside Drive, Fifth Street Yes
C Columbia Station Wenatchee Valley Medical Center Wenatchee Avenue Yes Replaced route 9
D Wilkommen Park and Ride Icicle River Road Highway 2 Yes
E Johnson and Columbia (Chelan) Lakeside Park, Don Morse Park Yes Seasonal service during summer

Fleet

Link Transit operates electric buses, powered by batteries, on its "Current" frequent routes in Wenatchee and East Wenatchee. The first batch of five buses manufactured by EBus was delivered in 2014 and funded by a $2.9 million grant from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA).[8][9] In 2016, the FTA awarded a $3.8 million grant to Link Transit to purchase additional electric buses to replace older diesel vehicles;[10] Link Transit awarded a four-bus order to BYD Auto for their K9 electric buses.[11]

Link Transit received its BYD electric buses in 2017 and outfitted one with an experimental wireless 200 kW charger, the first of its kind in the United States.[12]

Current Bus Fleet

As of December 31, 2014[13]: 26–29 
Year Manufacturer Model Fleet Numbers Fuel Type Notes
1999 Gillig Phantom 327–332 Diesel 329 is retired.
2000 Chance AH-28 504, 507 Diesel Formerly used on trolley routes
2003 Gillig Low Floor 333–337 Diesel
2004 Gillig Low Floor 305–308 Diesel
2005 Gillig Low Floor 309–312 Diesel
2007 Gillig Low Floor 313–315 Diesel
2008 Gillig Low Floor 316–326 Diesel
2010 EBus 22T 803–806 Electric battery Branded for "The Current" trolley routes

References

  1. ^ a b c "About Link Transit". Link Transit. Archived from the original on April 20, 2016. Retrieved April 21, 2016.
  2. ^ Kimpel, Thomas (September 27, 2013). "2013 Public Transportation Benefit Area Population Estimates" (PDF). Washington State Office of Financial Management. Retrieved April 21, 2016.
  3. ^ Wheat, Dan (November 17, 1999). "No more free rides: Link board approves rider fees, drastic service cutbacks". The Wenatchee World. p. A1.
  4. ^ "SkiLink". Link Transit. Archived from the original on April 21, 2016. Retrieved April 21, 2016.
  5. ^ "All Routes". Link Transit. Retrieved April 21, 2016.
  6. ^ Link Transit Ride Guide (PDF). Link Transit. July 6, 2015. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 7, 2015. Retrieved April 21, 2016.
  7. ^ "DART Services". Link Transit. Retrieved April 21, 2016.
  8. ^ "Link Transit launched Five Battery-electric Trolleys". Mass Transit Magazine. December 22, 2014. Retrieved September 16, 2016.
  9. ^ "Electric Trolley Buses Cut Energy Use, Emissions at Link Transit" (PDF). Federal Transit Administration. August 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 2, 2016. Retrieved September 16, 2016.
  10. ^ "Feds to give Link $3.8 million for more electric buses". Wenatchee World. July 21, 2016. Retrieved September 16, 2016.
  11. ^ "Link Transit Orders First 4 BYD Electric Buses" (Press release). BYD Auto. March 22, 2016. Retrieved September 16, 2016.
  12. ^ Bernstein, Dave (March 15, 2018). "LINK Transit first in nation with wireless e-bus charging". KPQ. Retrieved April 4, 2018.
  13. ^ Transit Development Plan 2015—2020 And 2014 Annual Report (PDF) (Report). Link Transit. August 18, 2015. Retrieved April 21, 2016.