Kitsap Transit

Local public transit operator in Kitsap County, Washington

Kitsap Transit

Kitsap Transit Bus 757 at the Washington State Ferry terminal in Bremerton

Founded| 1978
Commenced operation| 1983
Headquarters| Bremerton, Washington
Locale| Kitsap County, Washington
Service type| Bus, foot ferry, vanpool, paratransit
Routes| 40
Hubs| 9
Fleet| 120 buses
Daily ridership| 8,063 (weekdays, 2022)[1]
Annual ridership| 3,023,200 (2024)[2]
Fuel type| Diesel
Operator| Kitsap County Public Transportation Benefit Area Authority
Website| www.kitsaptransit.com

Kitsap Transit is a public transit agency serving Kitsap County, Washington, part of the Seattle metropolitan area. The system is based in Bremerton and operates bus service on 40 fixed routes, a foot ferry, a vanpool system, worker-driver services, and dial-a-ride services. The Kitsap Fast Ferries, also operated by Kitsap Transit, launched in 2017 and has three routes that connect Seattle to Kitsap County. In 2024, the system had a total ridership of 3,023,200 and over 8,000 passengers on an average weekday in 2022.

## History

[edit]

Beginning in 1971, the city of Bremerton operated a municipal transit system that had been bought out from a private company.[3]

A countywide public transportation benefit area (PTBA) was formed in 1978 to explore a transit system for Kitsap County as a whole. A 0.2 percent sales tax was put before voters in May of that year for a countywide system, but was rejected.[3] A second attempt was put on the September 27, 1982 ballot, with a 0.3 percent sales tax and a limited PTBA serving Bremerton, Gorst, Port Orchard, Poulsbo and Silverdale. The PTBA was approved by 55.6 percent of voters, and service began in January 1983, taking over the Bremerton municipal system.[4]

In 1992, Kitsap Transit became the first transit agency in the United States to install a traffic signal preemption system for bus priority, beginning with 40 buses and 42 traffic signals in a year-long trial of the "Opticom" system.[5]

Kitsap Transit formed a public-private partnership with Kitsap Ferry Company to operate a passenger ferry service between Bremerton and Seattle in 2004, replacing a former Washington State Ferries passenger run that was suspended the previous year.[6] The service was suspended in 2007, after voters rejected a sales tax increase to fund the ferry's rising fuel costs.[7] Kitsap Transit, looking to revive the service, placed a 0.3 percent sales tax on the November 2016 ballot to fund fast ferry service, which was passed by voters.[8] The new Kitsap Fast Ferries service began operation on July 10, 2017, traveling 28 minutes between Bremerton and Seattle.[9] A second fast ferry route, connecting Kingston to Seattle, began operating in November 2018.[10]

In 2002, Kitsap Transit purchased Horluck Transportation, the operators of a foot ferry from Bremerton to Port Orchard and Annapolis, for $1.52 million.[11]

During a period of declining sales tax revenue following the Great Recession, Kitsap Transit made major service cuts to make up for a budget shortfall. Sunday and holiday service was discontinued in February 2009, low-performing routes were consolidated or eliminated later that year. Fares were raised twice to $2, and employees were laid off.[12]

In 2015, Kitsap Transit tested a double-decker bus from Alexander Dennis on routes serving ferry runs.[13] The agency debuted a new battery electric bus manufactured by Proterra in April 2018.[14]

## Services

[edit]

Kitsap Transit oversees the operations of these services:

* Routed bus service (40 routes; 120 buses)
* Foot ferry service (Bremerton to Port Orchard and Annapolis)
* Fast ferry service (Bremerton, Southworth, and Kingston to Seattle)
* ACCESS (Door-to-door/curb-to-curb service for elderly and disabled)
* Worker/Driver (Commuter routes operating between various points in Kitsap County and either the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton or Naval Submarine Base Bangor. Drivers are full-time employees at the Navy installations who are also employed as part-time Kitsap Transit operators.)
* Vanpool
* TIP (Transit Incentive Program), a program for employees at federal work sites.
* SCOOT (Smart Commuter Option of Today), a carsharing program in the urbanized areas of Kitsap County.

Kitsap Transit participates in the ORCA Card program.

Kitsap Transit routes connect to Jefferson Transit, Mason Transit Authority, Pierce Transit and the Washington State Ferries terminals in Bremerton, Bainbridge, Kingston and Southworth.

## Administration

[edit]

Kitsap Transit is overseen by a ten-member executive board composed of the three county commissioners, the mayor of Bremerton, a Bremerton City Council member, appointed representatives from the cities of Bainbridge Island, Bremerton, Port Orchard, and Poulsbo, an at-large member from the three smaller cities, and a non-voting member representing the agency's labor unions.[15]

## Current fleet

[edit]

### Buses

[edit]

As of February 2016[update][16]: 24–33
Fleet
Number(s)  | Thumbnail  | Year  | Manufacturer  | Model  | Notes

|
|
|
|
|

730–747  |  | 2003  | Gillig | 40' Phantom |

* Does not include 738[16]

750–751  |  | 2003  | Gillig  | 35' Low Floor  |
752–761  |  | 2004  | Gillig  | 35' Low Floor  |
762–766  |  | 2005  | Gillig  | 35' Low Floor  |
770–774  |  | 2004  | Gillig  | 40' Low Floor  |
775–779  |  | 2005  | Gillig  | 40' Low Floor  |
780–787  |  | 2016  | Gillig  | 30' Low Floor  |
975–978  |  | 2002  | ElDorado | 24' Aerotech |

* Some sold to Yakima Transit

979–980  |  | 2003  | ElDorado  | 26' Aerotech  |
6000–6042  |  | 1993–2002  | MCI | 102D3 |

* Previously used coaches purchased for Worker/Driver routes.

7000–7016  |  | 2010  | ARBOC | Spirit of Mobility  |
7017–7025  |  | 2012  | ARBOC | Spirit of Mobility  |

### Foot Ferries

[edit]

See also: Kitsap Fast Ferries § Current fleet

Current fleet of Kitsap Foot Ferries[17] Name | Year Built | Capacity | Length | Top speed (knots) | Notes

|
|
|
|
|

Carlisle II | 1917 | 140 | 60 ft (18 m) | 10 kn (19 km/h; 12 mph) | Refurbished in 2021
Admiral Pete | 1994 | 120 | 65 ft (20 m) | 22 kn (41 km/h; 25 mph) | Refurbished in 2012
MV Waterman | 2019 | 150 | 70 ft (21 m) | 15 kn (28 km/h; 17 mph) | Hybrid diesel–electric

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "2022 Annual Agency Profile: Kitsap Transit" (PDF). National Transit Database. Federal Transit Administration. Retrieved March 5, 2024.
2. ^ "Transit Ridership Report Fourth Quarter 2024" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. February 19, 2025. Retrieved February 25, 2025.
3. ^ a b Division of Public Transportation Planning (August 1978). "Local Transit-Statewide" (PDF). Public Transportation in Washington State, 1978 Summary (Report). Washington State Department of Transportation. p. 23. Retrieved August 23, 2016.
4. ^ Public Transportation Office (October 1984). "Local Transit" (PDF). Public Transportation in Washington State (Report). Washington State Department of Transportation. p. 85\. OCLC 13007541. Retrieved August 23, 2016 - via National Transportation Library.
5. ^ Whitely, Peyton (July 6, 1992). "Buses in Bremerton get the green light". The Seattle Times. Retrieved August 23, 2016.
6. ^ Gilmore, Susan (July 31, 2004). "Kitsap Transit chief takes risk with ferries". The Seattle Times. Retrieved August 23, 2016.
7. ^ Gilmore, Susan (March 9, 2007). "Bremerton passenger ferry run to end March 30". The Seattle Times. Retrieved August 23, 2016.
8. ^ Garnick, Coral (August 5, 2016). "With a fast ferry on the ballot, commuting from Kitsap County may get easier". Puget Sound Business Journal. Retrieved August 23, 2016.
9. ^ Friedrich, Ed (March 24, 2017). "Kitsap Transit sets proposed schedule for new foot ferry". Kitsap Sun. Retrieved June 15, 2017.
10. ^ Gutman, David (November 7, 2018). "Kitsap Transit launches Kingston-to-Seattle fast ferry service". The Seattle Times. Retrieved May 6, 2019.
11. ^ "Kitsap Transit buys Horluck". Port Orchard Independent. June 12, 2008. Archived from the original on September 19, 2016. Retrieved August 23, 2016.
12. ^ Friedrich, Ed (July 19, 2009). "Kitsap Transit Is Proposing More Service Cuts Come Fall". Kitsap Sun. Retrieved August 23, 2016.
13. ^ Friedrich, Ed (May 26, 2015). "Kitsap Transit trying out double-decker bus". Kitsap Sun. Retrieved August 23, 2016.
14. ^ Vosler, Christian (April 29, 2018). "Kitsap Transit debuts new electric bus". Kitsap Sun. Retrieved May 29, 2018.
15. ^ "Transit Board". Kitsap Transit. Retrieved August 23, 2016.
16. ^ a b Transit Development Plan, 2016–2021 (PDF) (Report). Kitsap Transit. February 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 28, 2016. Retrieved August 23, 2016.
17. ^ "Our Ferry Fleet". Kitsap Transit. Retrieved July 20, 2023.

## External links

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kitsap Transit.

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