Clallam Transit System is a public transit operator in Clallam County, Washington, United States. It has 12 routes and also provides paratransit and vanpool services. The agency also coordinates with other transit agencies to provide inter-county connections.
 | |
| Founded | 1979 |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | 830 W. Lauridsen Blvd. Port Angeles, Washington, U.S. |
| Service type | Bus service, paratransit, dial-a-bus, vanpool |
| Routes | 13 |
| General manager | Jim Fetzer |
| Website | clallamtransit.com |
History
edit
The Clallam County Public Transportation Benefit Area (PTBA) was formed on July 24, 1979, using a 0.3 percent sales tax approved by local voters. The following year, Clallam Transit began operating bus service on ten routes across eastern Clallam County. In 1983, the western half of the county voted to be annexed into the system.[1][2]
In 2011, Clallam Transit opened a new, $15.4 million transit center in downtown Port Angeles.[3] The agency began accepting mobile tickets in 2017 through the Token Transit app.[4]
Clallam Transit debuted its "Strait Shot" intercity bus route in June 2017, connecting Port Angeles to the Bainbridge Island ferry terminal and other points in Kitsap County.[5] The agency launched a shuttle connecting Port Angeles to the Hurricane Ridge area of Olympic National Park in 2022; following a fire that damaged the Hurricane Ridge Day Lodge, the buses ran with limited capacity.[6][7] A similar service for the Hoh Rain Forest is also under consideration, pending negotiations with the Jefferson Transit Authority and National Park Service.[7]
In November 2023, the Clallam Transit Board approved a one-year pilot for fare-free service on its routes, with the exception of Route 123 and the Hurricane Ridge Shuttle, for the entirety of 2024. The decision was made a year after free fares for youth riders went into effect as part of a statewide initiative and subsequently doubled ridership for under-18 passengers.[8] A state grant of $1.9 million from the Move Ahead Washington package will fund the program.[9]
Routes
editClallam Transit has 13 fixed routes and two microtransit routes with flexible stops. The fixed-route service is provided on primarily on weekdays between 5 a.m. and 10 p.m., with less service on Saturdays and Sundays.[10]
Intracounty
edit- Route 10 Joyce - Port Angeles to Joyce
- Route 14 Forks - Port Angeles to Forks
- Route 15 LaPush - Forks to LaPush
- Route 16 Clallam Bay - Forks to Neah Bay
- Route 17 Forks Shuttle - Forks loop
- Route 20 College/Plaza - Port Angeles loop, via Peninsula College
- Route 22 Lincoln/Peabody - Port Angeles loop, via Courthouse
- Route 24 Cherry Hill - Port Angeles loop, via Shane Park
- Route 26 West Side - Port Angeles loop, West side
- Route 30 Highway 101 Commuter - Port Angeles to Sequim
- Route 40 Sequim Shuttle - Sequim loop
- Route 52 Diamond Point - Sequim to Diamond Point
Intercounty
edit- West Jefferson Transit Connection - Forks to Aberdeen
- Jefferson Transit Connection (Route 8 Sequim) - Sequim to Port Townsend
- Route 123 "Strait Shot" - Port Angeles to Bainbridge Island
Fares
editClallam Transit introduced zero-fare service on most routes on January 1, 2024.[8] The Hurricane Ridge shuttle and Strait Shot (Route 123) inter-city service still charge fares along with some Clallam Connect dial-a-ride trips. Clallam Transit accepts fares through cash payments, the Token Transit app, or bus passes.[11]
Prior to the zero-fare trial, regular routes charged $1 for regular passengers and $0.50 for those eligible for reduced fares; long-distance routes 14 and 30 charged $1.50 for regular passengers and $1 for reduced fares; and Route 123 charged $10 for adult passengers and $5 for reduced fares. Youth passengers, U.S. military veterans, and Peninsula College students were not charged for fares.[12]
References
edit- ^ Public Transportation and Rail Division (September 1997). Public Transportation Systems in Washington State, 1996 Summary (PDF) (Report). Washington State Department of Transportation. p. 19. Retrieved July 6, 2016.
- ^ "How did Clallam Transit get here?". Clallam Transit. Retrieved July 6, 2016.
- ^ Callis, Tom (December 7, 2011). "The Gateway transit center project officially completed". Peninsula Daily News. Retrieved July 6, 2016.
- ^ Ollikainen, Rob (August 31, 2017). "Clallam Transit to offer mobile app for ticketing". Peninsula Daily News. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
- ^ Ollikainen, Rob (June 30, 2017). "Strait Shot: Feedback 'positive' but room for more on Bainbridge Island-Port Angeles bus". Peninsula Daily News. Retrieved July 15, 2017.
- ^ Phair, Vonnai (June 22, 2023). "Hurricane Ridge to reopen after lodge fire". The Seattle Times. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
- ^ a b Hunt, Paula (August 29, 2023). "Clallam Transit considers service to Hoh Rain Forest". Peninsula Daily News. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
- ^ a b Beekman, Daniel (November 13, 2023). "Clallam Transit will be latest of many WA systems to go fare-free". The Seattle Times. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
- ^ Hunt, Paula (October 19, 2023). "Clallam Transit free in '24". Peninsula Daily News. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
- ^ "Clallam Transit System Transit Development Plan 2023–2028" (PDF). Clallam Transit System. August 23, 2023. pp. 5, 8. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
- ^ "Fares". Clallam Transit. Retrieved January 4, 2024.
- ^ "Fares". Clallam Transit. Archived from the original on February 15, 2023. Retrieved November 17, 2023.