Headways Newsletter: August 2024
New Route 265 at the Silverdale Transit Center.
Welcome back to Headways!
Labor Day weekend is upon us, and with it a host of great activities. This month’s newsletter will show you how to get to those events via public transit AND how to use our two newest routes to get around Silverdale. We also give kudos to our operators and maintenance team for an incredible showing at the state Bus and Maintenance Roadeo competitions and share some important updates about our ferry system. Thanks for reading!
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1. Your Labor Day Transit Toolkit: Getting to events in Kitsap and Seattle this weekend
The Seattle Convention Center.
Labor Day weekend is here, and there’s no shortage of things to do in Kitsap County and beyond! Whether traveling from out of town or just across the water, public transit is a cheap, convenient, and fun way to get around. We’ve put together a transit toolkit to help you get to PAX West, Bumbershoot, the Huskies game and more.
2. Where can I go? Getting around Silverdale on new Routes 265 and 266
As part of our summer service change this year, Kitsap Transit added two brand-new routes that provide convenient, quick access around Kitsap County’s commercial and healthcare hub. If you live or work in Silverdale, read on!
3. Kitsap Transit operators, mechanics take home top prize at state Roadeo competition
Kitsap Transit's senior operator, Val Quill, took home first place in the Routed 35-foot division at the State Roadeo Competition.
Kitsap Transit's operators and maintenance team swept the 2024 Washington State Transit Association Roadeo competition, winning first place in three events and taking home the overall Grand Champion Award.
4. Tell Your “Transit is Why” story
A Kitsap Transit operator helps Kate H., an ACCESS passenger, get off a bus using a wheelchair lift.
Transit is Why is a new public education campaign that aims to raise awareness about the essential role public transit plays in our communities. Learn more about Transit is Why and share your own transit story at transitiswhy.com/stories.
5. Lack of available spare vessels could disrupt Kingston, Southworth ferry routes through 2024
Fast ferry service on the Kingston-Seattle and Southworth-Seattle routes will operate without spare vessels until further notice, as Enetai and Commander are both out of service due to a failed part in the jet propulsion system. Kitsap Transit conservatively estimates the Enetai will be out of service until mid-November. The Commander likely will not return to service until early 2025 due to shipyard and parts availability.
6. Ferry maintenance facility siting study released
The M/V Finest undergoes renovation work at Nichols Brothers shipyard in 2018.
Kitsap Transit published the final Ferry Maintenance Facility Siting Study in June 2024 — moving us closer to constructing a dedicated ferry maintenance facility. As our ferry service becomes a crucial part of our region’s transportation network, having a Kitsap Transit-owned and operated maintenance facility is more important than ever to keep our vessels running safely and efficiently.