Snohomish County, Washington’s Community Transit is celebrating 50 years of service, marking five decades of growth from a small suburban bus operation into one of the region’s leading public transportation providers.

Since launching service in 1976 with 21 leased buses serving six Snohomish County cities, the agency has expanded to operate more than 300 buses across 19 cities, connecting riders through fixed-route service, bus rapid transit, paratransit, and vanpool programs.

The milestone highlights both the agency’s history and its evolving role in meeting the region’s growing mobility needs.

“Our vision has always been simple: we get people from where they are to where they want to be. That was true in 1976, and it’s true today,” said Community Transit CEO Ric Ilgenfritz. “When you’re traveling from point A to point B, we’re here for you—and we honor the millions of passenger journeys that have defined Community Transit history.”

Community Transit Partnering for Celebration

Community Transit partnered with HistoryLink to gather and share stories from the last 50 years.

From the days without defined bus routes to the addition of new services such as microtransit, people can learn all about the evolution of transit in Snohomish County by viewing the online timeline. 

For a hands-on experience, one of Community Transit’s original 1959 GMC buses has been outfitted with an immersive display showing the history of transit in Snohomish County. The bus is named “Bluebell” following a social media contest and will travel to various local events this spring and summer.

As treats for the public, commemorative Community Transit 50th Anniversary ORCA cards will be given out at select events, and trading cards featuring vehicles from different eras or routes will also be available at all 50th anniversary events.

Later in the year, Community Transit will announce more ways to celebrate with riders.

Community Transit provides bus and paratransit service, vanpool, and innovative transit options in Snohomish County. The agency is expanding the Swift bus rapid transit network to connect to light rail and provide fast, frequent service throughout the county.