EVERETT, Oct. 2: As the new Transportation Services Director for Everett Transit (ET) Mike Schmieder has a few things on his mind. Planning for five new light rail stops, complete electrification of the bus fleet and continuing to meet customers’ needs are just a few.
Schmieder has been with ET since 2008 and took over for former director Tom Hingson, who retired at the end of September.
One thing that Schmieder never expected was to be director for Everett Transit. Schmieder was a pastor for 16 years before deciding to work with the city of Everett as a bus driver.
“I sat down with my board one night and said ‘I feel like I’m going to make a change here and go work for the city of Everett’… Where I’ve been in life doors open up and you just work hard, focus, and doors seem to open up.”
He worked as a driver for three years, eventually making his way up to Operations Manager in 2019.
Light rail in Everett
Light rail has officially entered Snohomish County in August with the opening of the Lynnwood City Center Station. The next step for Sound Transit is adding six new stops, four in Everett. It will add 16 miles of light rail and is expected to open between 2037 and 2041.
There are expected to be stops at West Alderwood, Ash Way, Mariner, SW Everett Industrial Center, SR 526/Evergreen, and Everett Station. Depending on funding, there could also be a stop at SR 99/Airport Road.
Schmieder said that the exact locations are still being discussed and located.
“Wherever you go [along the light rail] you see transit-oriented development,” Schmieder said, “And when Northgate opened in 2021 you saw all of this growth happen in advance. Not only when the light rail arrives but after it’s there, the development continues to build outwards. And it’s transformational.”
Schmieder said that ET is getting ready for the growth that light rail will inevitably bring.
ET is also preparing for Community Transit’s Swift bus rapid transit (BRT) Gold Line which will connect Everett to Smokey Point, Arlington. This is expected to be completed in 2029.
For ET’s big picture, Schmieder said that Everett Transit doesn’t want to compete with but accommodate these changes.
“That’s what Everett Transit really needs to do is pivot around light rail and pivot around Swift and complement it. So, we will pivot our service to compliment it,” Schmieder said, “That means fast, short and frequent trips that connect Swift Gold, Light rail and Everett Station.”
Electrification
ET plans to have a zero-emission fleet by 2039. They recently received an Award of Excellence for their bus electrification efforts. In 2025, 70% of the fleet will be electric (33 buses out of 49).
This year the last five ET Orion buses will be retiring. They have been operating since 2001 and have logged millions of service miles.
When ET was discussing who should accept the award, Schmieder said “Make it a young person.” Eva Wagner, who is on the City of Everett Advisory Board, accepted the award on behalf of ET.
“What this is really about is our young people. We are trying to create a better world honestly for them,” Schmieder said. “When we look at individuals like Eva and the younger generation for Everett Transit that’s our ‘Why’. That is one of the reasons we do what we do.”
This year, ET adopted inductive charging, which provides the benefit of on-route wireless vehicle charging for busses to “Top-off”. Inductive charging at ET is the first to be operated in Western Washington, ET Outreach and Communications Matt Coomes said.
In 2025, ET plans to have inductive charging around the city, Schmieder said. Every minute that the bus is on the charger, it adds one mile to the tank.
Schmieder said that these inductive charging spots would be strictly for ET buses.
ET has little tie into the city of Everett and isn’t funded by the general fund, which is currently under review to address the city’s $12.6 structural deficit. Schmieder said ET gets most of its funding from sales tax in Everett and grants.
Community at forefront
Schmieder says that Everett Transit constantly has an ear to the ground, taking in community feedback to enhance bus operations. Right now, ET is trying to restore services cut during the pandemic.
In 2022 and 2023 ridership increased 32% Schmieder said. ET is on track for another increase this year, reaching pre-pandemic ridership levels.
Schmieder attributes the growth in ridership to the Youth Ride Free policy enacted in 2022. The policy allows those 18 and under to ride for free. In the first year the policy was enacted ET saw ridership increase 83%.
“Transit matters to people and so we want to get it right. We want to have the right vision, the right service and we want all of our people to care deeply about this community,” Schmieder said.
The Youth Ride Free policy is funded by the 2021 Climate Commitment Act (CCA). ET receives approximately $2.5 million annually from the CCA program Move Ahead Washington. CCA caps and reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
CCA helps fund the Free Youth Fair program, electrification efforts and service development.
An initiative on the Washington ballot in November, Initiative 2117, would repeal the CCA if approved.
To contact Everett Transit, you can email them at [email protected]. You can also contact them through their Facebook page.
Clarification: Everett Transit is a department of the City of Everett. However, it is the general fund that they are not tied to as closely. Everett Transit receives the majority of funding from sales tax and revenue grants.
