Kitsap Transit

Beginning in 1971, the city of Bremerton operated a municipal transit system that had been bought out from a private company.{{cite report |author=Division of Public Transportation Planning |date=August 1978 |title=Public Transportation in Washington State, 1978 Summary |chapter=Local Transit-Statewide |page=23 |chapter-url=http://ftp.wsdot.wa.gov/public/PubTranSummaries/1978%20-%20Summary%20of%20Public%20Transportation.pdf |publisher=Washington State Department of Transportation |access-date=August 23, 2016}}

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. 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.{{cite report |author=Public Transportation Office |date=October 1984 |title=Public Transportation in Washington State |chapter-url=http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/12000/12700/12792/12792.pdf |publisher=Washington State Department of Transportation |via=National Transportation Library |chapter=Local Transit |page=85 |oclc=13007541 |access-date=August 23, 2016}}

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.{{cite news |last=Whitely |first=Peyton |date=July 6, 1992 |title=Buses in Bremerton get the green light |url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/19920706/1500756/buses-in-bremerton-get-the-green-light----new-system-changes-signals-speeds-transit-on-way |work=The Seattle Times |access-date=August 23, 2016}}

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.{{cite news |last=Gilmore |first=Susan |date=July 31, 2004 |title=Kitsap Transit chief takes risk with ferries |url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/20040731/hayes31m/kitsap-transit-chief-takes-risk-with-ferries |work=The Seattle Times |access-date=August 23, 2016}} The service was suspended in 2007, after voters rejected a sales tax increase to fund the ferry's rising fuel costs.{{cite news |last=Gilmore |first=Susan |date=March 9, 2007 |title=Bremerton passenger ferry run to end March 30 |url=http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/bremerton-passenger-ferry-run-to-end-march-30/ |work=The Seattle Times |access-date=August 23, 2016}} 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.{{cite news |last=Garnick |first=Coral |date=August 5, 2016 |title=With a fast ferry on the ballot, commuting from Kitsap County may get easier |url=http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2016/08/05/with-a-fast-ferry-on-the-ballot-commuting-from.html |work=Puget Sound Business Journal |access-date=August 23, 2016}} The new Kitsap Fast Ferries service began operation on July 10, 2017, traveling 28 minutes between Bremerton and Seattle.{{cite news |last=Friedrich |first=Ed |date=March 24, 2017 |title=Kitsap Transit sets proposed schedule for new foot ferry |url=http://www.kitsapsun.com/story/news/local/2017/03/24/kitsap-transit-sets-proposed-schedule-new-foot-ferry/99589416/ |work=Kitsap Sun |access-date=June 15, 2017}} A second fast ferry route, connecting Kingston to Seattle, began operating in November 2018.{{cite news |last=Gutman |first=David |date=November 7, 2018 |title=Kitsap Transit launches Kingston-to-Seattle fast ferry service |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/kitsap-transit-launching-kingston-to-seattle-fast-ferry-service-after-thanksgiving/ |work=The Seattle Times |access-date=May 6, 2019}}

In 2002, Kitsap Transit purchased Horluck Transportation, the operators of a foot ferry from Bremerton to Port Orchard and Annapolis, for $1.52 million.{{cite news |date=June 12, 2008 |title=Kitsap Transit buys Horluck |url=http://www.portorchardindependent.com/news/19830439.html |work=Port Orchard Independent |access-date=August 23, 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160919172210/http://www.portorchardindependent.com/news/19830439.html |archive-date=September 19, 2016 }}

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.{{cite news |last=Friedrich |first=Ed |date=July 19, 2009 |title=Kitsap Transit Is Proposing More Service Cuts Come Fall |url=http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/local/kitsap-transit-is-proposing-more-service-cuts-come-fall-ep-420679828-358025471.html |work=Kitsap Sun |access-date=August 23, 2016}}

In 2015, Kitsap Transit tested a double-decker bus from Alexander Dennis on routes serving ferry runs.{{cite news |last=Friedrich |first=Ed |date=May 26, 2015 |title=Kitsap Transit trying out double-decker bus |url=http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/local/kitsap-transit-trying-out-double-decker-bus-ep-1104398409-354701061.html |work=Kitsap Sun |access-date=August 23, 2016}} The agency debuted a new battery electric bus manufactured by Proterra in April 2018.{{cite news |last=Vosler |first=Christian |date=April 29, 2018 |title=Kitsap Transit debuts new electric bus |url=https://www.kitsapsun.com/story/news/local/2018/04/29/kitsap-transit-debuts-new-electric-bus/561687002/ |work=Kitsap Sun |access-date=May 29, 2018}}

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.

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.{{cite web |title=Transit Board |url=http://www.kitsaptransit.com/agency-information/transit-board |publisher=Kitsap Transit |access-date=August 23, 2016}}

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{{see also|Kitsap Fast Ferries#Current fleet}}

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{{Puget Sound Transit}}

Category:Bus transportation in Washington (state)

Category:County government agencies in Washington (state)

Category:Intermodal transportation authorities in Washington (state)

Category:Ferry companies based in Washington (state)

Category:Transportation in Kitsap County, Washington

Category:Transportation in Seattle

Category:Sound Transit

Category:1983 establishments in Washington (state)