Job Access and Reverse Commute (jarc) Program fy 2009 Service Profiles Region X alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington October 2010 fta-08-0162 Job Access and Reverse Commute (jarc) fy 2009 Service Profiles: Region X

Link Transit (648)

Increase urban route frequencies (759)

Location: Wenatchee and East Wenatchee (WA)
Type: Trip-Based Services/Fixed route
Goal: Improved access/connections
Service description: This JARC grant helped to fund the increase of service for three urban routes; 1, 2 & 8, from one-hour frequency to one-half hour frequency. Routes 1 & 2 serve the south end of Wenatchee, where predominantly the lower income live and are more dependent on public transit. Route 8 is a circulator that serves both Wenatchee and East Wenatchee. Route 8 serves many senior assisted living facilities, the hospital and clinic, shopping, and the senior center. All three routes pulse in and out of Link Transit’s intermodal center, Columbia Station, which connects with Link’s other routes, both urban and regional and with Amtrak and NW Stagelines.
Evaluation: Link has established Board approved bench marks for our urban and rural service. Urban service bench marks are as follows:
- Urban goal per route = 18 passengers per hour (PPH)
- Minimum goal for urban routes = 9 PPH
Current passenger per hour counts for these grant funded routes are:
- Route 1 = 15.9 PPH
- Route 2 = 15 PPH
- Route 8 = 10.5 PPH 
Accomplishments: Prior to the increase in frequency, Link replaced its urban buses with low-floor buses to help promote and transition LinkPlus (Link’s ADA service) riders from demand response to fixed route during good weather. The low-floor vehicles help many board and deboard much easier and quicker. Providing half-hour service has given new life to many who are transit dependent living in the lower income neighborhoods. The actual routes have been very popular due to the amount of neighborhoods served. Also, more frequency on these routes enable more riders to reach more employment opportunities by being able to catch other buses heading to other parts of the urban area and reaching the rural communities of Leavenworth and Chelan.
Lessons learned: Pick routes that serve high density areas which house the lower income, older adults, and persons with disabilities. More frequent service, especially in smaller urban settings, has been very popular and supported. These routes serve many hospitality and fruit workers who live in the lower income neighborhoods. Adding more frequency means more employment opportunities without arriving to work an hour early or waiting around for an hour after work for a ride home! 

Sustain flexible route commuter routes (764)