Sound Transit to celebrate ST Express regional bus service's 10 millionth rider

Sound Transit will say "Thanks a million"-or rather "Thanks 10 million"-as its ST Express regional bus service carries its 10 millionth rider in just two years of operation. On Friday, Sound Transit will thank morning commuters at ST Express boarding sites in Snohomish, King and Pierce counties.

ST Express regional buses, with their distinctive blue-green waves painted on the side, add to services provided by King County Metro, Community Transit, Pierce Transit and Everett Transit. Sound Transit's role is to provide the regional, longer distance connections on express routes, resulting in more total bus service for the Central Puget Sound.

ST Express bus ridership facts:

• There are currently 17 ST Express routes serving riders in King, Pierce and Snohomish counties; two more routes will start in 2002
• ST Express currently averages more than 20,000 boardings every weekday
• Overall ST Express ridership is up 42 percent through the second quarter of 2001
• In August, ST Express carried more than 500,000 riders for the first time in a one-month period

Sound Transit was created by voters in 1996 to provide Sounder commuter rail, ST Express regional bus, and Link light rail services in the central Puget Sound area.

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Sound Transit plans, builds and operates regional transit systems and services to improve mobility for Central Puget Sound.