My pledge to drive a car less often is on shaky footing

When I was a youth group child at Everett First United Methodist Church, we had “pows and wows” about bad and good experiences we had.

It was a useful introduction to meaningful conversations with people you trust.

As part of the pact between newspapers and the people we want to educate, I apply this lesson here at the third check-in to my new commitment to becoming a person who gets around more by bike, bus, or my feet. That means sharing mistakes and lessons as I get used to “active” transports. This is what I wanted to do this year to cut my carbon footprint and keep another car off the road and traffic for the rest of you.

First, the prisoners of war.

I’ve ridden more than I should in the past six weeks. Many of the problems I outlined in the first update are still there: Driving is intoxicatingly comfortable and it is often cold and wet outside of this time of year.

Golf trips took me to courses in Snohomish and South Everett and golf courses in Marysville and Sultan. I’ve tried running errands when possible, but the impulse to cut my driver shots by 90 degrees has been overwhelming.

In the meantime, I had some doubts about taking the bus: the risk of catching or spreading COVID-19. The only regular crowd I find myself among are grocery stores, and otherwise I have no interest in contracting the virus less than two weeks after being approved for the vaccine.

Transit agencies have an important role in convincing people like me to get back on the bus. In an interview shortly after joining Community Transit in January, CEO Ric Ilgenfritz said the top priority is navigating the Snohomish County transit agency through the second year of the pandemic. Restoring the driver base is a critical element of these plans, he said.

Transit agencies have introduced new cleaning and disinfection processes. Even things like the airflow on a bus have changed. And following a federal ordinance in February, drivers are expected to continue to distance themselves socially and wear face covering.

Some agencies keep additional buses and drivers on hand on busy routes so that passengers are not skipped when a bus reaches driver capacity – reduced from the full number. Everett Transit buses are limited to approximately 14 drivers due to distancing rules. Everett Transit calls the standby buses “ghost rides”. They are dependent on the availability of a vehicle and an operator, said Everett Transit Director Tom Hingson.

A study commissioned by the American Public Transportation Association found that there was no direct link between public transportation use and virus transmission. That alleviates my greatest concern.

Well the wows.

Similar to my first update, my average daily travel radius stays small and is well under a mile. I go to the grocery store and ride my bike for takeout. (One notable exception was a nighttime viewing in the thoroughfare of a fast food chain.)

From Sunday I will have my first ORCA card. The transit pass can be used on Community Transit, Everett Transit, the King County Metro, Kitsap Transit, Pierce Transit, the Seattle Monorail, the Seattle Streetcar, Sound Transit, and Washington State Ferries.

It was $ 5 at a QFC customer service kiosk and I bet $ 30 on it. The cards are available at QFC, Albertsons and Safeway locations in the region. They can also be purchased online or at transit facilities such as Edmonds Station, Mukilteo Station, and Everett Station.

When our newsroom has to go back to work, I ride my bike or bus every day when I don’t need a car to do my job. I want to take a bus to South Everett this week, probably to the driving range.

Some other bus trips that I will be planning are going to the Lynnwood Transit Center to familiarize myself with the ride and routes the Sound Transit Light Rail is slated to open in 2024, and north to Arlington on my bike, to ride the Centennial Trail.

If readers have any other bus route suggestions I should use to better understand active transportation beyond the county’s I-5 corridor, please let me know. Hopefully I can add my “wow”.

Have a question? Call 425-339-3037 or email [email protected]. Please enter your first and last name as well as your place of residence.

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Street Smarts columnist Ben Watanabe has pledged to cycle more, ride buses and walk, and drive less this year. The results so far are mixed. (Kevin Clark / Herald File)