Ridership aboard Lewis County Transit’s fixed routes increased by 35% in 2023 compared to 2022, Executive Director Joe Clark told the Lewis County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) Tuesday morning.
Clark provided the ridership figures during a year-end review presentation in front of the BOCC.
There, Clark gave updates on the expanded routes Lewis County Transit provides and a push for a greener fleet.
The increase in ridership equated to an additional 6,343 service hours and an increase of 290,453 service miles driven by Lewis County Transit vehicles, according to data presented by Clark. The increase in ridership was universal, with Lewis County Transit reporting increased figures every month.
In total, Lewis County Transit, which rebranded from Twin City Transit this year, traveled 720,366 service miles and conducted 26,963 services on its fixed routes in 2023.
The rebrand from Twin City Transit, Clark said, “more accurately reflects who we’re serving now.”
Clark credited the increases, in part, due to expanded routes and services, and state funding that allows residents 18 years old and younger to ride for free. According to Clark, Lewis County Transit provided about 13,000 free routes for students in 2023.
“As you look at some of the learning loss that comes out of the COVID era, this gives kids an opportunity really to take advantage of either early school programs in the morning, or after school programs,” Clark said, noting the expanded availability when compared to traditional school-provided transportation. “So, a lot of kids are taking advantage of this.”
With ridership expanding, Clark sees an opportunity to provide additional connections between the communities of Lewis County.
“We want to serve Winlock and Toledo better. We want to serve Napavine and Onalaska better,” Clark said. “So we will be growing our fixed route operations to improve (access to) those cities in the near future.”
According to Clark, a hydrogen-fueled bus will “be coming in about 30 days.”
Lewis County Transit has ordered three of the buses.
A hydrogen fueling and production facility at the Port of Chehalis should be operational by the first quarter of next year, while e-Transit stations at exits 63, 77, and 88 are also under development, Clark said.
“Our fleet is transitioning to a zero-transmission fleet,” Clark said, “meaning that no pollutants, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, those kinds of things, will be coming out of the tailpipes of our fleet by 2030.”
