||| FROM COLIN WILLIAMS |||
I believe we should explore creating a public transit system for our island community. I’d love to hear your thoughts and have a constructive discussion about this possibility.
My Proposal: A Summer Transit Pilot
I suggest we start with a pilot program during our busiest summer months when the impact would be greatest. This would allow us to:
- Demonstrate the value of public transit when demand is highest
- Reduce vehicle traffic on ferries during peak season
- Learn what works before expanding to year-round service
I envision three routes to ensure frequent, reliable service: East, West, and Central routes. This three-route system is crucial – we need hourly service to all major destinations to create a system people will actually use.
Potential Benefits to Our Community
- Reduced Ferry Congestion: More foot passengers could mean fewer vehicles competing for ferry space during busy times. Land-based transportation is orders of magnitude cheaper than ferry service. The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), which oversees WSF, could significantly impact ferry congestion at relatively low cost by investing in this transit pilot.
- Local Mobility: Residents without vehicles (including youth and those unable to drive) would have reliable transportation options.
- Community Connection: Public transit creates opportunities for neighbors and visitors to share experiences and connect. Riding together fosters community in ways that driving alone cannot – whether it’s a chance conversation, helping someone with directions, or simply sharing in the rhythm of island life. Many of us might venture out more often knowing we can leave the car at home and enjoy the journey alongside others in our community.
- Creating a Transit Backbone: Public transit would provide a backbone system that complements and enhances existing services like Island Rides. Island Rides provides essential door-to-door service for our vulnerable population – a critical service that must continue. A public transit system would work in cooperation with Island Rides by:
- Expanding the overall transit map with fixed routes
- Extending available transit hours in our community
- Providing additional options that could free up Island Rides capacity
for those who need door-to-door service most - Creating connection points where the two services could coordinate
A Practical Approach Using Existing Resources
Research shows that RCW 28A.160.120 allows resource sharing with public schools for transit services. Wakiakum County – a similarly small county – successfully operates transit this way without creating a Metropolitan Transit District.This approach would:
Use existing school vehicles during off-hours through the RCW 28A.160.120 provision
- Minimize startup costs
- Allow us to apply for state and federal transit funding
- Avoid immediate need for new taxation structures or creating an MTA
We Already Pay for Transit – Let’s Get Our Share
We already pay gas taxes which contribute to the Climate Commitment Act, which specifically funds public transit systems. For example, our neighboring Skagit Transit benefits from these funds while operating one of the largest transit networks in the state. It seems reasonable to ask: shouldn’t San Juan County receive some of this funding to test a transit system?Our county transportation plan draft acknowledges that we’re the only county in Washington without public transit service. We can change this using the same proven approach as Wakiakum County.
An Incremental Approach: Walking Before Running
To our electrification advocates (Team OPALCO and others) – I invite you to channel your energy into helping our school district procure electric vehicles while supporting public transit TODAY using existing resources. Consider this:A subsidized electric Tesla sitting in someone’s driveway perhaps idle 80-90% of the time. Meanwhile, a public transit vehicle – even if diesel today – serves dozens of people daily, reduces overall emissions by taking cars off the road, and creates a shared community resource.Which approach better serves our climate goals:
Individual electric vehicles used occasionally by one household? Shared transit vehicles (transitioning to electric over time) that reduce total vehicle miles traveled?
An incremental, stepwise approach gets us there faster:
- Create the transit system now with existing vehicles
- Demonstrate ridership and value
- Transition to electric as funding and technology allow
- End up with a highly utilized, shared, electric transit system
Isn’t progress today better than perfection someday?
Let’s Test It Properly
If there’s skepticism about ridership, isn’t it reasonable to seek funding for a proper test? An adequate pilot means:
- Three routes covering East, West, and Central areas
- Hourly service intervals minimum
- Access to all major destinations
- Running during our busiest season when impact would be greatest
- Questions for Discussion
- What concerns do you have about public transit on Orcas?
- What routes or stops would be most valuable to you?
- How might we ensure the service meets diverse community needs?
- How can we prioritize shared resources over individual subsidies?
- What’s the most efficient use of our climate-focused tax dollars – individual or shared transportation solutions?
- How can electrification advocates and transit advocates work together toward our common goals?
- Given that we already contribute to transit funding through taxes, how can we best advocate for our fair share?
San Juan County is currently the only county in Washington without public transit. I believe we can change that through thoughtful planning and community collaboration, without needing to create a Metropolitan Transit District. I welcome all perspectives on this topic.
What are your thoughts on creating a transit pilot for our islands?
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This appears pretty well thought out at first blush. If it would allow visitors to leave their cars on the mainland, it might help islanders’ ferry access, something we all could use. Are there details of the three proposed routes? A mail list? Thanks!
Hi Lynn,
Thank you for your interest! You’re absolutely right about one benefit being the potential to reduce vehicle pressure on the ferry system. In that regard we think WSF and WSDOT should be interested in our effort as well.
Regarding the routes: We’re still in the high-level planning phase for the three proposed routes. We have software engineering expertise on our team and are working with a transit software developer, but we’d been prioritizing the legal groundwork first – establishing that partnerships between public schools and the county are feasible, building relationships, conducting transit surveys, and advocacy work.
To stay connected: Currently, we’re active on our Facebook group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/749869027480404).
Our website (http://forpt.org) is being updated.
We’d love involvement! We’re forming a 501(c)(3) for Friends of Rural Public Transportation and actively seeking interested community members, especially those with experience in:
Finance/accounting (we need a treasurer!)
Public Relations
Engineering
Transit operations
Or simply genuine interest in improving rural transportation
Comparing San Juan with Wahkiakum County seems pretty disingenuous to me. Wahkiukum has 1/4 the population of San Juan County (not to mention the amount of tourists on the islands in the summer), while not being divided up into three distinct areas seperated by water.
Also are we really suggesting that tourists from the mainland are going to want to come here and ride school buses around the island?
I appreciate the energy of those putting effort into this, but it all seems very naive and hinges on making demands of organizations they are not involved in. Organizations like the school districts and the County who are already challenged to deliver the services they do now, let alone a huge expansion all the while State and local budgets are in crisis.
Regarding the Wahkiakum County comparison:
You’re right that our counties have differences, but it’s worth noting that Orcas Island itself has a population quite close to that of Wahkiakum County. The comparison is particularly relevant because Wahkiakum operates transit service without a Transportation Benefit District – showing it’s possible to provide public transit using existing frameworks rather than creating expensive new structures.
On the school bus concern:
I understand the perception issue. However, this service isn’t just for tourists – it’s for our community as well. As a long-time resident of Deer Harbor, I would personally use and benefit from this service today. And I have spoken with local youth who signed a petition in support of the service. I understand where they are coming from my own experience, attending both middle and high school here.. Seniors, our neighbors from other local islands, and many other community members have expressed interest in having summer transit options. The fact that visitors could also use it is a bonus that brings economic benefit to our islands.
Addressing organizational capacity:
I hear your concern about burdening already-stretched organizations. That’s why this proposal actually aims to support these organizations rather than strain them. The partnership with schools came directly from community members’ suggestions during transit planning meetings.
Members of Transition Lopez have been exploring similar solutions and report initial support from the Lopez Island School Superintendent.
Financial considerations:
Rather than creating additional burdens, this plan would bring grant money into the school district during challenging budget times. After speaking with a veteran school bus driver, I learned that providing more work opportunities for drivers is actually beneficial – maintaining adequate hours for drivers is currently a challenge. This partnership could help stabilize driver employment while serving our community.
Funding without new taxes:
We’re proposing to use existing funding sources we already contribute to through gas taxes and the Climate Commitment Act, plus applying for state and federal transit grants. This brings money into our county without creating new local taxes.
Why being islands makes transit MORE important:
You mentioned we’re “divided up into three distinct areas separated by water” – this is precisely why transit is so valuable here. Locals and visitors arrive by ferry, seaplane, and private boats. Currently, they must either bring a vehicle (congesting our ferries) or have someone pick them up. A transit system provides crucial land-side connections for our water-based transportation network.
I welcome continued dialogue on this topic. If you’d like to discuss specific concerns or explore solutions together, please feel free to reach out to me directly at colin@forpt.org. I believe there are examples and data that might address your concerns more thoroughly than this format allows.
Our goal is to work collaboratively with our community to test whether public transit can serve San Juan County as it does every other county in Washington. Your input helps us refine and improve the proposal.
Colin, know that I appreciate you’re “doing something,” and are thinking about the welfare of our island(s). Thank you for the effort that you’ve put into this, and for asking for our input. As a long-term, full-time resident myself, and one who is always thinking about the pickle that SJC has gotten itself into by becoming over-reliant upon a tourism dominant economy, (with all of its known downsides), our community’s long-term welfare is also one of importance to me.
As such, I have the following thoughts and concerns regarding your proposal:
Please correct me if I’m wrong, but I thought that Orcas already has a local, privately owned, shuttle bus system in place, (for at least part of the year). If so, in your stating that, “San Juan County is currently the only county in Washington without public transit,” what distinction might there be between your proposal (a public service), and the already existing (privately owned & operated) Orcas shuttle? Doesn’t the existing shuttle already operate on a regular schedule, and stop at all the major destinations during the season?
Would this take business away from the local taxis and the currently existing shuttle service?
Does accepting state and federal transit funding come with strings?
More importantly to me is– what assurance is there that increasing public transport will actually reduce vehicle traffic during peak season? Instead of this being a win-win for all, isn’t it likely that the ferries will continue to remain packed with vehicles during the tourist season, and that this proposal will simply increase walk-on tourism? When it comes to increasing tourism infrastructure we’ve heard so many times over the years that “this is for us,” when the reality is that it’s for us (all 18,000 residents), while it’s also for all 1,000,000+ annual tourists. In saying this, I’m simply having a hard time seeing how this will decrease people’s desire to vacate the convenience of having their own vehicle, while at the same time knowing that this will become a marketing tool for SJC via the Chambers of Commerce and the Visitor’s Bureau.
In short, I cannot see how this proposal will decrease tourism. Increasing tourism (whether it’s though promotion, or increased infrastructure) is where I draw the line. The summers are packed, and the off-seasons are being heavily promoted in every way possible. I agree with “all” of the public surveys that have been performed over the years… that the San Juans have enough tourists.
“Isn’t progress today better than perfection someday?”
I’m sorry, I don’t get the analogy. But when it comes to the long-term welfare of our island communities I don’t think of increased tourism as being “progress.”
Hi MJ, thanks for your thoughtful response and for caring about our island’s future.
Regarding the Orcas Shuttle: You’re right to ask. The private shuttle hasn’t operated regular public routes recently – their website states “AVAILABLE FOR WEDDINGS & SPECIAL EVENTS ONLY.”
Public transit would a potential for reduced fares for residents, stable employment for drivers (helping our school district attract more), and direct funding support for our schools deprecating vehicle costs and facilities utilization. Furthermore, I believe we’d be providing a more accessible service vs any single route operation. I was not able to view any existing service map on the site. But again the service wasn’t operational.
Federal/State funding: Yes, grants come with requirements (like ADA accessibility), but these generally improve service quality and safety for everyone.
Tourism concerns: I deeply understand your concerns about over-tourism. That’s actually why testing this matters – we can measure actual impacts rather than speculating.
Consider this: Might many of us locals avoid going out in summer because of traffic? Might this system reduce road noise and cars on the road?
What if public transit helped residents reclaim our ability to move around our own island during busy months, youth who can’t drive, older folks who can’t drive any longer, people in our community with disabilities ?
I share your desire to preserve what makes our islands special. Perhaps public transit could actually help by giving us tools to manage growth better, rather than letting it happen without any infrastructure to handle it.
Would you be open to discussing what safeguards might make this work better for residents?
This is an excellent beginning! Like all pilot projects, not everything is going to be perfect at first but that’s the whole point of a pilot project; to see what works and what doesn’t.
On-island ground transportation is one key aspect of a SJC transportation network that includes fast, passenger ferry service inter-island island and to the mainland, with a functional link to mainland transportation systems. The Water taxi pilot was underused for a variety of reasons but my personal reason was a lack of viable connections on the mainland end of the run. An hourly electric car/van rental, long term islander parking (private car shares?) and easy access to the SKAT system and Airporter shuttle would be a good start.
I keep wondering if Zoox https://zoox.com/ would be interested in doing a rural robo-taxi pilot project on Orcas island? I’m sure those units are quite expensive to purchase but maybe they would do a preferential long term lease to the county in exchange for the data gathered and a chance to expand beyond urban centers but in a low MPH environment? How many little driverless, horseless carriages would it take to cover Orcas? 20? 50? 100?
Operated as an AI coordinated collectivo, meaning the taxis pick people up based on vehicle capacity, passenger destination(s), timing, etc., it seems that some real gains in efficiency could be possible. Perhaps even including an option to ride privately for an extra fee? I like the Zoox carriages because they are easy to enter and exit, they don’t require a driver and there is plenty of floor space for groceries, baby strollers, pets, etc. My thought is this would be door to door pickup which helps mobility limited people that might find getting to the bus stop and climbing in and out of the bus not feasible.
I think visitors would be charmed by a fleet of cute robo-taxis that whisk people about the island (and therefore might be more willing to leave their private automobiles at home or at least on the mainland). I wonder how much of the frustration with excess tourists is really just frustration with their cars?
Hi Ken, thanks for engaging with this proposal and recognizing the importance of on-island ground transportation!
You raise interesting points about future technologies and integrated transportation networks. While robo-taxis and similar innovations may eventually serve our islands, I believe our community needs transit solutions today, not in 5-10 years.
That’s why this proposal focuses on what we can implement immediately: using existing school district vehicles during off-hours, proven approaches from counties like Wakiakum, and infrastructure we already have. This isn’t about waiting for perfect technology – it’s about serving residents who need transportation now, reducing ferry congestion this summer, and building ridership patterns that any future system (autonomous or otherwise) could inherit.
Your vision of cute robo-taxis whisking visitors around is compelling, but consider: wouldn’t those future services be more successful if we’ve already established transit routes, identified popular stops, and created a culture of shared transportation? We could imagine our children being delivered to school in robo-taxis as well.
I’d love to channel our collective energy into making this summer pilot happen. Once we demonstrate that Public Transit works here, we can absolutely explore how emerging technologies might enhance the service. But let’s not let the perfect be the enemy of the good.
What aspects of the proposed plan would best serve your transportation needs? That’s the kind of practical feedback that will help make this pilot successful.
Points I’d like to verify or that differ from what I understand
• In my discussions (e.g. with Colin and our county Council members and other professionals), I was told that creating a County transportation department might require 2–3 years (for administrative setup, hiring, policy, etc.). That’s a significant overhead not mentioned in Colin’s piece.
• I was also told that the school district would need to explicitly allow students to ride on non-dedicated public routes, which could involve legal, liability, union, or policy barriers that are nontrivial, but also a concern for parents we have spoken with.
• The article claims comparisons to Wahkiakum County are helpful, but they have a transportation department. While that’s a provocative example, there are important differences (population density, geography, water barriers, tourist volume). The comparison is interesting but may oversimplify the challenges unique to San Juan County.
• The plan assumes that existing school vehicles or frameworks can be leveraged immediately. In practice, negotiating those shared uses, insurance, scheduling, budgeting, and regulatory compliance often adds complexity.
Hi Robin,
Great to hear from you! I appreciate your engagement, though I think there may be some misunderstandings about the proposal.
Let me do my best to clarify:
• County Transportation Department: This pilot specifically avoids the necessity of creating new local taxes by creating a Transportation Benefits District. While true that Wahkiakum County has a Transportation Department. It’s my understanding that it’s not necessary to create one. For example, the Water Taxi pilot was conducted without a Transportation Department as you mention.
• Students on Public Routes: The summer pilot runs when school is out of session, so it’s my understanding that this isn’t an issue. We’re talking about public transit using idle school buses – no mixing of students and public transit at the same time.
• Complexity Concerns: That’s exactly why we’re starting with a simple summer pilot! Use existing buses, existing drivers (if willing), existing maintenance facilities. Test it when demand is highest, learn what works, then expand if successful.
The beauty of this approach is its simplicity – no new departments, no student safety concerns, similar model from another small county (No tax based TBD / MPD necessary). Would love your support in making this happen for our community!
Colin, thank you for your response. I know that one other person (Joe Symons) has also been working on the transportation issue, and can imagine all the challenges involved.
You’ve obviously put a lot of thought and energy into this, and I can only agree, (in light of the fact that the Orcas Shuttle is now catering to tourist events only), that public transportation for Orcas Island is crucial. Myself, and many others, only wish it wouldn’t attract more tourism… but we know it will.
Good luck to you in this venture… I’m looking forward to seeing how it plays out.
Tourists will not use it, are you serious? Few it any locals would use it or for pay it. This is not the mainland, stop trying to visualize as so.
If not, perhaps get your personal checkbook out?