Are bus commutes from Snohomish County getting longer and the buses more crowded?

If the month of December is any indication, that seems to be the case, anecdotally, at least.

The long commute times from Snohomish County to downtown Seattle have received a bit of press coverage this month (see our news partner Seattle Times story https://blogs.seattletimes.com/today/2014/12/chart-everett-seattle-traffic-busts-the-bus-schedule/).

Upwards of 10,000 bus riders commute to Seattle from Snohomish County every day on Community Transit alone.

Many of us bus commuters ride Sound Transit buses as well (routes 510 from Everett, 511, 512 and 513).

Free parking at the Lynnwood Transit Center and Mountlake Terrace Park & Ride compared to paying $20 a day at garages and lots in downtown Seattle (plus the gas prices) make a $7 trip on Sound Transit or $8 on Community Transit look like a very good deal.

I charted my bus commute from Monday, Dec. 15 to Friday Dec. 19 coming and going to the core of downtown Seattle to see what the commute times actually were. November and early December are often the worst commutes, said Martin Munguia spokesman for Community Transit. January is usually not as bad.

My Wednesday commute downtown was the worst at 58 minutes from Mountlake Terrace thanks to a accident on I-5 at the 175^th St. in Shoreline. On Friday, as usual, I had the shortest commute (and least crowded bus) at 24 minutes.

Mountlake Terrace Park & Ride to Downtown Seattle

Monday, Dec. 15

A.M. Commute

Left MLT P&R: 8 a.m.

Bus: Sound Transit 513

Arrived downtown Seattle, Westlake Center, 5^th and Pine: 8:39 a.m.

Total time: 39 minutes

P.M. Commute:

Left Westlake Park, 4^th and Pine: 5:25 p.m.

Bus: Sound Transit 513

Arrived MLT P&R: 5:55 p.m.

Total time: 30 min.

Tuesday, Dec. 16:

A.M. Commute

Left MLT P&R: 7:57 a.m

Bus: Sound Transit 511

Arrived downtown Seattle, Westlake Center, 5^th and Pine: 8:39 a.m.

Total time: 42 minutes

P.M. Commute

Left Westlake Park, 4^th and Pine: 5:29 p.m.

Bus: Community Transit 415, double decker

Arrived MLT P&R: 6:02 p.m.

Total time: 33 minutes

Wednesday, Dec. 17:

A.M. Commute

Left MLT P&R: 8:07 a.m.

Bus: Sound Transit 511

Arrived downtown Seattle, Westlake Center, 5^th and Pine: 9:05 a.m.

Total time: 58 minutes

(Accident near 175^th  St. Exit in Shoreline caused major backup)

P.M. Commute:

Left Westlake Park, 4^th and Pine: 5:56 p.m.

Bus:  Sound Transit 513

Arrived MLT P&R: 6:24 p.m.

Total time: 28 minutes

Thursday, Dec. 18:

A.M. Commute

Left MLT P&R: 7:47 a.m.

Bus: Sound Transit 513

Arrived downtown Seattle, Westlake Center, 5^th and Pine: 8:22 a.m.

Total time: 35 minutes

P.M. Commute:

Left Westlake Park, 4^th and Pine: 5:48 p.m.

Bus: Sound Transit 511

Arrived MLT P&R: 6:24 p.m.

Total time: 36 minutes

Friday Dec. 19:

A.M. Commute

Left MLT P&R: 8:38 a.m.

Bus: Sound Transit 511

Arrived downtown Seattle, Westlake Center, 5^th and Pine; 9:02 a.m.

Total time: 24 minutes

P.M. Commute:

Left Westlake Park, 4^th and Pine:

Bus: 6:02 p.m.

Arrived MLT P&R: 6:30 p.m.

Total time: 28 minutes

— By Tony Dondero