When Jefferson Transit staff heard that Kitsap Transit had proposed to cut connecting service in Poulsbo on Saturdays, it didn’t take long to come up with a plan to maintain vital connections until a service adjustment could be made in January. Jefferson Transit staff members first heard about a Kitsap Transit service reduction effective December 13 on December 6. The information passed by word of mouth from riders to drivers to administrative staff members. The service cut eliminates two of the existing 8 round trips on Saturdays on the Kitsap Transit #90 Poulsbo/Bainbridge service. Coincidentally, these two eliminated trips are the only trips on that route that connect with Jefferson Transit’s #7 service between Port Townsend and Poulsbo. In addition, cuts to Kitsap Transit’s #32 Poulsbo/Silverdale schedule will have some adverse effects on Jefferson Transit connections.
By mid-morning the following Monday, a plan had been made to extend the #7 route on Saturday mornings all the way to the Bainbridge Island Ferry terminal until a service adjustment in January once again makes it possible to have efficient connections from Port Townsend to Poulsbo to Bainbridge and back on Saturdays. “We realized that this was just about the worst time of year to lose this connection. Many people depend on those trips to get to and from the airport, especially during the holiday season. We needed to act fast in order to keep our riders happy”, reported Jefferson Transit’s general manager Dave Turissini. The #7 will run morning service from Port Townsend to the ferry terminal on Bainbridge Island on the following dates:
Saturday, December 19
Saturday, December 26
Saturday, January 2
Saturday, January 9
The regularly scheduled Saturday #7 departure will leave from the Haines Place Park-and-Ride at 8:20 AM, as it does now, and continue on to the Bainbridge Island Ferry terminal. It will make one stop in Poulsbo at the Poulsbo Transfer Center at 9:40 AM and will arrive at the ferry terminal at 10:05 AM. That same vehicle will then depart the ferry terminal for its return trip to Port Townsend at 10:15 AM, stopping at the Poulsbo Transfer Center at 10:35 AM and arriving back at Port Townsend at its regularly scheduled time of 11:49 AM. There will be no changes to the regularly scheduled Saturday afternoon service that departs Port Townsend at 3:22 PM; however, this bus will not connect with any Kitsap Transit Services upon arrival in Poulsbo. This bus will accept transfers from Kitsap Transit #90 as it does now. Passengers should note that the only way to get beyond Poulsbo on Saturdays using Jefferson Transit between December 19 and January 9 is to use the 8:20 AM #7 Port Townsend departure. After January 19 Jefferson Transit will operate a modified schedule that will restore connections with remaining Kitsap Transit services.
For further information, please contact Jefferson Transit directly at 385-4777.
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