Swift Bus Rapid Transit is a bus rapid transit

Bus rapid transit

Bus rapid transit is a term applied to a variety of public transportation systems using buses to provide faster, more efficient service than an ordinary bus line. Often this is achieved by making improvements to existing infrastructure, vehicles and scheduling...

 system in Snohomish County, Washington, that is operated by Community Transit. The line extends from Everett Station to the Aurora Village Transit Center and opened on 29 November 2009 at a cost of about $29 million."Community Transit debuts 'Swift' line", by Scott Gutierrez, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Nov. 25,2009, accessed Nov. 26, 2009

Swift ridership climbed during the first three months of service. Weekday boardings were 1,699 per day in December 2009, 2,367 in January 2010, and 2,660 in February 2010.

Service

Swift BRT has begun service with a 16.7-mile line that travels north on SR 99

Washington State Route 99

State Route 99, abbreviated SR 99, commonly called Highway 99, is a numbered state highway in the U.S. state of Washington extending just under from Fife in the south to Everett in the north, with a gap in Tukwila.-Southern division:...

 from the Aurora Village Transit Center, ending at Everett Station. The route utilizes 7 miles of transit only lanes, and 10 miles where buses have signal priority at intersections. It replaces the existing Community Transit route 100. Service runs every 10 minutes on weekdays from 5am to 7pm and every 20 minutes in the evening and on weekends. There are 12 station pairs and one 1 southbound-only "opportunity" - along the route, serving the cities of Shoreline

Shoreline, Washington

Shoreline is a city in King County, Washington, United States, north of Downtown Seattle bordering the northern Seattle city limits. As of the 2010 census, the population was 53,007, making it the 19th largest city in the state of Washington....

, Edmonds

Edmonds, Washington

Edmonds is a city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. Edmonds has a view of Puget Sound and both the Olympic Mountains and Cascade Range. The third most populous city in Snohomish County after Everett and Marysville, the population was 39,709 according to the 2010 census...

, Mountlake Terrace

Mountlake Terrace, Washington

Mountlake Terrace is a city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. It lies east of Edmonds, Washington, south of Lynnwood, Washington, and west of Brier, Washington. Its southern boundary runs along the King County line. Interstate 5 runs north-south through the city, and services the city...

, Lynnwood

Lynnwood, Washington

Lynnwood is a city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. The population was 35,836 at the 2010 census, making it the fourth largest in Snohomish County and twenty-ninth largest in Washington State. The city is a mix of urban, suburban, small city, crossroads and bedroom community to many...

, and Everett

Everett, Washington

Everett is the county seat of and the largest city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. Named for Everett Colby, son of founder Charles L. Colby, it lies north of Seattle. The city had a total population of 103,019 at the 2010 census, making it the 6th largest in the state and...

. Two other station pairs are currently deferred.

Name	City	Location	Connections
Swift BRT (Aurora Village Transit Center - Everett Station)
Aurora VillageTransit Center	Shoreline Shoreline, Washington Shoreline is a city in King County, Washington, United States, north of Downtown Seattle bordering the northern Seattle city limits. As of the 2010 census, the population was 53,007, making it the 19th largest city in the state of Washington....	N. 200th St. and Ashworth Ave. N.	Community Transit routes 101, 118, 130, 131Metro Transit routes 301, 303, 331, 342, 346, 358, 373
238th Street	Edmonds Edmonds, Washington Edmonds is a city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. Edmonds has a view of Puget Sound and both the Olympic Mountains and Cascade Range. The third most populous city in Snohomish County after Everett and Marysville, the population was 39,709 according to the 2010 census...	Highway 99 Washington State Route 99 State Route 99, abbreviated SR 99, commonly called Highway 99, is a numbered state highway in the U.S. state of Washington extending just under from Fife in the south to Everett in the north, with a gap in Tukwila.-Southern division:...  and 238th St. S.W.	Community Transit routes 101, 118, 416, 870
Gateway/216th Street	Edmonds Edmonds, Washington Edmonds is a city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. Edmonds has a view of Puget Sound and both the Olympic Mountains and Cascade Range. The third most populous city in Snohomish County after Everett and Marysville, the population was 39,709 according to the 2010 census...	Highway 99 Washington State Route 99 State Route 99, abbreviated SR 99, commonly called Highway 99, is a numbered state highway in the U.S. state of Washington extending just under from Fife in the south to Everett in the north, with a gap in Tukwila.-Southern division:...  and 216th St. S.W.	Community Transit routes 101, 110, 404, 405, 406, 810, 870, 871
204th Street (southbound, future station opportunity)	Edmonds Edmonds, Washington Edmonds is a city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. Edmonds has a view of Puget Sound and both the Olympic Mountains and Cascade Range. The third most populous city in Snohomish County after Everett and Marysville, the population was 39,709 according to the 2010 census...	Highway 99 Washington State Route 99 State Route 99, abbreviated SR 99, commonly called Highway 99, is a numbered state highway in the U.S. state of Washington extending just under from Fife in the south to Everett in the north, with a gap in Tukwila.-Southern division:...  and 216th St. S.W.	Community Transit routes 101, 810
Heron/200th Street (northbound)- Crossroads/196th Street (southbound)	Lynnwood Lynnwood, Washington Lynnwood is a city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. The population was 35,836 at the 2010 census, making it the fourth largest in Snohomish County and twenty-ninth largest in Washington State. The city is a mix of urban, suburban, small city, crossroads and bedroom community to many...	Highway 99 Washington State Route 99 State Route 99, abbreviated SR 99, commonly called Highway 99, is a numbered state highway in the U.S. state of Washington extending just under from Fife in the south to Everett in the north, with a gap in Tukwila.-Southern division:...  and 196th St. S.W.	Community Transit routes 101, 114 (at 196th and 200th), 115 and 116 (at 200th), 118, 441 (at 200th)
Cherry Hill/176th Street (northbound)- International/174th Street (southbound)	Lynnwood Lynnwood, Washington Lynnwood is a city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. The population was 35,836 at the 2010 census, making it the fourth largest in Snohomish County and twenty-ninth largest in Washington State. The city is a mix of urban, suburban, small city, crossroads and bedroom community to many...	Highway 99 Washington State Route 99 State Route 99, abbreviated SR 99, commonly called Highway 99, is a numbered state highway in the U.S. state of Washington extending just under from Fife in the south to Everett in the north, with a gap in Tukwila.-Southern division:...  and 176th St. S.W.	Community Transit routes 101, 118, 119, 190
148th Street	Lynnwood Lynnwood, Washington Lynnwood is a city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. The population was 35,836 at the 2010 census, making it the fourth largest in Snohomish County and twenty-ninth largest in Washington State. The city is a mix of urban, suburban, small city, crossroads and bedroom community to many...	Highway 99 Washington State Route 99 State Route 99, abbreviated SR 99, commonly called Highway 99, is a numbered state highway in the U.S. state of Washington extending just under from Fife in the south to Everett in the north, with a gap in Tukwila.-Southern division:...  and 148th St. S.W.	Community Transit routes 101, 113, 118, 415, 417, 880, 885
Lincoln Way	Lynnwood Lynnwood, Washington Lynnwood is a city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. The population was 35,836 at the 2010 census, making it the fourth largest in Snohomish County and twenty-ninth largest in Washington State. The city is a mix of urban, suburban, small city, crossroads and bedroom community to many...	Highway 99 Washington State Route 99 State Route 99, abbreviated SR 99, commonly called Highway 99, is a numbered state highway in the U.S. state of Washington extending just under from Fife in the south to Everett in the north, with a gap in Tukwila.-Southern division:...  and 148th St. S.W.	Community Transit routes 101, 415
Airport Road	Everett Everett, Washington Everett is the county seat of and the largest city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. Named for Everett Colby, son of founder Charles L. Colby, it lies north of Seattle. The city had a total population of 103,019 at the 2010 census, making it the 6th largest in the state and...	Highway 99/Evergreen Way Washington State Route 99 State Route 99, abbreviated SR 99, commonly called Highway 99, is a numbered state highway in the U.S. state of Washington extending just under from Fife in the south to Everett in the north, with a gap in Tukwila.-Southern division:... and Airport Road	Community Transit routes 101, 411Everett Transit routes 2, 9
112th Street- deferred	Everett Everett, Washington Everett is the county seat of and the largest city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. Named for Everett Colby, son of founder Charles L. Colby, it lies north of Seattle. The city had a total population of 103,019 at the 2010 census, making it the 6th largest in the state and...	Highway 99 Washington State Route 99 State Route 99, abbreviated SR 99, commonly called Highway 99, is a numbered state highway in the U.S. state of Washington extending just under from Fife in the south to Everett in the north, with a gap in Tukwila.-Southern division:...  and 112th St. S.W.	Everett Transit routes 8, 9, 11
4th Ave. W.	Everett Everett, Washington Everett is the county seat of and the largest city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. Named for Everett Colby, son of founder Charles L. Colby, it lies north of Seattle. The city had a total population of 103,019 at the 2010 census, making it the 6th largest in the state and...	Evergreen Way and 4th Ave. W.	Everett Transit routes 7, 8, 9
Casino Road	Everett Everett, Washington Everett is the county seat of and the largest city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. Named for Everett Colby, son of founder Charles L. Colby, it lies north of Seattle. The city had a total population of 103,019 at the 2010 census, making it the 6th largest in the state and...	Evergreen Way and Casino Road	Everett Transit routes 1, 2, 7, 9
Madison Street (northbound)- Pecks Drive (southbound) -deferred	Everett Everett, Washington Everett is the county seat of and the largest city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. Named for Everett Colby, son of founder Charles L. Colby, it lies north of Seattle. The city had a total population of 103,019 at the 2010 census, making it the 6th largest in the state and...	Evergreen Way and Madison Street (northbound)/Pecks Drive (southbound)	Everett Transit routes 7, 8, 9ST Express route 513
50th Street	Everett Everett, Washington Everett is the county seat of and the largest city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. Named for Everett Colby, son of founder Charles L. Colby, it lies north of Seattle. The city had a total population of 103,019 at the 2010 census, making it the 6th largest in the state and...	Evergreen Way and 50th St. S.E.	Everett Transit routes 7, 9ST Express route 513
40th/41st Street	Everett Everett, Washington Everett is the county seat of and the largest city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. Named for Everett Colby, son of founder Charles L. Colby, it lies north of Seattle. The city had a total population of 103,019 at the 2010 census, making it the 6th largest in the state and...	Rucker Ave. and 41st St. S.E.	Everett Transit routes 1, 2, 7, 9, 23ST Express route 513
Wetmore/Pacific Avenues	Everett Everett, Washington Everett is the county seat of and the largest city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. Named for Everett Colby, son of founder Charles L. Colby, it lies north of Seattle. The city had a total population of 103,019 at the 2010 census, making it the 6th largest in the state and...	Wetmore Ave./Pacific Ave.	Everett Transit routes 1, 4, 7, 8, 16, 20, 23ST Express routes 510, 513
Everett Station	Everett Everett, Washington Everett is the county seat of and the largest city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. Named for Everett Colby, son of founder Charles L. Colby, it lies north of Seattle. The city had a total population of 103,019 at the 2010 census, making it the 6th largest in the state and...	33rd St. and McDougall Ave.	Community Transit routes 200, 201, 202, 270, 271, 275, 280Everett Transit routes 1, 4, 7, 8, 9, 16, 20, 23, 701, 702ST Express routes 510, 513, 532Sounder Commuter RailSkagit Transit - Everett Express route 90XIsland Transit route 412AmtrakGreyhoundNorthwest Trailways
End of line

Equipment and stations

The buses and stations used by Swift have many bus rapid transit features.

The 15 vehicles are 62-foot articulated buses with roomier seating for 43 persons. Including standing passengers, the buses can transport 100 people each. The buses have three doors and passengers can get on or off at any door. Wheelchairs board at the center door and are secured via a passive restraint system that doesn't require the driver to help; bicycles board at the rear door, and are stowed in bike racks just inside. The buses have especially low floors, which combined with raised curbs at stations makes near level boarding. This is especially useful for speeding up wheelchair access.

Larger than a standard bus shelter, Swift stations are designed to appear more like miniature light rail stations. Stations are identified by a roadside marker and have ample lighting, translucent, graffiti-resistant weather barriers, and a real-time monitor to let waiting passengers know when the next bus will arrive. Frequent visits are made by transit police as well as regular upkeep of the facility. All passengers pay their fares before boarding. Passengers without transit passes need to buy a ticket at a vending machine located at the station. The combination of off-board fare collection, three door loading, and level boarding onto the buses results in faster boarding and less time spent at each stop. Buses only stop at Swift stations, and stations are located about a mile apart.

The BRT features of the route along with avoiding a transfer from Community Transit to Everett Transit

Everett Transit

Everett Transit is the public transit authority of Everett, Washington, the only city in Snohomish County not to belong to Community Transit. As of 2010, Everett Transit operates 49 buses within Everett on 18 routes...

to complete travel to Everett Station shorten time spent on an end-to-end trip in the corridor by about 30%.