Contributed by Snoqualmie Valley Transportation
Starting Monday, Aug. 14, Snoqualmie Valley Transportation (SVT) will restore two reduced bus routes to pre-pandemic service levels. The long-suspended Cedar Falls Loop from downtown North Bend to Wilderness Rim will begin normal operations at 7 am, departing Mt. Si Senior Center.
The partially restricted Valley Shuttle between North Bend and Duvall will also return to its normal schedule of every 90 minutes. Find the timetables for all SVT routes on www.svtbus.org.
The reductions were caused by significant staff shortages at the normally 26-person agency. Various reasons contributed to the shortage, including the pandemic and finding qualified drivers who could afford to live in the area.
The Cedar Falls Loop, which travels between downtown North Bend and Wilderness Rim and Riverbend, was suspended in May 2022. The Valley Shuttle suspended part of its service in April of this year. Both were difficult decisions, said SVT Director Amy Biggs.
“We hated to cancel any service. We know the riders count on us to get them where they need to go,” she said. Yet, with up to eight driver vacancies, SVT couldn’t meet all the needs. Another route, the Duvall-Monroe Shuttle, has remained suspended since February 2022, but Biggs looks forward to returning that route soon.
Ongoing recruitment has helped fill the staffing gaps, but SVT is still hiring and has ambitious goals for the future. In addition to restoring all of its routes to service and maintaining its demand-response program, SVT is working toward adding weekend service for the Valley Shuttle.
“This is a great time to join the team,” Biggs said, “and it’s such a fun job.”
Anyone interested in driving or dispatching for SVT is encouraged to visit https://svtbus.org/about- us/careers/ for application and employment information.
Snoqualmie Valley Transportation is a program of Mt. Si Senior Center.
