Sounder celebrates 15 years of service

Written by Jenifer Nunez, assistant editor
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Sound Transit

September 18 marked 15 years of steadily growing ridership since the Puget Sound region's commuters first climbed aboard Sounder commuter trains. Since Sounder began operating in 2000, more than 29 million people have used the popular commuter and game day service.

 

Sound Transit says ridership on Sounder has continued to grow year-to-date, more than 2.1 million people hopped aboard Sounder through July, a 14.7 percent increase from the same period last year. Average weekday boardings reached 14,804 in July and 13,929 for the quarter ending in June, increases of 15.3 and 12 percent respectively, from the same periods last year. A total of 913,299 people rode Sounder in the second quarter.

Sounder began operating two south line round trip trains on Sept. 18, 2000, with stops in Tacoma, Sumner, Auburn and Seattle. Service to Puyallup and Kent stations was added in February, 2001, to Tukwila a month later and to South Tacoma and Lakewood in 2012. North line service to Edmonds and Everett began in 2003 and to Mukilteo in 2008.

The 10 daily round trips currently on the south line will expand to 13 each weekday by 2017 under service expansions approved by voters in 2008.

 

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