Editing C-Tran (Washington) (section)

== History ==
{{more citations needed section|date=January 2018}}

=== Pre-2000 ===
{{expand section|date=January 2018}}

The Clark County [[public transportation benefit area]] was approved by 55 percent of voters on November 4, 1980, along with a 0.3 percent sales tax,<ref name="WSDOT-1984">{{WSDOT Public Transit Summary |year=1984NTL |pages=19, 53 |link=yes |link2=yes |access-date=January 17, 2018}}</ref> and formally established on January 1, 1981. The agency branded itself as "C-Tran" and took over the Vancouver Transit System on July 6, 1981.<ref>{{cite web |date=June 14, 2013 |title=Comprehensive Annual Financial Report of the Clark County Public Transportation Benefit Area |page=2 |url=http://data.wsdot.wa.gov/accountability/ssb5806/Repository/5_Project%20Management/Project%20Plans/Finance%20Plan%20Appendices/Appendix%20H%20-%20C-Tran%20Supplemental%20Info/AppH_Ex9_Annual_Financial_Rpt_2012.pdf |publisher=C-Tran |via=Washington State Department of Transportation |access-date=January 17, 2018}}</ref> The Vancouver system was originally established in May 1969 and was supplemented by Tri-Met express service from Portland that began in 1976.<ref name="WSDOT-1984" /><ref>{{cite news|title=Tri-Met will increase service to Vancouver|url=http://infoweb.newsbank.com/resources/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_dat=image/v2:11A73E5827618330@EANX-131DA1F1D802FD06@2443302-131D045DDCB141F3@24-131DC42E49D2A600&rft_id=info:sid/infoweb.newsbank.com&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&svc_dat=AMNEWS&req_dat=0D10F2CADB4B24C0|access-date=January 25, 2015|work=[[The Oregonian]]|date=June 7, 1977|location=Portland, OR|page=B11W|issn=8750-1317|via=NewsBank}}</ref> The Tri-Met service continued under contract after C-Tran was established and gradually phased out.<ref name="WSDOT-1981">{{WSDOT Public Transit Summary |year=1981 |page=9 |access-date=January 17, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{WSDOT Public Transit Summary |year=2000 |page=40 |access-date=January 17, 2018}}</ref>

=== Service increases and reorganization in 2000 ===
On July 1, 2000, C-Tran opened a transit center facility in Fisher's Landing, replacing the Evergreen Transit Center (now Evergreen Park & Ride) as its east county hub. Along with the opening of Fisher's Landing Transit Center, many lines serving east Clark County and the Vancouver Mall area were rerouted and had their frequency increased.  Fisher's Landing Transit Center links eastern Vancouver with Camas, Washougal and [[Parkrose/Sumner Transit Center (MAX station)|Parkrose]] (in northeast [[Portland, Oregon]]).  Around the same time, C-Tran changed its transfer design to conform with that of TriMet, allowing C-Tran riders to use its transfer to ride on any route in any direction (unlike previously, in which C-Tran transfers were marked with the route number to prevent riders from using it to make a round trip or a stop-over).  The "Day Code" on a C-Tran transfer (and today, C-Tran Day Pass) is identical to that of TriMet, consisting of two letters out of the eight-letter pool: M, J, I, E, X, D, B and C.

=== Clark County Proposition 1 (2004) ===
In November 2004, a ballot initiative known as Proposition 1 was defeated by a simple majority of voters. While 46.33% of eligible voters, or 73,959 ballots, approved this measure to increase the Clark County [[sales tax]] by 0.3% (from the current 7.7%) to continue the funding of the public transportation, 53.67% (85,684 votes) rejected the proposition.

The Proposition 1 was intended to provide continued funding sources for C-Tran after the 1998 statewide repeal of Washington motor vehicle registration tax.

As a result of the lost revenue, effective September 25, 2005, C-Tran could have reduced its services by 46%, effectively eliminating about a half of currently existing bus and paratransit services.  The planned service reduction would have eliminated all services to the north beyond Salmon Creek Park & Ride, including commuter services to [[Ridgefield, Washington|Ridgefield]]; all services to the east beyond Fisher's Landing Transit Center, discontinuing all Camas and Washougal services including the Connector; end all Vancouver-Central Portland express bus services; and drastically reduced the frequency of surviving routes (except for the 165-Parkrose Express, whose services would be increased).

Vancouver–Central Portland commuter lines would have been replaced by 205&nbsp;– Interstate 5 Shuttle, 234&nbsp;– Salmon Creek Shuttle and 257&nbsp;– BPA Shuttle, all of which would have terminated at [[TriMet]]'s [[Delta Park/Vanport (MAX station)|Delta Park/Vanport]] [[MAX Light Rail|MAX]] Station.

In addition to major downsizing of services, C-Tran proposed closing two park and ride lots, reducing service center hours, ending service day at 8&nbsp;pm weekdays and ending most weekend runs.  As a result, C-Tran intended to also lay off a large number of employees.

To offset lost revenues, the C-Tran board of directors also considered a fare increase, elimination of free transfers and termination of reciprocal fare agreement with TriMet.

Most of these service reductions were avoided after C-Tran passed a special ballot measure in September 2005.  C-Tran still operates all commuter lines to and from downtown [[Portland Transit Mall|Portland's Transit Mall]].

=== New fare structure and 2005 service reductions ===
In May 2005, as the first phase of the two-part service reduction strategy, C-Tran introduced a new fare structure.  Under this scheme, the previously All-Zone commuter services between Portland, Oregon and Clark County with the sole exception of the 165&nbsp;– Parkrose Express were designated "Premium" routes (i.e., Routes 105, 114 that originate in Portland as "105–114", 134, 157, 164, 177 and 190 are all Premium services).  No regular monthly or all-day passes from either TriMet or C-Tran were accepted on the Premium buses, unless a passenger purchased a $105 Premium pass (which is also valid as an All-Zone pass in C-Tran, Portland Streetcar and TriMet). A single-ride fare on a Premium bus became $3.  Fares on Premium buses were collected as passengers board, and previously-allowed free rides within Portland's Fareless Square between [[Portland State University]] and the Pearl District were eliminated.

C-Tran issues and accepts All-Zone transfers upon request. Passengers who use a C-Zone fare must pay each time they board the bus or purchase a Day Pass, either a C-Zone day pass valid only on C-Tran Local and Limited routes or a GoAnywhere Express Day pass which is also valid on TriMet and the Portland Streetcar. Pursuant to the fare reciprocity agreement, C-Tran and TriMet continue to honor each other's All-Zone fare instruments.

C-Tran would have been forced to eliminate nearly half of all its transit services effective September 25, 2005 if additional funding had not been secured; however, a second ballot measure was passed that allowed for the preservation of current service levels (at that time), and additional service to be added to smaller cities such as Ridgefield and La Center. These changes helped return service to its pre-2000 levels.

=== C-Tran redistricting and new C-Tran benefit area ballot measure ===
On June 1, 2005, the boundaries of the Clark County Public Transit Benefit Area were reduced from the whole [[Clark County, Washington|Clark County]] to the area including only the cities of Vancouver, Camas, Washougal, Ridgefield, [[La Center, Washington|La Center]], Battle Ground and [[Yacolt, Washington|Yacolt]], as well as the [[unincorporated area]]s surrounding Vancouver.  This was done so that, unlike in the failed 2004 Proposition 1, only those who would benefit from C-Tran services will vote on any future ballot measure to secure new funding for the transit service.

C-Tran proposed a special election in September 2005 to decide on whether residents within the new C-Tran benefit area would pay an additional 0.2% (from 7.7% to 7.9% in Vancouver) [[sales tax]] to maintain the current C-Tran service level.

The measure passed by a wide majority. The agency continues to operate, and now with fresh funding, is expanding.

=== 2010s to today ===
[[File:New Vancouver Mall TC from SE with several buses laying over (2017).jpg|thumb|The new Vancouver Mall Transit Center opened in 2017, replacing a previous transit center at the mall.]]
After studies that had first taken place in 2008, plans were approved and finalized in 2012 for construction of a [[bus rapid transit]] line, eventually named [[The Vine (bus rapid transit)|The Vine]] (see [[#The Vine|section below]]).  It opened for service in January 2017.<ref name="columbian-2017jan9">{{cite news |last=Pesanti |first=Dameon |date=January 9, 2017 |title=C-Tran's The Vine begins rolling in Vancouver |url=http://www.columbian.com/news/2017/jan/09/c-trans-the-vine-begins-rolling-in-vancouver/ |newspaper=[[The Columbian]] |access-date=January 23, 2017}}</ref>  In 2016–2017, C-Tran built a new transit center at [[Vancouver Mall]], to replace an existing transit center on the mall's north side (opened in 1985) with a larger facility on the mall's south side.  The new Vancouver Mall Transit Center opened in January 2017, on the same date that the Vine service began operating.

In June 2017, C-Tran hired Shawn M. Donaghy as its next Chief Executive Officer, under a contract that was scheduled to last through June 2027. He replaced Jeff Hamm, who retired after more than 10 years as the agency's chief executive.<ref name="hires donaghy">{{cite press release|author=C-Tran|title=C-Tran Officially Hires Shawn M. Donaghy As Executive Director/CEO|date=June 7, 2017|url=https://www.c-tran.com/about-c-tran/news/news-releases/460-ceo-hire|access-date=June 26, 2017}}{{dead link|date=November 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> The agency was named the North American Transit System of the Year in 2019 by the [[American Public Transportation Association]].<ref>{{cite news |date=July 9, 2019 |title=C-Tran named Transit System of the Year |url=https://www.columbian.com/news/2019/jul/09/c-tran-named-transit-system-of-the-year/ |work=The Columbian |access-date=July 29, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190729224204/https://www.columbian.com/news/2019/jul/09/c-tran-named-transit-system-of-the-year/ |archive-date=July 29, 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref>

The agency moved its administrative headquarters in 2019 to a standalone building on NE 51st Circle in Vancouver. This building was formerly the offices of the supervisor of the [[Gifford Pinchot National Forest]].

In June 2020, the former Evergreen Transit Center was converted to a [[Safe parking programs|safe parking site]] for persons experiencing homelessness.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Hair |first=Callie |date=March 12, 2024 |title=Vancouver Safe Parking Zone program moves to C-Tran’s Evergreen Transit Center |url=https://www.columbian.com/news/2020/jun/16/vancouver-safe-parking-zone-program-moves-to-c-trans-evergreen-transit-center/ |access-date=2024-03-15 |work=The Columbian |language=en-US |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200617154733/https://www.columbian.com/news/2020/jun/16/vancouver-safe-parking-zone-program-moves-to-c-trans-evergreen-transit-center/ |archive-date=June 17, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref>

In September 2022, C-Tran was again named the North American Transit System of the Year by the American Public Transportation Association.

The Mill Plain Transit Center was opened on October 1, 2023, as the terminus of the Vine Red Line.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-10-02 |title=C-TRAN cuts ribbon on The Vine on Mill Plain |url=https://www.masstransitmag.com/bus/press-release/53074031/c-tran-c-tran-cuts-ribbon-on-the-vine-on-mill-plain |access-date=2024-03-15 |magazine=Mass Transit}}</ref>

In February 2024, the C-Tran Board of Directors appointed Leann M. Caver as the agency's sixth Chief Executive Officer starting March 1.{{citation needed|date=April 2024}} Caver was previously the agency's Deputy Chief Executive Officer. She replaces Shawn Donaghy, who moved on from the agency after nearly seven years as the agency's chief executive.