Last fall, C-TRAN conducted a survey asking riders to evaluate how we’re doing. The format was simple: We listed several aspects of our service, and asked respondents to tell us which ones we’re doing well. Then we asked what we can improve, using the same list.
Seven categories were included: access, cleanliness, customer service, on-time performance, rider information/communication, safety, and stop amenities.
Respondents could choose multiple categories for each question. Here’s what you told us.
What is C-TRAN doing well?
- Cleanliness (68 percent of all respondents marked this as a strength)
- Safety (53 percent)
- Access (49 percent)
- On-time performance (45 percent)
- Rider information/communication (42 percent)
- Customer service (40 percent)
- Stop amenities (19 percent)
What can C-TRAN improve?
- On-time performance (46 percent of all respondents marked this as something that can improve)
- Stop amenities (40 percent)
- Rider information/communication (30 percent)
- Access (30 percent)
- Safety (24 percent)
- Cleanliness (21 percent)
- Customer Service (18 percent)
Any survey is an opportunity to hear directly from our riders, and we take that to heart. It’s an opportunity to get better. It’s also helpful to know what’s working well.
There were some interesting takeaways in these results:
Cleanliness is clearly a strength, scoring higher than any other category. We’ve consistently seen that in other surveys as well. That’s a testament to C-TRAN’s Fleet Maintenance team that keeps our buses clean and ready to roll every day, and our Facilities team maintaining hundreds of bus stops, four transit centers and other C-TRAN properties.
On-time performance is on your mind. Forty-six percent of respondents said this is an area C-TRAN can improve—more than any other category. Interestingly, almost as many (45 percent) said this is one of C-TRAN’s strengths.
Overall, we’re on the right track. Only on-time performance (-1 percent) and stop amenities (-19 percent) scored negatively. All other categories were in positive territory, meaning more people viewed them as a strength than a weakness.
Of course, that doesn’t mean we can’t improve. Here are some steps we’ve already taken in some of these areas:
Stop amenities and access: C-TRAN has made significant progress in improving accessibility and providing better amenities at our bus stops. We’ve made improvements to about 150 stops in the past five years, with more slated for upgrades this year and beyond. In 2025, we introduced digital real-time arrival screens, with audible descriptions, to some Local bus stops for the first time. C-TRAN also partners with Aira to provide free visual interpretation service for blind/low-vision people using our system.
Rider information/communication: C-TRAN is working to improve how riders get the information they need. Transit app provides trip planning and real-time arrival information from any stop in our system, and we’re working on a service alerts feed that will streamline notifications for unexpected impacts. As a reminder, you can always find alerts in the app, on the C-TRAN website, or by calling Customer Service at 360-695-0123.
On-time performance: C-TRAN has aggressively hired operators during the past two years to get us close to full staffing levels in 2026. We’ve also added a pool of part-time operators dedicated solely to The Current. These steps have allowed C-TRAN to continue to deliver more than 99 percent of all scheduled fixed-route trips, and improve flexibility on The Current and C-VAN. Our Service Planning team constantly evaluates route schedules to look for improvements and better connections.
Surveys are an important tool we use to hear from our riders and community members. You’ll see another, more detailed survey later this spring as part of C-TRAN’s involvement with the American Bus Benchmarking Group. And we’ll keep evolving with the communities we serve.