Kitsap Transit’s SK Ride Makes Getting Around Easy and Convenient

Posted February 28, 2018

Kitsap Transit’s SK Ride Makes Getting Around Easy and Convenient

If you live in McCormick, getting around town and to work is easy even if you don’t drive. Thanks to a Kitsap Transit shared ride service, you can get to some of the popular local shopping and service areas as well as connect to bus routes and the ferries.

And the best part? The shuttle will pick you up right at your McCormick home (with some exceptions). It’s almost like having your own Uber driver — and a lot less expensive.

The South Kitsap Ride (SK Ride) morning transit operator Nancy Camm says she can pick up you up in front of your McCormick home if the road continues through or has a cul-de-sac, so she can turn the bus around. If there’s no turnaround, you can hop on at the intersection nearest to your house. You can schedule your ride as far as seven days ahead, but reservations aren’t necessary. Simply call 844-475-7433 or use the TapRide mobile app when you need a pickup.

“Most times, I can be there to pick someone up in 30 minutes. We try to guarantee that we’ll get you at the drop location within an hour of you calling,” Camm says.

SK Ride picks up residents from the McCormick Woods Golf Course

Here are some ways you can use South Kitsap Ride from McCormick:

·      Use the ride to connect to the ferry in downtown Port Orchard to Bremerton, where you can get on the Washington State Ferries for a ride to Seattle. SK Ride can take you directly to the Port Orchard ferry until 8 a.m., but after that you can still get there via a transfer to Kitsap Transit Bus No. 5. Or transfer to a Kitsap Transit bus to get to a destination like Olympic College or Harrison Hospital. South Kitsap Ride can take you directly to the Port Orchard foot ferry until 8 a.m., but after that you can still get there via a transfer to Kitsap Transit Bus No. 5.

·      Ride to Fred Meyer or Albertson’s for grocery shopping. You can also arrange to get picked up for a ride home when you’re done.

·      Ride to your physical therapy or another medical appointment at Harrison Medical Center in Port Orchard or one of several other medical centers along the route.

“It may take a little planning but riders can always call Kitsap Transit and get all the information they need, including connecting bus numbers and times,” Camm says.

South Kitsap Ride only costs $2 each way. If you’re going to Kitsap Transit’s ferry or another bus, your driver can give you a free transfer — so your entire ride will still only cost $2. Reduced $1 fair is available for seniors, youth and others, and kids 6 and under ride free.  “Many of the passengers don’t have the ability to just get in their car and go,” Camm says. “This gives them a little freedom because they don’t have to rely on friends.”

SK Ride will take you to the The Port Orchard Foot Ferry that transports residents to the Fast Ferry and WSDOT Ferry

The shuttle runs Monday-Saturday and connects with three Kitsap Transit routes: 4, 5 and 8. The service area goes all the way to Bremerton Airport. Additionally, there’s a special service Monday-Friday, by reservation, that can take you to the Purdy Park-and-Ride, where you can catch a Pierce Transit or Sound Transit bus, or arrange for the Kitsap Airporter to take you to the Sea-Tac airport.

Some McCormick residents even use SK Ride to get around the neighborhood. A group of regular riders who work at the shipyard get picked up at their homes each weekday morning and are dropped off at the clubhouse, where a special work bus picks them up.

Camm says the regular passengers “really like” the convenience of South Kitsap Ride, and the popularity of the service is growing. “We’re trying to give the taxpayers who have supported us good service, and I take that very seriously,” she says. “For me as a driver, this is a wonderful route. I get to know my passengers and I really enjoy them.”

For more information about South Kitsap Ride, go to www.kitsaptransit.com/service/routed-buses/sk-ride.

SK Ride Service Area Map