Bellingham transit riders on routes serving Western Washington University are used to crowded buses along Billy Frank Jr. Street, High Street, and Bill McDonald Parkway when classes are in session. That's not surprising. Western, one of Whatcom County's largest employers, is among the biggest destinations in the Whatcom Transit Authority's bus network. And given the university's topographical setting, the associated hillclimb, and High Street's transit-only section past Haggard Hall, Old Main, Performing Arts Center, Viking Union, and Wilson Library, there are plenty of incentives for Western students, faculty, staff, and others to pack WTA buses to reach classes, campus services, and other aspects of university life.  

When swimming laps at Western's Wade King Recreation Center, one of the more unusual vantage points for bus-spotting in the Pacific Northwest, BhamByBus has been amazed by the frequency of buses ascending or descending the steep hill along W. College Way, part of the Blue GO Line corridor served by Routes 14, 105, 107, 108, 190, 196, and 197.

As Western wrapped up commencement ceremonies last Sunday, campus soon emptied out. Pulling up to Viking Union on a deserted High Street late that afternoon, a WTA bus operator on Route 190 exclaimed to nobody in particular, "Whoo hoo, it's summer!" While campus was buzzing with activity just hours earlier amid the weekend graduation festivities, all became very quiet on the western front of Sehome Hill this past week.

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A familiar, quiet scene on Western's campus during summer. (Video by Michael Grass / BhamByBus)

During the recent WTA Transit Trivia night at Larrabee Lager Co., one of the questions from the local-focused round of questions was: What is WTA's busiest ridership month? The answer is October. While Western's 2024–25 fall quarter starts September 25, in October, students are back on campus in full force. Plus "it rains in October," the quizmaster pointed out, acknowledging that getting to class during the Pacific Northwest's rainy season isn't fun. Which is a good reminder: Don't make broad assumptions about local bus ridership during the lower-ridership summer doldrums.   

A sunset shot of a red abstract sculpture.
"For Handel" by Mark di Suervo sits between the Performing Arts Center and Viking Union on the campus of Western Washington University, and adjacent to the Blue GO Line. (Photo by Michael Grass / BhamByBus)

For Bellinghamsters who might ordinarily view the idea of riding on a packed Blue GO Line bus heading up to Western's beautiful campus as an undesirable journey, now is your time to enjoy a largely empty university on lightly traveled buses. Perhaps check out the university's highly acclaimed outdoor sculpture collection? Maybe take a bus up to campus and then hike to the top of Sehome Hill Arboretum observation tower? Explore Western's interactive campus map.

During Western's summer quarter and associated inter-session weeks, WTA supplemental bus service — Routes 14S, 105S, and 190S — along the Blue GO Line goes and through campus go on hiatus, so there aren't as many buses passing through, but as one of Belligham's frequent bus corridors, there's bus service every 15 minutes for most of the day.