 Snohomish County established its public transportation benefit area ( PTBA ) , the first in the state , after municipal corporations for public transportation were added to the Revised Code of Washington by the Washington State Legislature in 1975 . The PTBA plan for a countywide bus system was approved during a general election on June 1 , 1976 , funded by a three @-@ tenths increase of the sales tax rate in member cities . Two previous attempts to establish a bus system , under the Snohomish County Transportation Authority ( SNOTRAN ) in 1974 , were rejected by voters from the entirety of Snohomish County . Heavy opposition came from the residents of Everett because of the high sales tax rate and planned absorption of Everett Transit , acquired by the city in 1969 , forcing the SCPTBA to exclude Everett in its successful attempt at creating a bus system . SCPTBA Public Transit began operating in the cities of Brier , Edmonds , Lynnwood , Marysville , Mountlake Terrace , Snohomish and Woodway on October 4 , 1976 , using 18 leased GMC buses on seven routes carrying 6 @,@ 414 passengers without fares during the first week . 
