Regional transit service between Whatcom and Skagit counties is currently provided with Route 80X which is jointly operated between the Whatcom Transportation Authority (WTA) and Skagit Transit. Paratransit customers must take a WTA paratransit vehicle to connect with Fixed Route 80X in Bellingham, ride the bus to the Skagit Station and then transfer to a Skagit Transit paratransit vehicle to get to their destination. The lack of direct paratransit service between the counties was identified as a barrier in previous transportation plans and by stakeholders.

TMD conducted a feasibility study to determine if there was enough demand and if it was cost effective to operate cross-county paratransit service. The project included an analysis of existing paratransit trips, Route 80X ridership, and Replica data to understand travel demand. In addition, TMD conducted a customer survey and stakeholder interview with Whatcom staff, Skagit Transit staff, Northwest Regional Council (NWRC), and representatives from various social service and healthcare providers. Based on the analysis and input collected from stakeholders and riders, the project developed and evaluated four alternatives for cross-county transit services, primarily focused on paratransit customers.