Pierce Transit

File:PierceTransitColor.png
File:Pierce Transit bus 242.jpg
Founded	1979
Headquarters	3701 96th St SW, Lakewood
Service area	Pierce County
Service type	bus service, paratransit
Routes	50
Fleet	270
Fuel type	Compressed natural gas
Website	piercetransit.org

Pierce Transit, in full the Pierce County Public Transportation Benefit Area Corporation, is the public transit authority of Pierce County, Washington. Based in Lakewood, Washington, it was founded in 1979. Operating buses, SHUTTLE services for the disabled, vanpool and a ridematching database for those who wish to carpool, Pierce Transit's system is connected with surrounding regional transit systems, including ferries and trains.

Services

As of 2009, Pierce Transit served a 414-square-mile (1,070 km²) area with a population of approximately 676,000. Areas served include Bonney Lake, Buckley, DuPont, Fife, Edgewood, Federal Way, Fircrest, Fort Lewis, Gig Harbor, Lakewood, Milton, Orting, Purdy, Puyallup, Ruston, South Hill, Steilacoom, Sumner, Tacoma and University Place. In 2008, 19 million people utilized its services. 272 wheelchair-accessible buses circulate between 3,300 bus stops, 626 bus shelters and 28 park-and-ride lots. Additionally, Pierce Transit runs 11 transit centers and stations. Pierce Transit also provides vanpool, ridematching and express transportation between counties. Disabled passengers who are not able to use Pierce Transit's buses have access to a special transportation system called SHUTTLE.

Organization

In 1979, a 0.3% sales tax was created by popular vote to fund public transportation. Pierce Transit was accordingly formed to manage transit. In 2002, after Initiative 695 eliminated the Motor Vehicle Excise Tax (another funding mechanism for local transit in Washington State), that funding was replaced with an additional 0.3% sales tax to fund transit operations. Pierce Transit is operated by nine-member Board of Commissioners composed of elected officials throughout the county. The Board of Commissioners operates under a Chief Executive Officer, Lynne Griffith. A staff of approximately 1,000 man the five departments, with over 50% working in Transit Operations.

Fares

Service	Adult	Youth	Senior/Disabled
Local	$2.00	$0.75	$0.75
Olympia Express	$2.50	$2.50	$1.25
Monthly Local Pass	$72.00	$27.00	$27.00
Summer Youth Pass	N/A	$27.00	N/A

• Ages 5 and under ride free with a fare paying passenger.
• Passengers aged 6 to 18 pay youth fare.
• Summer Youth Pass only valid on Pierce Transit from June to August.
• Passengers 19 and above pay adult fare unless they have a valid regional reduced fare permit.

Fares last updated on: 9/3/2011

Facilities

Transit Centers

• 512 Park and Ride
• 72nd St Transit Center
• 10th and Commerce (Downtown Tacoma)
• Lakewood Transit Center
• Lakewood Sounder Station
• Parkland Transit Center
• South Hill Mall Transit Center
• Tacoma Dome Station
• Tacoma Mall Transit Center
• TCC Transit Center

Bus routes

• 1 6th Ave-Pacific Ave
• 2 S 19th St-Bridgeport Way
• 3 Lakewood-Tacoma
• 10 Pearl St
• 11 Pt Defiance
• 13 N 30th St
• 14 Proctor District
• 16 UPS-TCC
• 28 S 12th St
• 41 Portland Ave
• 42 McKinley Ave
• 45 Yakima Ave
• 48 Sheridan-M St
• 51 Union Ave
• 52 TCC-Tacoma Mall
• 53 University Place
• 54 38th St
• 55 Tacoma Mall-Parkland
• 56 56th St
• 57 Tacoma Mall
• 62 NE Tacoma
• 100 Gig Harbor
• 102 Gig Harbor-Tacoma Express
• 202 72nd St
• 204 Lakewood-Parkland
• 206 Pacific Hwy-Tillicum
• 212 Steilacoom
• 214 Lakewood-Pierce College
• 300 S Tacoma Wy
• 400 Puyallup-Downtown Tacoma
• 402 Meridian
• 409 Puyallup-Sumner
• 410 112th St
• 495 South Hill Mall-Puyallup
• 496 Bonney Lk-Sumner
• 497 Lakeland Hills
• 500 Federal Way
• 501 Milton-Federal Way

Fleet

Bus

See also: Sound Transit § Fleet

	Make	Model	Purchased	Retired	Qty.	Fleet Numbers
	New Flyer	C40LF	1998	in service	45	101-145
			2000	in service	21	146-166
			2002	in service	18	167*-184
			2004	in service	20	185-204
			2005	in service	10	205-214
			2006	in service	15	215-229
	New Flyer	C40LFR	2007	in service	10	230-239
			2009	in service	11	240-250
	New Flyer	C30LF	2004	in service	20	300-319
			2005	in service	10	320-329
	Orion	05.515	1996	Retired	15	828-842

• Buses Starting with the fleet number 167 and above are Pierce Transit's first low flow buses with air conditioning equipped.

Shuttle/Bus Plus

	Make	Model	Purchased	Retired	Qty.	Fleet Numbers
	Ford E450	?	2004	in service	49	5001-5049
	Ford E450	?	2005	in service	30	5801-5809, 5050-5070
	Ford E450	?	2006	in service	5	5071-5075
	Ford E450	ElDorado Aerotech	2007	in service		5810-5819, 5076-5100

Vanpool

Make	Model	Year	Retired	Qty.	Fleet Numbers
Ford	E350	2002	out of service	1	4116
		2003	most out of service	24	4140, 4143, 4144, 4146-4148, 4151-4153, 4155, 4157, 4158, 4160, 4161, 4163-4165, 4167-4171, 4176, 4179
		2006	in service	67	7095-7161
Ford	E350XL	2005	in service	48	7014-7061
		2008	in service	23	7226-7248
Chevrolet	Astro	200X	most out of service	12	4122, 4123, 4127, 4129-4136, 4139
Chevrolet	Express	2007	in service	56	7162-7217
		2008	in service	15	7218-7225, 7249-7255
		2010	in service	64	7256-7319
Dodge	Grand Caravan	2005	in service	14	7000-7013

Ferry

• Steilacoom-Anderson Island Ferry

Adjoining Transit Agencies

• King County Metro
• Kitsap Transit
• Intercity Transit
• Washington State Ferries

Police

Pierce Transit contracts with the Pierce County Sheriff's Office for police services. There are currently 7 patrol deputies assigned full time to Pierce Transit. Pierce Transit became the first Transit System in Washington State with its own Police Department (Pierce Transit Department of Public Safety) in 2009. The Pierce Transit system is also patrolled by 10 specially commissioned Peace Officers (Transit Security Officers).

External links

• Official Website