Pierce Transit Is Proud to Celebrate 35 Years Of
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Sue began her career in the driver’s seat. Sue and riders at a Try Transit Month event. Visiting at the Lakewood Transit Center. 2015 REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY Pierce Transit provides MESSAGE FROM THE CEO an essential public service PIERCE TRANSIT IS PROUD TO CELEBRATE to a population of more As the Agency’s Chief Executive Officer, I am pleased to present Pierce Transit’s Report to the Community for your review. The last year has been a time of rededication and renewal. Pierce Transit is a strong and resilient agency and than 538,700 in a 292 square- 35 YEARS OF SERVING OUR COMMUNITY. has moved out of the Great Recession with determination and optimism. We take the mission of service seriously mile area. We provided more “The SHUTTLE is more than transportation. and consider it our honor. It is our charge to deliver mobility options that reduce congestion, support clean air and than 12 million miles of promote the health and vitality of our service-area communities. transportation services to It brought a whole new outlook to my life.” “Time flies when you’re our community in 2014. – HONGDA SAO, SHUTTLE RIDER, TACOMA RESIDENT having fun! Pierce Transit Between 2011 and 2013, Pierce Transit’s service hours were “right-sized” to equal expected revenue. The good news is our financial outlook has become stable and as a result we were able to restore more than 14,000 service hours in is a great place to work.” 2015. Over the next six months we will complete a comprehensive service analysis of bus running times and routing WHO RIDES PT BUSES? Those are the words of Danny Wydra, • Average age is 34 years old efficiency. This process will include public forums to help determine how we can best meet our community’s needs. a Pierce Transit Operator who has been Our goal is to roll out a new service plan with additional service hours in 2016, as well as a plan to continue restoring • 39% have no working vehicle • 62% are ORCA card users serving our community for more than service over the next six years. 44 years; 35 with Pierce Transit (PT) and ABOUT SUE DREIER • 44% from households with annual incomes below $20,000 the remainder before Pierce Transit was • Joined Pierce Transit as CEO Our actions will also be guided by our updated Strategic Plan, which is approved by Pierce Transit’s Board of formed, when the City of Tacoma ran bus in May 2015 Commissioners. The plan aligns Agency goals with our mission to “improve people’s lives by providing safe, reliable, WHERE ARE RIDERS GOING? service. We asked Danny to offer some • Began her career in transit innovative and useful transportation services that are locally based and regionally connected.” We are approaching highlights about his work over the years. this work with a “Back to Basics” philosophy based on three initiatives: Providing excellent service in every customer • 30% - work 26 years ago as a bus operator • 22% - school / college Here are some of his thoughts: interaction; focusing on safety as a top priority; and engaging our community by demonstrating how our service • 18% - recreation & social activities • A transplant from Oregon supports strong economic growth in our region. What would you want the community who is enjoying the people • 16% - shopping & errands Hongda likes to say that Pierce Transit has changed his life. As to know about being a PT operator? • 13% - appointments he puts it, “If I didn’t have the SHUTTLE, I would not be who I am and places in South Sound “I like to think of my job as being a I hope you will join us soon for a ride on your local Pierce Transit bus, or explore our vanpooling options. Our today.” Hongda lost his eyesight in 1996 and became isolated • Grateful for the opportunity employees are some of the friendliest and safest on the road. Whether you are traveling to school, work, errands or liaison between a boarding passenger PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION until he learned about Pierce Transit’s SHUTTLE program. to serve the community shopping we hope you will make Pierce Transit your choice ride. We will get you there, as promised. and their final destination.” while working in a rewarding SERVICES FOR OUR COMMUNITY and enriching field What is one of your favorite memories? Local Bus Routes * Sue Dreier “Driving for the opening of the new • 36 routes with 140 buses • 10.3 million boardings Tacoma Narrows Bridge. There was a • 34,200 boardings per weekday lot of excitement from the community • 5.2 million miles that day.” Do you have regular riders? SHUTTLE Paratransit * THE 2015 BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS SHUTTLE is a shared-ride service for “Yes – and many have become good Pierce Transit is governed by a ten-member Board of Commissioners made up of elected officials representing thirteen jurisdictions, Pierce County, and eligible customers who, because of friends. We know each other on a one non-voting union representative (vacant). Board meetings are held the second Monday of each month at 4:00 pm and are open to the public. their disability, are unable to ride a first-name basis.” regular bus. Hongda traveled via SHUTTLE to earn his GED, then went Why do you like your job? • 100 vehicles • 372,762 boardings on to earn degrees from Pierce College and the University of “The daily interaction with all the • 5,450 clients Washington Tacoma. Now he takes the SHUTTLE to and from customers just makes me smile!” • 2.8 million miles work at Pierce County Community Connections. “I didn’t do this on my own,” says Hongda. “I got help from the community, Rick Talbert Steve Vermillion Pat McCarthy Marilyn Strickland Don Anderson Lauren Walker Kent Keel Daryl Eidinger Nancy Henderson Vanpool & Rideshare * especially Pierce Transit. I have a job I love and the life I’ve Chair Vice-Chair Pierce County Executive Mayor of Tacoma Mayor of Lakewood Tacoma City Council University Place Mayor of Edgewood Steilacoom City Council always wanted. Thank you for providing this service!” Pierce County Council Puyallup City Council City Council Rideshare services include vanpools, carpools, Park & Ride lots, plus workplace transportation programs MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD CHAIR – RICK TALBERT for 300 employers. The past year has been a time of renewal for Pierce Transit. After several years of reductions and changes, I am happy to report the Agency • 346 vans • 2,600 customers is moving forward and growing again. I am also pleased to introduce Pierce Transit’s new CEO Sue Dreier, who will lead the Agency into • 906,686 boardings this bright future. Sue’s “Back to Basics” initiative will serve Pierce Transit well as we refocus efforts on putting the most service possible • 4.7 million miles back into our community. I am pleased with the progress we’ve made this year, and excited about where the Agency is headed. *2014 Data Thank you, as always, for your support of Pierce Transit. We are proud to serve our community. piercetransit.org | 253.581.8000 INTRODUCING PIERCE TRANSIT’S NEW CARE-A-VAN PROGRAM CONNECTING YOU TRANSIT When Pierce Transit’s Vanpool TO YOUR COMMUNITY AND REGION AL WILSON – LONG-TIME VANPOOL DRIVER vans and SHUTTLE vehicles have At Pierce Transit we pride ourselves on being your local connection to the region. Pierce Transit’s Tacoma Dome Station TOOLS MAKE Vanpooling can become a habit. Just ask Al, who drove a Pierce Transit vanpool reached the age of retirement from GIVE is the region’s premier multimodal hub, served by Pierce Transit, Sound Transit, Intercity Transit, Greyhound and, for 21 years. The year 1994 found Al hosting a private vanpool. His own 1978 transit, they can still provide a in 2017, Amtrak. You can take Pierce Transit from your home to the Station; then catch an Intercity Transit Olympia van had more than 200,000 miles on it and, as Al puts it, “that van was tired.” YOUR TRIP valuable service to our community. VANPOOLING Express bus, or a Sound Transit Express bus to Seattle or the airport. Or, take the Sounder train to Seattle, Lakewood So, with an incentive program from his employer, it was time to upgrade to or locations in between. Here you’ll also find Pierce Transit’s customer service Bus Shop, an ORCA smart card ticket a Pierce Transit vanpool. When Al first moved to Graham his family included SEAMLESS This year we adopted a new A TRY AND vending machine, and options for grabbing a bite to eat between rides. Each day, about 2,200 cars park in the garage three children at home, and only one car. Driving a vanpool van to work kept “Care-a-van” program to grant while their owners take transit. That’s a lot of cars off the road, plus time, money and crazy commutes saved! • Need help figuring out which the one car at home during the day. Al also appreciated the convenience, retiring vehicles to qualifying not- IT CAN bus(es) to take? Pierce Transit provides including getting a parking place at work. Over the years Al has saved more for-profit organizations that provide personalized trip planning than 200,000 miles on his own vehicle, plus wear and tear. He ended his rides for people with special needs. BECOME A at piercetransit.org or by calling vanpool story with this: “The countless friends and coworkers I have met are Customer Service at 253.581.8000 always wonderful and enjoyable.” Al retired from Boeing earlier this year; a The vehicles may be used for GREAT HABIT (option 1) weekdays between well-deserved occasion.