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Contact: Lars Erickson, Public Relations Officer        253.984.8218

For Release:  Immediate                                       
Date:  Thursday, September 4, 2008

Pierce Transit Wins Award for Daffodil Bus

Lakewood, WA - Pierce Transit’s award winning Marketing Department has done it again, winning a First Place Award for the 2008 Daffodil Festival Bus in the American Public Transportation Association’s (APTA) 29th Annual AdWheel Awards. The awards recognize APTA member organizations for excellence in advertising, communication, marketing, and promotions.

A 40-foot bus was fully wrapped with a scene depicting an expansive field of yellow daffodils beneath a brilliant blue sky. Eight children, ages two through six, are pictured on the sides and back of the bus in playful poses, holding daffodils. They are all children of Pierce Transit employees. The bus was designed by Senior Marketing Design Specialist Lorie Bartnes and the children’s photography was done by Community Relations Coordinator Lind Simonsen.

The bus made its public appearance debut at the Junior Daffodil Parade on April 5, and the Grand Floral Parade on April 12. Every day the bus is assigned to different routes throughout the Pierce Transit service area, on any given day it can appear anywhere within the Pierce Transit 417 square-mile service area.

Pierce Transit will be recognized at a special ceremony during the October APTA Annual Meeting and EXPO 2008 in San Diego.

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A photo of the award winning 2008 Pierce Transit Daffodil Festival Bus can be seen (and downloaded for publication) here.

For Release:  Immediate                                       
Date:  Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Take Pierce Transit to the Puyallup Fair

Lakewood, WA- Beginning Friday, September 5, through Sunday, September 21, ride Pierce Transit’s non-stop Puyallup Fair Express service from eight convenient Pierce County locations:

· Tacoma Community College Transit Center

· Tacoma Dome Station

· Downtown Tacoma (10th & Commerce, no free parking)

· South Hill Mall (Southeast lot near Meridian)

· Bonney Lake Park & Ride

· Sumner Train Station

· Lakewood Towne Center

· I-5/SR 512 Park & Ride (Sat/Sun Only)

Parking is FREE at all locations except Downtown Tacoma.

Express service runs often and conveniently drops off and picks up from the Blue Gate. Service is only $1.50 each way (exact change), for convenience it is highly recommended riders purchase a return ticket at their point of origin. Valid local transfers are worth $1.50 toward the fare. For senior or disabled riders, a Regional Reduced Fare Permit must be shown with a 75¢ fare.

Schedules vary by location, for more information call Pierce Transit Customer Service at 253-581-8000, or visit the Pierce Transit web site at www.piercetransit.org.

In 2007, Pierce Transit provided over 100,000 express trips during the Puyallup Fair.

For Release:  Immediate                                       
Date:  Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Pierce Transit Labor Day Schedule

LAKEWOOD, WA – On Labor Day, Monday, September 1st, Pierce Transit services will operate on a Sunday schedule. Bus PLUS will not operate.

Pierce Transit’s Olympia Express routes 601 and 603A will not be in operation. People planning transit travel between Tacoma and Olympia on Monday may take Intercity Transit route 620.

Pierce Transit administrative offices and all Bus Shop facilities will be closed.

For additional information call Pierce Transit Customer Service at 253-581-8000.

For Release:  Immediate                                       
Date:  Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Pierce Transit Seeks Public Comment on Fare Revisions

LAKEWOOD, WA – The public is invited to attend a September 8th, 2008 Pierce Transit Board of Commissioners meeting to comment on a proposed fare revision that would be implemented in January 2009.  The proposed fare would not impact local service fares for senior/disabled and youth riders, or SHUTTLE riders. 

The proposed fares are as follows:

The last fare increase for Pierce Transit local routes was in March 2006; the Olympia Express fare has not changed since 1999.

The September 8th Pierce Transit Board of Commissioner’s meeting will take place at 4:00 P.M. in the Rainier Room of Pierce Transit’s Training Center, 3720 96th St. SW, Lakewood, WA.

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For Release:  Immediate                                       
Date:  Thursday, July 31, 2008

From: American Public Transportation Association Transit News

Contacts: Virginia Miller, 202-496-4816 • Mantill Williams, 202-496-4869

PUBLIC TRANSIT USERS AVOID HIGH GAS PRICES:
SAVE OVER $8,000 per HOUSEHOLD ANNUALLY

WASHINGTON, DC – A person can save more than $8,000 per year annually by taking public transportation instead of driving based on today’s gas prices, according to new analysis released today by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA). According to APTA’s “Monthly Transit Savings Report” a person can save an average of $672 dollars per month based on today’s gas price of $3.909 as reported by AAA. The savings are more than the average household pays for food in a year.

APTA will release once a month a “Transit Savings Report” which shows how much a person can save on a monthly and yearly basis by taking public transit and living with one less car in his or her household. Gas prices have increased by 179.9 percent since 2003 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. After factoring in today’s average gas price and the average transit fare, the analysis shows that a person can save $672 a month and $8,059 per year by riding public transit. The annual cost savings is almost $2,000 more than the annual cost of food, according to the Food Institute ($6,111).

“We are releasing our ‘Transit Savings Report’ once a month to remind consumers that taking public transportation is the quickest way to save money and beat the high price of gasoline,” said William W. Millar, president of APTA. “In these tough economic times, a record number of Americans are saying my other car is the train or bus and it helps me balance my budget.”

The top 20 cities with the highest ridership are ranked in order of their transit savings based on the purchase of a monthly public transportation pass and factoring in today’s local gas prices.*

Top Twenty Cities – Transit Savings Report

*Based on gasoline prices as reported by AAA on 7/31/08.

APTA calculates the average cost of taking public transit by determining the average monthly transit pass of local public transit agencies across the country. This information is based on the annual APTA fare collection survey and is weighted based on ridership (unlinked passenger trips). The assumption is that a person making a switch to public transportation would likely purchase an unlimited pass on the local transit agency, typically available on a monthly basis.

APTA then compares the average monthly transit fare to the average cost of driving. The cost of driving is calculated using the 2008 AAA average cost of driving formula. AAA cost of driving formula is based on variable cost and fixed cost. The variable cost includes the cost of gas, maintenance and tires. The fixed cost includes insurance, license registration, depreciation and finance charges. The comparison also uses the average mileage of a mid-size auto at 23.4 miles per gallon and today’s price for self-serve regular unleaded as recorded by AAA at $3.909 per gallon. The analysis also assumes that a person will drive an average of 15,000 miles per year. The savings assumes a two person household will live with one less car.

To calculate your individual savings with or without car ownership, go to www.publictransportation.org.

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Pierce Transit Board Elects New Officers

LAKEWOOD, WA – New officers were elected at the July Pierce Transit Board of Commissioners meeting. Dave Enslow, Mayor of Sumner, was elected Chair and Mike Lonergan, Tacoma City Councilmember, was elected Vice Chair.

Mayor Enslow replaces outgoing Chair, Pierce County Executive John Ladenburg, who will remain on the Board. Councilmember Lonergan replaces Mayor Enslow as Vice Chair.

“My sincere gratitude goes to County Executive Ladenburg for his service as Chair of the Pierce Transit Board of Commissioners,” said Pierce Transit CEO Lynne Griffith. “His vision and leadership ensures that Pierce Transit will continue to meet the needs of our community for many years to come. I look forward to working with Mayor Enslow and Councilmember Lonergan to build on our rich tradition of innovation.”

Pierce Transit is governed by a nine-member Board of Commissioners. The board is made up of elected officials representing Pierce County, Tacoma, Lakewood and the smaller towns and cities of our service area. The Board of Commissioners meets the second Monday of each month at 4:00 p.m. at Pierce Transit headquarters in Lakewood.

# # #

Ride Free to McChord Air Expo 2008

LAKEWOOD, WA – To honor the men and women in our community who serve in the U.S. Armed Forces, on Saturday, July 19 and Sunday, July 20, Pierce Transit will provide free round-trip express service to McChord Air Force Base for Air Expo 2008.   Pierce Transit’s express service will begin at 7:30 a.m. from two locations, the parking lot behind the Barnes & Noble and Target stores at Lakewood Towne Center and the 512 Park & Ride lot.  The last buses will leave these locations going to the event at 3:00 p.m. each day.  All bus service, including return bus service, will stop running at 3:00 p.m. each day during the U.S. Air Force’s Thunderbirds aerial demonstration.  Return bus service will resume upon the conclusion of the world-renowned aerial demonstration.
 
The flying is scheduled to start at 11:00 a.m. both days.

# # #

For additional information about Pierce Transit service, please call Customer Service at 253-581-8000, or visit the Pierce Transit web site.
 
For media inquiries about Pierce Transit, please contact Lars Erickson at lerickson@piercetransit.org.

For information on McChord Air Expo 2008, please visit http://www.mcchordairexpo.com

For Release:  Immediate                                       
Date:  Friday, June 27, 2008

Pierce Transit July 4th Holiday Service

LAKEWOOD, WA – During the upcoming July 4th holiday, area residents and visitors can use Pierce Transit services to enjoy local events.

July 3-7, Tall Ships Festival, Foss Waterway, Tacoma

Ride one of the 12 Pierce Transit routes with service to Tall Ships activities: 1, 11, 13, 41, 42, 48, 53, 61, 102, 490, 500 & 501 offer service to and from downtown Tacoma with stops at 15th, 17th and 19th & Pacific Avenue. Routes 2, 3, 16, 26, 45 & 57 don't come quite as close, although it's still just a short walk downhill, you can easily transfer from them on Commerce Street to routes that serve Pacific Avenue.

One way fare is $1.50, or on Friday, July 4, Saturday, and Sunday, buy an all day pass for just $3.00 and ride as often as you want.

July 4, Freedom Fair

The big one! Catch the 4th of July Express to Old Town from Tacoma Community College and the Tacoma Dome Station. Service starts at 10am and runs every 15 minutes until 8pm. Catch express service back to your car after the fireworks, lasting until all riders have been brought back.

Express bus fare is $1.50 each way, or you can buy an all day pass for $3.00 and ride as often as you want on the 4th of July Express and any local route.

On Friday, July 4, Pierce Transit route 13 will operate on a special half-hour schedule from 8:18 am until 8:00 pm. Service will resume on route 13 after the fireworks. Pierce Transit’s Olympia Express, routes 601 and 603A, will not be in operation. People planning transit travel between Tacoma and Olympia on Friday, July 4, may take Intercity Transit route 620. All other local bus service and the SHUTTLE paratransit service will operate on a Sunday schedule. Pierce Transit Customer Service will be available to answer any questions from 9:00 am-5:00 pm at 253-581-8000.

Pierce Transit administrative offices and all Bus Shop facilities will be closed on Friday, July 4, 2008.

For Release:  Immediate                                       
Date:  Tuesday, June 17, 2008

$4.30 a Gallon? Dump the Pump, June 19!

SEATTLE, Wash. – With local gas prices higher than the national average, residents in the Puget Sound region have turned to public transportation in record numbers. A survey of local transit ridership in April 2008 showed 520,000 passengers using buses, trains, ferries, vanpools and paratransit to get around each weekday, a record high.
 
To demonstrate how easy it is to use transit, local agencies are urging residents to park their cars and ride public transportation on June 19, National Dump the Pump Day.
 
Community Transit, Everett Transit, Intercity Transit, King County Metro Transit, Kitsap Transit, Pierce Transit and Sound Transit are joining transit agencies across the country to ask those who’ve never tried transit to take a ride, and regular transit users to leave their vehicles at home and only use transit that day. That means hopping the bus or a train, sharing the ride in a carpool or vanpool, or using human power by cycling or walking.

“People are really thinking about how they get around and many are taking action by getting out of their cars and onto transit,” said Joyce Eleanor, CEO of Community Transit. “Dump the Pump Day is a time for people to make a statement about the choices they’re willing to make.”
 
“Whether they are going to work, a doctor’s office, or shopping, it is important for Puget Sound area residents to know that public mass transit offers them safe, reliable, and low-cost transportation choices,” said Lynne Griffith, CEO of Pierce Transit.  
 
While many new transit passengers are those who choose to leave their vehicles behind, others are being forced to find alternatives.
 
“Many people using transit these days simply cannot afford to drive their cars as much as they did in the past,” said Kevin Desmond, general manager of King County Metro Transit. “It’s not just commuters who want to save a few bucks. Some families are finding they need to leave their vehicles at home in order to pay the bills.”
 
“I dumped the pump”
To encourage participation in National Dump the Pump Day, Community Transit is flyering the 1,000-stall Ash Way Park & Ride in Lynnwood to encourage regular commuters to take the bus from home to the park & ride that day. On June 19, the agency will invite riders to cover a poster depiction of a gas pump with stickers saying “I dumped the pump” between 6 and 8 a.m.
 
Pierce Transit will be distributing “I dumped the pump” stickers to riders at select transit centers throughout their system between 6:30 and 8 a.m. that day.
 
In Olympia, Intercity Transit is hosting a series of events and transit fairs providing transit trip planning and rideshare information to interested commuters. Thousands of people are expected to sign a roving “I dumped the pump” community banner this month and commuters traveling through area transit centers, the Capitol Campus and park and ride lot on June 19 will get “I dumped the pump” buttons.
 
Additionally, community leaders in Thurston County are showing support for National Dump the Pump Day by either using a commute alternative on June 19 or speaking publicly about the value and importance of transit to our communities and our individual lives.
 
“If we didn’t have transit, we’d have to spend millions more every year to build and widen roads, and still it wouldn’t relieve traffic congestion,” said Ralph Osgood, Mayor of Tumwater.  When people choose to ride the bus, they’re not just saving their own money, they’re saving taxpayers’ money as well.”
 
The bus or train might not work best for everyone, and that is where RideshareOnline.com is great statewide resource. It provides an easy way to find others who are interested in sharing the commute in a carpool or vanpool. For example, Metro Transit has seen a 27 percent increase in people using vanpools and vanshares in the past year, and now has more than 1,000 commuter vans on the road. Community Transit has 352 vanpools on the road; Pierce Transit has 285 and InterCity Transit has 173.
 
Puget Sound Regional Transit Statistics
Public transportation in King, Kitsap, Pierce and Snohomish counties covers:
·    6,589 square miles including…
·    66 cities and towns,
·    447 bus routes,
·    two transit agency ferry routes (Kitsap Transit),
·    83 miles of commuter rail (Sounder),
·    1.6 miles of light rail (17.2 miles by 2009).
 
Average weekday ridership in April 2008, by agency (and contacts):
·    Community Transit, 40,000 (Martin Munguia, 425 348-2348)
·    Everett Transit, 6,800 (Steffani Lillie, 425 257-8914)
·    Intercity Transit, 14,000 (Meg Kester, 360 705-5842)
·    Kitsap Transit, 15,000 (Laurie Talbert, 360 478-6225)
·    King County Metro Transit, 340,000 (Rochelle Ogershok, 206 296-6515)
·    Pierce Transit, 51,800 (Lars Erickson, 253 984-8218)
·    Sound Transit, 53,990 (Linda Robson, 206 398-5149)
 
Many of the region’s commuting options are outlined at: http://transit.metrokc.gov/tops/tri/tri-main.html.

For Release:  Immediate                                       
Date:  Friday, June 13, 2008  
 

Changes Expected for Pierce Transit Special Event Service  

LAKEWOOD, WA. – People who enjoy using Pierce Transit special service to go to community events and festivals should be aware that new Federal Transit Administration (FTA) rules could limit Pierce Transit’s ability to provide this service.
 
The rule changes do not affect regular Pierce Transit bus service.  The intent of the new Federal regulations is to open up special event service to private charter companies.  The new federal charter service rules went into effect April 30.  Since these rules are so new, the effect they have on each of the events Pierce Transit provides service for has not yet been defined.
 
We do know however, that participants who ride the bus from the TCC Transit Center to the Sound to Narrows event on Saturday, June 14, will be the first in the community to experience changes.  Federal regulations no longer allow an event sponsor (MultiCare sponsors the Sound to Narrows) to pay the bus fare for participants.  In past years, participants rode for free and MultiCare paid the fare.  This year, each participant will have to pay $1.50 one way or $3.00 for a round trip ticket.  All other normal discounts apply.  Last year Pierce Transit provided more than 4,200 rides to Sound to narrows participants.
 
If Pierce Transit service for an event falls under the new definition of charter service, the agency must first contact private charter firms registered with the FTA to see if any are interested in providing the service.  If any firms indicate they are interested, Pierce Transit is precluded from providing the service.  Private operators will be given the opportunity to negotiate with the event sponsor for the transportation service.  If no private company is willing and able to provide the transportation service, Pierce Transit may be able to continue its special service to the venue.
 
Pierce Transit has been working closely with the FTA and event organizers to understand and clarify the rule requirements.  More information about these rules and the impact on Pierce Transit service will be provided as it becomes available.   People should also check with event organizers for updated transportation information.

Pierce Transit Memorial Day Schedule

LAKEWOOD, WA – On Memorial Day, Monday, May 26th, Pierce Transit services will operate on a Sunday schedule.  Bus Plus will not operate.

Pierce Transit administrative offices and all Bus Shop facilities will be closed.
 
For additional information call Pierce Transit Customer Service at 253-581-8000, or visit the Pierce Transit web site.

For Release:  Immediate                                       
Date:  Tuesday, March 25, 2008          

Pierce Transit Announces PugetPass Partnership with Saar’s

LAKEWOOD, WA –Pierce Transit today announced an agreement for Pierce County Saar’s Marketplace stores to be PugetPass outlets.  
 
PugetPass is a regional transit pass, available in various pass types, accepted as valid fare payment on Pierce Transit, Sound Transit, King County Metro Transit, Community Transit, and Everett Transit service.  Saar’s Marketplace stores will carry monthly PugetPasses, which provide unlimited trips for the calendar month.
 
“I am very pleased Saar’s Marketplace stores will be providing a valuable service to our riders,” said Pierce Transit CEO, Lynne Griffith. “With the move of our Lakewood Bus Shop from the Lakewood Towne Center, Saar’s service will fill a needed demand.”
 
“As a member of the Pierce County community, we are happy to work closely with Pierce Transit to streamline our customers’ shopping experience,” said Greg Saar, President of Saar’s Inc.

For Release:  Immediate                                       
Date:  Wednesday, February 13, 2008          

Pierce Transit Presidents’ Day Schedule

LAKEWOOD, WA – On Presidents’ Day, Monday, February 18th, Pierce Transit local bus service and the SHUTTLE paratransit service will operate on a Saturday schedule.  Bus Plus will not operate.

Pierce Transit’s Olympia Express, routes 601 and 603A, will not be in operation.  People planning transit travel between Tacoma and Olympia on Monday may take Intercity Transit route 603.  
 
Pierce Transit administrative offices and all Bus Shop facilities will be closed.
 
For additional information call Pierce Transit Customer Service at 253-581-8000