While we recently covered the highly-anticipated June 6th Metro service change – the first time we’ll see Prop 1 additions hitting the streets – we’d do well to remember that Metro and ST aren’t the only agencies adding service this weekend.
Beleaguered Pierce Transit will be celebrating much needed good news this weekend, adding a decent amount of service (12,000 annual service hours) for the first time since the dark days of 2011. The 3% service boost will be spread around the system, adding weekend span of service to 20 routes and boosting frequency on 4 routes. Even so, it’s still worth remembering that with these additions PT is still just 70% of the agency it was at its peak in 2007, so there’s a lot more work to do to improve transit in the South Sound.
Some of the ideas that had been floating around for years are finally happening, such as the consolidation of Routes 204 and 410 into a single Route 4 connecting Lakewood, Parkland, and Puyallup. While the ‘Super Route’ branding used to be reserved for frequent service, this new 30-minute route is still a sensible consolidation that will provide a reliable crosstown connection for South Pierce County.
Full service change details from PT’s Website below the jump:
- Route 1: Trips are adjusted due to the bridge closure and detour. For better timed connections, buses will no longer serve the stops inside the Parkland Transit Center, but will use stops on Pacific Avenue instead. On weekends, trips are adjusted from 14th & Pacific.
- Route 2: On Saturdays from Downtown, these trips have been adjusted to make better connections at the TCC Transit Center: 11:40am, 1:40pm, 2:40pm, 3:40pm, 4:40pm, 5:40pm, 6:40pm, 7:40pm and 8:40pm. On Sundays from Downtown, these trips have been adjusted to make better connections at the TCC Transit Center: 11:40am, 12:40pm, 1:40pm, 2:40pm, 3:40pm, 4:40pm and 5:40pm.
- Route 3: On Saturdays: All trips from Pacific & 14th St now leave five minutes earlier.
- Route 4: NEW! Former Routes 204 and 410 are merged into one route for better service and easier connections. See map and timetables beginning on page 44.
- Route 10: On Sundays two new trips will depart the TCC Transit center at 9:15am and 5:15pm. One new trip will depart Pt. Defiance at 5:43pm.
- Route 11: Saturday and Sunday trips now leave Pt. Defiance at 20 minutes past the hour from 9:20am to 4:20pm. On Sundays, a new trip leaves 10th & Commerce at 4:45pm.
- Route 13: On Saturdays, a new trip leaves the Tacoma Dome Station at 5:09pm.
- Route 14: On Saturdays, a new trip leaves 24th & Proctor at 4:30pm.
- Route 41: On Saturdays a new 7:15am trip departs from the Tacoma Dome Station. On Saturdays and Sundays, departure times from 10th & Commerce have been adjusted to make better connections at the 72nd St Transit Center. On Sundays, two new trips have been added: 5:52pm from 10th & Commerce and 8:15am from the Tacoma Dome Station.
- Route 42: On Sundays three new trips are added: 8:45am and 5:45pm from the 72nd St Transit Center, and 6:15pm from 10th & Commerce.
- Route 45: Sunday service returns! See new timetables on page 75.
- Route 51: On Saturdays, a new trip departs 26th & Proctor at 5:39pm, ending at Lakewood Transit Center.
- Route 52: New Sunday trips: 5:15pm from TCC and 5:45pm from Tacoma Mall Transit Center.
- Route 53: Weekdays: Trips are adjusted as a result of the bridge closure and detour. Saturdays: Two new trips are added – 5:13pm from 11th & Pacific and 5:30pm from TCC Transit Center. Sundays: Two new trips are added from TCC at 8:30am and 5:30pm.
- Route 55: Sundays: A new trip is added from Parkland Transit Center at 5:45pm.
- Route 56: On Sundays, three new trips are added: 5:15pm from Tacoma Mall Transit Center, and 8:45am and 5:45pm from 72nd St Transit Center.
- Route 57: Sundays: A new trip is added from Tacoma Mall TC at 5:15pm, and a 5:03pm from Downtown.
- Route 101: Gig Harbor Trolley Route 101 returns June 5th through Sept 7th with new routing! See page 107. During the days and hours that PT Trolley operates, Route 100 will be on detour. For Route 100 detour information, visit piercetransit.org or pick up a Detour Rider Alert.
- Route 202: On Saturdays, times are adjusted to and from 72nd St Transit Center. New trips are added from Lakewood at 10:15am, 6:15pm and 7:15pm. On Sundays, two new trips are added from Lakewood at 6:15pm and from 72nd St TC at 6:45pm.
- Route 206: On Sundays, all trips serve the Woodbrook neighborhood and all times are adjusted. Also, new trips are added: 5:45pm from Lakewood Transit Center and 5:10pm from Berkeley and Union.
- Route 212: On Saturdays, most buses run every 30 minutes from Lakewood TC to Pierce College. Also, a new trip is added, and times adjusted, to and from Steilacoom.
- Route 300: On Sundays, two new trips have been added from McChord Drive at 5:20pm and from Tacoma Mall Transit Center at 5:50pm.
- Route 402: On Weekdays, these new trips have been added from the Federal Way Transit Center: 5:45am, 6:45am, 7:45am, 2:36pm, and 3:37pm. Northbound from 171st & Meridian, these new trips have been added: 6:10am, 7:10am, 8:10am, 4:11pm and 5:11pm.
- Route 409: On Saturdays and Sundays, all times are adjusted; one Sunday trip is new.
- Route 425: On Thursdays, evening trips are added in both directions. On Saturdays, a new trip is added from South Hill Mall TC at 9:15am and from Puyallup at 9:30am.
- Route 500: On Weekdays, new trips are added from the Federal Way Transit Center at 5:14am, 6:11am, 7:09am, 3:08pm, 4:07pm, and 5:15pm. New trips from 10th & Commerce: 6:15am, 7:18am, 8:19am, 3:11pm, 4:14pm and 5:14pm.
- Route 501: Saturdays: 5 new trips are added from Downtown, and 5 from Federal Way. Sundays: 4 new trips are added from Downtown, and 6 from Federal Way.
I think the fact that the last southbound route 402 trip still leaves at 6:14 on weekdays is inexcusable. This means a Puyallup, Milton, or Edgewood-bound commuter from Seattle needs to be on 2nd Ave at 5:12 to make the last 402.
Or they can board nb at about 830 pm at puyallup station to points north. That allows for a later sounder train or st 578.
A tad off-topic, but PT isn’t discussed here as much: 1.) I noticed a new fleet of articulated ST coaches for the 577/8. I thought Pierce Transit was unable to handle these coaches as their maintenance facilities. Is this not true? 2.) Pierce Transit operates the Sounder shuttle from Edmonds when the North line is out of service. Does anyone know why this is?
Pierce Transit previously maintained artics in their facilities from 1999-2005ish. Those artics were transferred away because, among other reasons, the pre-2004 D60LF suspensions could not handle the poor road conditions on I-5 South that existed at the time. Additionally, they were very high mileage coaches after only a few years, and were transferred to locations where they could find some work on trippers.
PT operates North Sounder shuttle service when they have drivers available as their per hour cost to Sound Transit is lower than both Metro and Community Transit. Also note that the private sector does some of these North Sounder shuttle trips.
Actually it seems to be anybody that van take them I’ve seen metro doing these specials before. King county and community transit don’t have the resources usually to handle all of the trippers.
Most of the articulated buses are used for special events (594’s) and 577 peak which when metro operated them always had articulated coaches. Rarely seen on 590 592 or 594 except on special events.
Does PT utilize slavery or something? How can PT shuttles cost less than both metro and CT always, even including deadheading from Lakewood to Edmonds?
There are a lot of factors, various labor contracts (Seattle and Snohomish Co. are more expensive places to live than Pierce County for example), overhead costs at the agencies, any capital projects needs, etc.. King County Metro isn’t well known for being lean and nimble either. As for the Sounder shuttles, I think a lot of it has to do with who has enough extra equipment and personnel that can be quickly activated for the service rather than any preference (although it wouldn’t surprise me if those parties who are routinely able to provide the service on short notice get the call first).
I’ve seen buses from king county providing these shuttles too recently. Whoever is available to help really.
Cost of living for a driver living in Lakewood, Puyallup, Roy, or Lacey is A LOT LESS than anywhere in King County, and slightly less than most of Snohomish County. In Tacoma proper, it’s probably on-par with much of Snohomish County. I see a lot of pretty, luxury homes on large lots in much of Snohomish County (thanks to great-paying jobs at Boeing and Microsoft, no doubt), whereas south and east Pierce County is a lot of trailer parks and older homes due to the fact that there just aren’t very many good jobs in the south Sound. So, you can pay drivers less here and get away with it. Not slave labor. I make the same amount of money in Tacoma as I did in Bellevue and get a lot more bang for my buck. Nicer, bigger house, more yard, closer to shopping and work, with extra money to spare that I can either save up or spend on myself. It makes sense that PT contracts cost significantly less than Metro & CT.
Let’s not forget poor, neglected Community Transit. Sunday/holiday service is returning after a five year absence.
The list of “improvements” is a bit frustrating for the commuter who is still left with a transit system that does NOT get the job done for the Mon-Fri commute. I see a lot of Saturday and Sunday improvements in the list. In the meantime, weekday service is still only every 60 MINUTES, EVEN DURING RUSH HOUR, on most routes. If you need a transfer, forget about using transit here. I want to suggest completely eliminating Sunday service and using the savings to fund additional peak hour trips. At least then, you might get “average Joe” worker bees using the transit system here, which I would really like to do, but can’t.
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