Pierce Transit CEO Sue Dreier Announces Retirement

After 30 years in the transit industry, starting as a bus operator and completing her career as CEO, Pierce Transit CEO Sue Dreier announced today that she will retire this summer. Dreier communicated her plans to the Pierce Transit Board of Commissioners and agency employees this week.

â€œSue Dreier has been an excellent leader for Pierce Transit these past six years,â€ said Tacoma Mayor Victoria Woodards, who serves as Pierce Transitâ€™s Board Chair. â€œHer deep knowledge of the industry, ability to form strong partnerships, innovative thinking and success in bringing Pierce Transit back to a thriving, community-focused agency following the Great Recession has set the agency on a very positive course for the future. She will be greatly missed, but the Board wishes her well as she moves on to a new chapter of her life.â€

Dreier has served as Pierce Transit CEO since May 2015, where she oversees an agency of 971 employees with a $154 million budget. Dreier came to Pierce Transit from Salem-Keizer Transit in Salem, Oregon, where she served as Chief Operating Officer. Prior to that, Dreier served at Lane Transit District in Eugene, Oregon, where she began her career as a transit operator. She held a number of positions at Lane, ending her tenure as Transit Services Manager.

Dreier has been a member of the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) Board of Directors since 2016. She also serves on several other boards, including the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber of Commerce, the Economic Development Board for Tacoma-Pierce County, the Washington State Transportation Improvement Board and The Grand Cinema. As a member of the United Way of Pierce County Board, she is serving as co-chair of the 2020 Annual Campaign.

Under Dreierâ€™s leadership, Pierce Transit redesigned its entire bus route system to be more efficient and added 16 percent more bus service, the largest single service enhancement in Pierce Transit history. The agency has developed innovative new services, such as a partnership with Lyft to provide on-demand rides to access transit, and has created a new Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee to advance those pillars across the agency. Pierce Transit is on track to build one of the biggest projects in its history with the new Bus Rapid Transit line, and the agency is moving into the future with new technologies and a robust professional development program for agency employees.

â€œIt has been my honor to serve in the role of Chief Executive Officer at Pierce Transit,â€ said Dreier. â€œMy thirty-year career in transit has been rewarding and satisfying. I am confident that the extraordinary employees at Pierce Transit will continue to move forward with their innovative and dedicated service to the community. My husband and I look forward to the next chapter in life, traveling and spending time with our five adult children and four grandchildren.â€

In the coming weeks the Pierce Transit Board of Commissioners will begin the recruitment process for a new CEO. Dreier has committed to remaining at the agency until a transition plan is in place, likely in late May or early June.

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Trip Planner Tips - Entering Locations

To create a trip plan you need to enter both a starting location (origin) and an ending location (destination). For information about stops, schedules, or service at a specific location, you only need to enter one location.

The Trip Planner recognizes most street intersections and addresses as well as many landmarks in Pierce, King, and Snohomish Counties. If what you entered is not immediately recognized, the Trip Planner will offer you a list of options. You can choose one of the options, but if your intended location is not there, select the "Revise Original Entries" link to return to the entry page and change the entries you have already made.

Addresses

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You don't need to type in the city. The Trip Planner shows the possible city names as options if needed. City names are based on zip codes.
You don't need to type in St., Street, Ave., or Avenue, or similar street types. The Trip Planner shows the possible alternatives as options if needed. (Example: type Conifer & Jones instead of Conifer Circle & Jones Boulevard.)
You don't need to type in the directional designations for streets, but if a direction name is part of a street name, you should include it. (Example: type 3rd & Main instead of 3rd S & S Main. But type 34th & West Viewmont for 34th W & West Viewmont Way W.)
Some streets are unknown to the Trip Planner. You may need to enter another nearby intersection or a landmark.

Landmarks

Government Sites: Pierce County Health Dept, Pierce Co Sheriffs Office, Tacoma City Hall

Major Commercial Sites: Tacoma Mall, Sheraton Hotel

Transportation Facilities: Sea-Tac Airport, Greyhound Bus Depot

Schools & Colleges: Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma Community College

Sports & Leisure: Cheney Stadium, Pt Defiance Zoo

Medical Facilities: Group Health, Tacoma General Hospital