Pierce Transit Board Adopts Agency's Strategic Direction

Pierce Transit's current strategic direction was adopted by the Board of Commissioners in 2008. Since that time, the Agency has experienced a significant reduction in revenue, service, and staff, requiring the Board and Pierce Transit to reevaluate the Agency's direction. At its work session on July 1, 2013, the Board of Commissioners defined a new strategic direction for the Agency that requires CEO Lynne Griffith and staff to develop a three-year strategic plan. The Pierce Transit 2014-2016 Strategic Plan will focus on the following five elements:

Operational Excellence: Safety - Customer Service - Efficiency - Labor and Employee Relations
Financial Stability
Tailored Community Solutions
Public Perception
Service hour allocation (devoting 85% of the Agency's available service hours to higher-efficiency routes and 15% to developing markets and innovative, tailored solutions)

The Agency's future strategic direction reflects the Board's continued commitment to providing excellent and efficient service across the system within the financial resources the Agency has available. It also indicates a clear move toward increased investment in tailored solutions for smaller cities and towns, and innovative, rapid-design processes that move developing markets toward higher-efficiency performance. Pierce Transit's newly formed Business Development Office will lead the Agency's innovative service and rapid design process initiatives.

The Board's action comes as good news for cities and towns in smaller communities, like Fife/Milton/Edgewood, Puyallup and Gig Harbor where geography, population density and ridership patterns mean that fewer routes are categorized as higher-efficiency. Additional investment in innovative service models and tailored solutions means that demonstration projects like the PT Trolley (which launched July 9 in Gig Harbor) can now be tested in other parts of the Pierce Transit service area. Four innovation concepts on the horizon include: Custom Bus, Trolley, Little Bus Circulators and Community Events.

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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

You don't need to type in the city along with the address. 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 110 Jones instead of 110 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 1000 Main instead of 1000 S Main. But type 1000 West Viewmont for 1000 West Viewmont Way W.)
Some streets and addresses are unknown to the Trip Planner. You may need to enter another nearby location, such as an intersection or a landmark.
You should not enter the suite number or apartment number. Just the house number and street name (Example: type in 401 Broadway instead of 401 Broadway Avenue Suite 800).

Intersections

The "&" symbol is the only character used between two street names to show an intersection. (Examples: 1st & B, James & Madison)
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