ORCA For Multifamily

What is ORCA?

ORCA, One Regional Card for All, is a transit pass program that uses smart card technology. ORCA is accepted for travel on Pierce Transit, Sound Transit, King County Metro Transit, Kitsap Transit, Community Transit, Everett Transit, and Washington State Ferries. ORCA gives your multifamily property a convenient way to provide bus, train, or ferry benefits to your residents. ORCA for Multifamily introduces a flat rate first year pricing and then rolls into a pay as you go method pricing upon renewal.

Learn more about your options and see how ORCA for Multifamily can set your property apart by contacting us at CommuteSolutions@PierceTransit.org or 253.983.3792.

Pierce Transit Local Service

The Pierce Transit local service option allows multifamily operators to load a yearlong local pass onto their residents’ ORCA cards at a significantly reduced price from retail. At a minimum one card must be made available to each unit. The multifamily operator may choose to add additional cards per unit.

At a glance:

Valid for full and unlimited rides on:
- Bus: Pierce Transit
- Paratransit: Service on Pierce Transit
Additional Cards: During the agreement term, additional cards can be ordered at the standard card fee only
Residents may contribute up to 50% of annual cost
Business Choice Products: Choice Products purchased by the Business Account will be prepaid by check or cred card, at prevailing retails rates

Regional Service

The Regional service option provides an unlimited-trip ORCA pass to all units in the property for a significantly reduced price compared to retail pricing. Like our local service option, at a minimum one card must be made available to each unit. The multifamily operator may choose to add additional cards per unit.

At a glance:

Valid for full and unlimited rides on:
- Bus: Community Transit, Everett Transit, King County Metro, Kitsap Transit, Pierce Transit and Sound Transit
- Ferry: King County Water Taxi and Kitsap Local Ferries and Fast Ferries
- Monorail
- Rail: Sound Transit Link light rail and Sound Transit Sounder (includes Rail Plus partnership with Amtrak Cascades)
- Seattle Streetcar
- Paratransit: Service on Pierce Transit, King County Metro, and Kitsap Transit.
Additional Cards: During the agreement term, additional cards can be ordered at the standard card fee only
Residents may contribute up to 50% of annual cost.
Business Choice Products: Choice Products purchased by the Business Account will be prepaid by check or credit card, at prevailing retail rates.

Benefits

Easy to use

ORCA for Multifamily accounts are easy to administer; you can load products, order new cards, and lock lost or stolen cards all online.

Free up parking

Providing easy access to transit supports sustainability goals and helps free up valuable parking for residents, employees, and for locations that have retail space – customers.

Added amenity

Adding a transit amenity is viewed as an increasingly popular competitive residential benefit which allows for greater marketing to those commuting residents or that attracts and retain residents.

Works on regional partner transit systems

With ORCA for Multifamily your residents can commute their way using:

Pierce Transit
Sound Transit
King County Metro Transit
Kitsap Transit
Community Transit
Everett Transit

Trip Planner Help

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