Pierce Transit Announces Service Adjustments

Pierce Transit will make service adjustments effective Nov. 7, 2021. Due to driver shortages, five local routes will decrease frequency of trips.

The adjustments affect Routes 1, 2, 11,16, 400 and 500. No routes have been eliminated. These reductions may affect passengers’ plans to connect to other routes.

Like many transportation providers across the state and nation, Pierce Transit is experiencing a driver shortage. As a result, the agency has been missing and delaying some bus trips, leading to uncertainty and inconvenience for customers. Pierce Transit makes it a priority to provide customers with predictable, accurate schedule information. Reducing the frequency of service along some routes will give riders a schedule they can rely on, even if it offers fewer trip options.

Current drivers are working overtime to provide as many trips as possible. The agency has a robust driver recruitment campaign underway. The process of hiring and training new drivers to Pierce Transit’s high safety standards takes about 10 weeks.

As a temporary remedy, Pierce Transit will reduce service levels on some routes starting Nov. 7. Further changes may be made depending on driver availability. The agency plans to restore service as soon as staffing levels allow.

As a way of thanking riders for their patience and for riding Pierce Transit, bus riders and cash-paying SHUTTLE paratransit customers will not be required to pay fares Nov. 7, 8 and 9.

Routes are affected as follows:

Route 1 will run every 30 minutes weekdays and on Saturdays
Route 2 will run every 30 minutes weekdays
Route 16 will run every 60 minutes weekdays
Route 11 will run every 60 minutes weekdays except for specific morning and afternoon trips retained for students
Route 400 will not experience reduced service, but schedules will be adjusted
Route 500 will run every 60 minutes weekdays and on Saturdays

To protect vulnerable customers:

SHUTTLE paratransit customers will not see a reduction in their service. SHUTTLE paratransit service must be provided within three-quarters of a mile of a bus route during the hours that bus route is running. To protect SHUTTLE service, the Nov. 7 reductions are focused on frequency of bus trips, rather than the time a route starts or ends each day. No routes will be eliminated, which also helps retain SHUTTLE service.
While there are some reductions to Route 11, trips used by students of Tacoma’s Science and Math Institute (SAMi) to travel to and from school have been retained.

Sound Transit Express routes 566, 577, 578, 580, 590, 592, and 594 will also have reductions in frequencies and sched-ule adjustments, as these routes are staffed by Pierce Transit drivers. More information on these Sound Transit changes can be found at Soundtransit.org/servicechange.

For more information about Pierce Transit’s emergency schedule changes, visit PierceTransit.org/pierce-transit-routes/#whatsnew.

About Pierce Transit:
Founded in 1979, Pierce Transit is a nationally recognized leader in the public transportation industry. The agency’s service covers 292 square miles of Pierce County with roughly 70 percent of the county population. Serving Washington’s second largest county, Pierce Transit provides three types of service: regular bus, SHUTTLE paratransit and Vanpools that help get passengers to jobs, schools and appointments. In 2019, the agency provided 9.4 million rides on its combined services.

Back To News

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