Pierce Transit press release.
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 one-quarter 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 556, 577, 578, 580, 590, 592, and 594 will also have reductions in frequencies and schedule 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.
