2006 Press Releases • 2005 Press Releases

Contact: Lars Erickson, Public Relations Officer        253.984-8218

2007 Press Releases:

For Immediate Use

December 12 , 2007

Pierce Transit Board Approves Annual Budget

LAKEWOOD, WA – The Pierce Transit Board of Commissioners last evening approved the annual budget for 2008. Priorities in the approved $196 Million budget include investments in public safety, congestion relief and service improvements for a growing ridership.  
“The message this budget sends our passengers is that Pierce Transit will be safer, more reliable and offer even more options to those who depend on transit service,” said Pierce County Executive and Board Chair John Ladenburg.  “The message the budget sends to the community is that Pierce Transit is willing to make smart investments that help attract and retain businesses, better manage growth and keep us competitive in this global economy.”
 
Highlights from the Pierce Transit 2008 annual budget:

• Hiring of 24 full-time Security Officers, replacing 13 contracted positions, for site and onboard security presence and emergency preparedness.
• Adding three Pierce County Sheriff Deputies to serve as Transit Police Officers.  The Transit Police Department will be fully staffed with four more officers in 2009, for a total of eight officers.
• Deploying wireless closed circuit television cameras on the buses allowing police to see and hear activity inside buses while they are in motion.
• Deploying the new CAD/AVL (Computer Aided Dispatch/Automatic Vehicle Locator) system, allowing the buses to be computer dispatched, paving the way for greatly improved radio coverage, interoperability with regional emergency responders, future system expansion, increased system efficiency and expediting response from agency safety and security personnel.
• Increasing service hours by 10%, to accommodate growing ridership, giving more options for commuters and reliability to current customers.
  

“This budget is about moving Pierce Transit forward,” said Pierce Transit CEO Lynne Griffith. “We are making strategic investments to improve our performance and the quality of life for our customers, operators and the citizens of Pierce County.”
 
Also at the board meeting, Mark Neary, a representative of the Government Finance Officers Association of The United States and Canada (GFOA), presented Pierce Transit with a Certificate of Achievement in Financial Reporting for the Pierce Transit 2006 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR), it is the highest form of recognition in governmental accounting and financial reporting.  Pierce Transit has been recognized 22 times by GFOA for demonstrating a “constructive spirit of full disclosure” in financial reporting.  Kathy Sullivant, Finance Director for Pierce Transit, received an individual Award of Financial Achievement from GFOA for preparing the award-winning CAFR.
 
Pierce Transit is the public transportation agency for Pierce County, Washington, providing the community with local and express bus routes, vanpools, rideshare services, and SHUTTLE transportation for people with disabilities. 

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For Immediate Use

July 16, 2007

Pierce Transit bus service to Narrows Bridge ceremony sets single-day service record

TACOMA, WA. -  Pierce Transit bus service to the Narrows Bridge Opening Celebration set a single-day passenger record.  The special event bus service transported more than 28,000 people from three locations to the ceremony site.  With return trips, this amounts to more than 56,000 passenger trips, beating the previous record of 32,969 trips set during the 2005 Freedom Fair – Tall Ships event.

Special bus service was provided beginning at 10 a.m. from three locations; Tacoma Community College Transit Center, Narrows Airport, and Gig Harbor High School, utilizing 44 buses. 

In addition, the 5k Bridge Run/Walk transportation began at 5:30 a.m.  The event was so well attended that the Washington State Patrol halted incoming bus trips at 8:30 a.m. because the venue site was at its capacity.  As the Run/Walk participants left the area, inbound trips were allowed to resume at approximately 9:15 a.m.

Regular Pierce Transit Sunday bus service operated normally throughout the 417 square- mile service area.

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For Immediate Use – July 5 , 2007    12:30 PM

Pierce Transit Freedom Fair Express provided 16,700 rides

The Freedom Fair Express bus service provided more than 16,700 rides to the Independence Day festival.  This is a 16 percent increase in ridership over 2006.  Riders boarded at either the Tacoma Dome Station or the Tacoma Community College Transit Center for a direct ride to the Old Town area.

Following the fireworks show, 55 transit buses were used to transport 4,680 people back to the park and ride locations.

Pierce Transit special event bus service is a convenient, cost effective way for people to attend large community events without dealing with the hassle of traffic congestion and parking.  Using public transportation on the Forth of July – and any other day – is also good for the environment.  All the transit buses in the Pierce Transit fleet operate on clean-burning Compressed Natural Gas (CNG).  CNG buses significantly reduce carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide emissions, and virtually eliminate particulate emissions, when compared to conventional diesel vehicles.  In addition, individuals who ride the bus help the region meet Environmental Protection Agency air quality standards by reducing emissions from their personal vehicles.  

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For Immediate Use – May 8, 2007    8:10 PM

PIERCE TRANSIT IS HOME OF THE NUMBER ONE TRANSIT OPERATOR IN THE NATION!

Pierce Transit Bus Operator Brentt Mackie (Click on picture to download high-resolution version)

TACOMA, WA.  - Pierce Transit Bus Operator Brentt Mackie has been awarded the trophy for First Place in the nation in the 40-foot Transit Coach Division at the 2007 International Bus Roadeo that has just concluded in Nashville, Tennessee.

The Roadeo competition requires drivers maneuver their vehicles through an intricate maze of 13 graded exercises that includes serpentine turns, passenger stops, and reverse turns that duplicate the demanding requirements of everyday driving.   The final exercise is high-speed braking where operators maneuver through a row of ten 55-gallon barrels spaced only inches wider than the bus.
 
Mackie placed first at the WSDOT annual statewide transit Roadeo held on August 13, 2006 at King County Metro’s Safety Training Center in Tukwila.
 
The Pierce Transit Maintenance Team made up of Journey Level Mechanics Jose Guzman, Kim Huynh, and Scott Simonsen place 22 out of 46 teams.  As a rookie team, they made an impressive showing.
 
Overall, Pierce Transit place 9th in the nation!
 
The event is sponsored by the American Public Transportation Association and coincides with the annual convention being held this year in Nashville, Tennessee. The Bus Roadeo was developed to provide participants with positive, job-related motivation by emphasizing the important role played by bus drivers and mechanic in providing transit customers with safe and reliable transit service.
 
Pierce Transit is the public transportation agency for Pierce County, providing the community with local and express bus routes, vanpools, rideshare services, and SHUTTLE transportation for people with disabilities. Last year, the agency provided more than 14 million passenger trips.

For Immediate Use                                                             

April 21, 2007

Pierce Transit Public Safety Chief Receives Leadership Award

TACOMA, WA.  -  Pierce Transit Chief of Public Safety, Rod Baker (link to hi-res jpg), was presented with the 2006 Leadership Award at the April 19 regional Law Enforcement Appreciation banquet of the American Society for Industrial Security (ASIS). Each year ASIS pays tribute to the law enforcement agencies and officers who protect and support the greater Puget Sound community.  The group also recognizes law enforcement agencies and their officers who have made special contributions throughout the year to keep businesses, communities, and citizens safe.            

Baker received the Leadership Award in recognition of his commitment to public safety and his leadership and demonstrated excellence in police administration and management.  Baker is responsible for managing the policing services at Pierce Transit facilities throughout the 414 square-mile service area in the Tacoma/Pierce County area.

“Maintaining a safe transit environment depends on the active involvement and collaboration of transit employees, law enforcement, passengers, neighborhood residents, and the public at large, stated Lynne Griffith, Chief Executive Officer for Pierce Transit. “I am delighted that Rod received this much-deserved recognition.”

On March 20, 2006, Rod Baker, Chief of Public Safety and Security for Pierce Transit became the first commissioned law enforcement officer for a public transportation agency in Washington State. In addition, he was also the first transit employee to graduate from the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Academy in 2006.  He is a member of the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs, hosted the Street Crimes Course for local law enforcement personnel, a National Transit Institute instructor, and has been selected to be a Transit Security Institute Instructor.  

His work with the Tacoma and Lakewood Police Department Gang Activities Task Force helped reduce youth incidents at transit facilities and in areas adjacent to major transit facilities, and a graffiti reduction program has reduced the agency’s costs to replace or repair transit property by over 400 percent since 2002.  

Rod has provided leadership both inside the agency and within the community.  He has established collaborative relationships with the Tacoma and Lakewood Police Departments and is in the process of formalizing a similar agreement with the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department.  He formalized the agency’s emergency preparedness plan and has developed an excellent relationship with the Pierce County Department of Emergency Management.   

Baker helped to increase awareness among Pierce Transit employees for the need of personal and agency-wide emergency preparedness and training. In 2004, he began a series of National Transit Institute training initiatives and facilitated the completion of National Incident Management System training requirements.

Pierce Transit is the public transportation agency for Pierce County, providing the community with local and express bus routes, vanpools, rideshare services, and SHUTTLE transportation for people with disabilities. Last year, the agency provided more than 14 million passenger trips.

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2006 Press Releases:

For Immediate Use - July 10, 2006

Pierce Transit solutions to high fuel costs – buses, vanpools, and carpools

All of us are affected in some way by the ever-increasing high price of gas.  After housing, transportation is the second highest cost for most American families, outpacing both food and health care costs.  Since January 2003, gas prices have increased by 100 percent.  Everyone has an opinion about what should be done, but no one has been able to provide relief.  You have options, and Pierce Transit can help.

Pierce Transit offers the quickest, easiest alternative to the high cost of gas. Pierce Transit has made it easy to find information about bus routes and schedules, vanpools, carpools, and Park & Ride lots on its web site at www.piercetransit.org.  Many people feel uncomfortable riding the bus because they don’t understand how it works. The web site offers first-time bus users, or people who are unfamiliar with public transportation in our area, some useful tools to better understand their available options.  With a click of the mouse you have 24-hour access to Trip Planner, which creates a free itinerary of your transit trip, bus schedules that include maps and major destinations for all local routes, and an e-store that allows you to buy local and express bus passes and tickets – which we’ll mail to your home free of charge.  With an adult monthly pass you can take unlimited rides on local service for just $54.  A youth pass is available for those under 18 for just $27 a month, or 75 cents in the farebox.  It doesn’t take too many fill ups to exceed the cost of a bus pass.  To see how much you’re spending on your commute, calculate your monthly driving expense by using the Commute Calculator in the web site’s Rideshare section.  Most people are surprised at how much they spend on their monthly commute.

We know from experience that when drivers try transit, many become regular users and want to use it more often.  Our riders tell us that the Pierce Transit system offers an easy, comfortable, and convenient way to get to work, school, activities, and many other destinations.

“With gasoline prices at record levels, many Americans are finding that mobility is becoming unaffordable,” said Rachel Grover, Employer Program Specialist for Pierce Transit, “Public transit is the quickest way to beat high gas prices. By using public transportation or other ride sharing options on a regular basis, a person can save between $300 and $3,000 in fuel costs per year.”

Pierce Transit realizes that riding the bus may not work for everyone or every situation.  Pierce Transit will help you or your company explore other transportations options that may work for you and save you money.  You can consider joining an existing vanpool, or starting or joining a carpool and using the system of Park & Ride lots located throughout Pierce County.  Your employer may be willing to help you save even more. Many local employers are providing pre-tax dollars for employees to use on public transportation. And there are tax incentives available for the company.  Currently over 100 employers in Pierce County offer these programs as part of their employee recruitment package, or a welcomed new benefit for current employees.  Participating employers include Regence Blueshield, MultiCare, Russell Investment Group, the Attorney General’s Office, UW Tacoma, Franciscan Medical Group & Health System, and The News Tribune, to mention a few.

To find out more about ways you or your company can reduce commute costs or to schedule a meeting with a Community Services representative call 253.581.8000 or visit www.piercetransit.org .

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For Immediate Use
March 24, 2006

Lynne M. Griffith Named Chief Executive Officer for Pierce Transit

Pierce Transit CEO Lynne M. Griffith (Click on picture to download high-resolution version)

TACOMA, WA. - Pierce Transit in Lakewood, Washington, has named Lynne M. Griffith, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of C-TRAN (Clark County Public Transportation Benefit Area) of Vancouver, Washington, as its new Chief Executive Officer effective mid to late April.

At a special meeting held Friday, March 24, the Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a resolution authorizing a compensation package with a salary of $138,000 a year plus benefits. At C-TRAN since 2000, Griffith was responsible for managing the 27 fixed route bus system, 385 employees, and an annual budget of $32 million. Griffith succeeds Don S. Monroe, who retired March 31 after serving as Pierce Transit's Chief Executive Officer for 25 years. Susan Lang, Vice President of Technology and Transit Development, was appointed Interim Chief Executive.

Griffith brings 35 years of demonstrated leadership in the transportation industry that includes 17 years of direct experience in public transportation management. Prior to serving as C-TRAN's Executive Director and CEO in Clark County, Washington, Griffith managed both urban and suburban public transit programs in the Atlanta region, including the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority's (MARTA) largest CNG fixed route and ADA Paratransit operations; Cobb Community Transit, a suburban bus system in an Atlanta neighboring community; and the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority (GRTA) where she was responsible for developing a multimodal transit program for the 13-county Atlanta region. Griffith's transit experience includes the planning, development, and operation of rapid and commuter rail, local and express fixed route bus, paratransit, and vanpool and rideshare programs. Her planning experience includes the study of light rail, design of fixed route bus and paratransit services, and technology improvements associated with the Intelligent Transportation System (ITS). Griffith also provides leadership in the transit industry and currently serves as the Vice-Chair of the Washington State Transit Association, as an advisory board member for Washington's Office of Transit Mobility, and serves on the American Public Transit Association's CEO Bus and Paratransit Committee. In addition, Griffith is involved in community programs and has been active in Rotary, the YWCA, and other civic organizations.

"I'm impressed with Pierce Transit, its strategic vision, the progressive and innovative change occurring in Tacoma, and the transit growth opportunities in the Puget Sound area," stated Griffith, "I'm honored to join the organization."

Pierce Transit is the public transportation agency for Pierce County, providing the community with local and express bus routes, vanpools, rideshare services, and SHUTTLE transportation for people with disabilities. Pierce Transit provides service to 450 square miles of Pierce County with 52 bus routes, 950 employees, and an annual budget of $148 million. In addition, Pierce Transit contracts with Sound Transit to provide express bus service. Last year, Pierce Transit provided more than 15 million passenger trips. - END

For Immediate Use March 22, 2006

Pierce Transit becomes first state transit agency with commissioned law enforcement officer

TACOMA, WA.  - Pierce Transit in Lakewood, Washington becomes the first public transportation agency in the State of Washington to grant a general police commissioning to its public safety officer.  In a ceremony held at Pierce Transit’s Lakewood headquarters on Monday, March 20, Rod Baker, Transit Public Safety Manager, recited the Oath of Commissioning administered by Don Monroe, Chief Executive Officer of Pierce Transit.

Pierce Transit CEO Don S. Monroe congratulates Rod Baker, Transit Public Safety Manager, following the recital of the Oath of Commissioning.  Washington Attorney General Rob McKenna attended the event and delivered the keynote address on the vital role of transit policing. [Click on photo to download high-resolution version]

Washington State Attorney General Rob McKenna, as well as senior law enforcement officials and representatives of area police departments, attended the event.  Attorney General Rob McKenna delivered the keynote address that highlighted the important role public transportation agencies have in the nation-wide war on terrorism. 

“Maintaining a safe transit environment depends on the active involvement and collaboration of transit employees, law enforcement, passengers, neighborhood residents, and the public at large, stated McKenna.  “As the ‘eyes and ears’ of our transit system, they all play a vital role in bolstering transit security by becoming more aware of the surroundings and reporting suspicious activities to the proper authorities.”

The primary responsibility of the Public Safety Division is the deterrence, detection, and apprehension of individuals that commit criminal acts within the transit system.  The full police commissioning of the transit public safety manager will improve interagency communications and cooperation and will provide Pierce Transit with the ability to interact with any of the 34 law enforcement jurisdictions within its 450 square mile service area.  This will allow Pierce Transit to obtain information surrounding criminal incidents and to conduct a higher level of background investigations and screenings consistent with state requirements for law enforcement personnel. 

The transit public safety manager provides direction and oversight to independently contracted law enforcement officers from the Tacoma and Lakewood police departments and the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department that provide daily law enforcement services.

“The law enforcement commissioning of the Pierce Transit Public Safety Manager will enhance the security services that Pierce Transit provides to our passengers and employees,” stated Don S. Monroe.  “We value the cooperation and support we receive from the law enforcement community.” 

Pierce Transit’s Public Safety Manager recently graduated from the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission’s Equivalency Academy and received a General Law Enforcement Commission.  At its February 13 meeting, the Pierce Transit Board of Commissioners approved the official police commissioning of the Transit Public Safety Division and the Transit Public Safety Manager, and in turn modified the Pierce Transit Administrative Code to reflect these changes.

Commissioning will also improve Pierce Transit’s ability to meet the requirements of the Department of Homeland Security/Transportation Security Administration and the Federal Transit Administration with regards to the security of public transit systems and to become a vital member of the anti-terrorism network for the sharing of information.

Other transit agencies around the country are taking a similar approach to improving their transit security.  Many already have transit police forces or contract for full-time services.  The Pierce Transit program is modeled after the Regional Transit District program in Denver, Colorado.

Pierce Transit is the public transportation agency for Pierce County, providing the community with local and express bus routes, vanpools, rideshare services, and SHUTTLE transportation for people with disabilities. Last year, the agency provided more than 15 million passenger trips.

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2005 Press Releases:

From the WSDOT Public Transportation and Rail Division Monthly Report, October 2005

For Immediate Use October 4, 2005

Vanpool campaign and Pierce Transit win national award

The public awareness campaign, Freewheeling. Vanpooling is your trip, your way, was developed by WSDOT and the state's transit systems to increase vanpool ridership. Development of the campaign required extensive and detailed coordination. Pierce Transit, the lead agency in creating the look and feel of the campaign, recently received a national award from the Association for Commuter Transportation in the category of Outstanding Service (Partnerships).

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