Letters to the Editor

Your views in 200 words or less

BUSES: Why cancel highly used route?

Letter by Kenneth D. Rose, Gig Harbor on June 22, 2011 at 12:51 pm | 4 Comments »
June 22, 2011 1:04 pm

One of Pierce Transit’s budget solutions to its fiscal crisis is to completely cancel the 601 Express bus service to Olympia (TNT, 6-20). That’s not only bad for the riders, it’s bad for other commuters using the Interstate 5 corridor during rush hours and it’s also not good for Pierce Transit.

Judging from how quickly the decision was made to cancel the route after the meeting, I’d say it was a waste of time for those riders who attended the meeting. The decision had already been made.

That’s too bad, because the 601 route has been enjoying 90 percent occupancy lately. On some days it has even been standing room only. Pierce Transit says its reduction plan focuses on maintaining ridership. How does completely eliminating a route maintains ridership?

If the agency were to again reduce the route to only one trip each way a day, it would still serve those riders, reduce the I-5 congestion through the Joint Base Lewis-McChord corridor and save those riders’ votes for the next time Pierce Transit decides to submit a sales tax ballot measure. Pierce Transit still just doesn’t get it.

