Friday, April 8, 2011

Stop the Bus Cuts in Pierce County

Transit in Pierce County is in crisis.  Due to the out-dated way the state funds bus service, Pierce Transit has a 35% deficit it must balance.

Unfortunately, Pierce Transit plans on balancing its budget by cutting the heaviest used routes the most.

In other words, Pierce Transit is becoming less efficient and, as a result, workers, students, senior citizens, and people with disabilities will needlessly be left without bus service. This is wrong.


The top three bus routes---the #1, 2, and 3---carry 60% of the Pierce Transit's riders. But the agency plans to cut the routes 30 to 39 percent, eliminating service for more riders on these routes than any other route.

In February, the voters nearest to the heavily-used routes strongly supported Prop 1 to save our buses. The voters farthest away that use the buses the least voted against Prop 1.  Why should those who supported Prop 1 now suffer the most?

  • Monday, April 11, 4-6pm, Lakewood
  • Monday, April 19, 4-6pm, Gig Harbor
  • Thursday, April 21, 5-7pm, Tacoma
  • Monday, April 25, 4-6pm, Puyallup
  • Thursday, April 28, 5:30-7:30pm, Bonney Lake
This Monday's public hearing in Lakewood is the most important. The Pierce Transit Board of Directors will be on hand and may direct agency staff to make changes to their proposal.

RSVP today. We'll follow-up with directions and key talking points.

8 comments:

  1. Want to save some money? How about investigating the PT Shuttle drivers siphoning gas out of the shuttles for personal use.

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  2. I was appalled at how the explosion of the CNG station in Lakewood led to temporary, than long-term changes to the bus schedule! I, and many others depended on the 410 bus getting us out to Pierce college Puyallup by 8 a.m. M-F. That service has been cut, without public input.

    While at Puyallup TS waiting to depart, I overheard 2 transit employees talk about how unethical it was for other employees to submit overtime for shuttle runs that THEY DID NOT MAKE!

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  3. Gig Harbor hearing is Monday the 18TH.

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  4. shame on pt. I use the bus to get to work. a lot of people will not be able to work at all. we cannot afford cars.shame on them.

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  5. I just moved here from King County. I lost my job and am looking for another job. I need the dependability of the bus service to get to worksource, interviews and church on Sundays. There must be another way to handle the budget and ramifications of the bus explosion. I need to work as others and children and families use the bus to buy groceries. Please reconsider your DECISION.

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  6. Pierce Transit's best customers and most loyal supporters--that is, those who cannot or choose not to drive a car--are being shafted in the post-Referendum loss cuts. There are many problems with these cuts. I'd like to address the shortened hours. It sends the message that people who don't drive don't deserve the same quality of life as those who do. Not only will it make getting to work more difficult--for some, impossible--it will mean that Pierce and TCC students won't be able to get home from night classes. Many people will no longer be able to attend evening community events (like to the Public Hearing on this subject tomorrow in Bonney Lake. Yes, it ends at 7:30, but what if you have to transfer?). No more evening movies, theater or concerts downtown, or restaurant dinners if you don't have a car. I suppose that during this time of austerity for the "masses" (but continued gluttony for the "well-off") no one should be wasting their money going out. After all, this isn't the 30s. We have TV to entertain us. And if you don't have a car, or can't drive one, you should certainly not consider working the swing shift (but jobs are so plentiful that you can't possibly need to).

    I'm sure you get my drift. I'm also sure Pierce Transit doesn't really want to make these cuts. Please reconsider where and when you are cutting. You are definitely harming you most devoted fans.

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  7. That statement that we who ride the heavy routes voted yes is a blatant lie. My entire family relies on the 1 for all of our working, shopping and church attendance. All of the registered voters voted NO. I stand by my no vote; this does not give PT the right to penalize us for using our voice by cutting service. They need to reduce administrative costs and union wages, not service. Get educated, people. PT receives Federal as well as local monies in no insignificant amounts.
    My family having attended one of the token meetings above, I can tell you they politely listened and then announced that they were proceeding as planned anyway. Obviously a planned response, as no time was given to them discussing the responses heard. They came with that answer on their lips, and never had an intention of altering it.
    We need to hit them where it hurts, like they are doing to us; petition for their being denied any Federal, state or local funding. Cut their tax revenue in the exact percentage they cut service. Period.

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  8. Wonderful article in the Tacoma weekly!

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