If you think Intercity Transit simply offers fixed-route bus service throughout much of Thurston County – think again.
Because, while the most obvious face of Intercity Transit is its buses you see bustling around town, this municipal corporation offers a wide variety of other public transportation opportunities and programs for those who live and work here. In total, Thurston County’s award-winning public transit system provides over a half dozen transportation services and carries 17,000 passengers each day – over 5.3 million each year.
Fixed-Route Bus Service Operating Throughout 4 Cities
“Our primary service is our fixed-route bus service, with 24 routes that serve all major work sites, schools, colleges, shopping centers, and health facilities in Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater, and Yelm,” Says Kris Fransen, Marketing & Communications Coordinator for Intercity Transit.
The service runs seven days a week, with reduced routes on Saturday and Sunday. General weekday hours of service are 6:00 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. on the latest routes. “Many routes stop before then, but our major corridors run that late,” says Fransen.
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ntercity Transit structures its bus service and offers amenities that provide convenience to riders – and help attract new customers. This includes 15-minute service during peak periods on major corridors , an online trip planner that helps riders find the right route for any trip, by simply indicating trip origin and destination, and a real-time bus arrival service which tells exactly what time – in real time – the bus will arrive to any of 900-plus bus stops. Fransen notes the OneBusAway service is accessible by web, phone, smartphone apps and text services.
Fares for fixed-route buses cost just $2 for an all-day pass on Intercity Transit’s local service, or $1 for one trip. Monthly passes are available for $30, with reduced passes for youth and seniors that are just $15 for a month. Children 5 and under ride free.
Dash Shuttle Service for Visitors and Residents Alike
Downtown Olympia visitors quickly become familiar with Intercity Transit’s brightly colored Dash buses. “Dash is a circular shuttle route that goes from the Farmers Market to the Capitol Campus and back, says Donna Feliciano, also a Marketing and Communications Coordinator at Intercity Transit. “It runs very frequently, is easy to use and it’s always free.”
The Dash service supports a vibrant downtown and mitigates traffic and parking congestion and carries a mix of working professionals, visitors, shoppers and people who live in the downtown area. The service runs Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., every 15 minutes. Saturday service runs from April to Labor Day Weekend, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., every 10 minutes.
Dial-A-Lift for People with Disabilities
Intercity Transit’s Dial-A-Lift is for people with disabilities that prevent them from using fixed-route bus service. “It’s a door-to-door, shared-ride service that operates in the same places and times as our fixed-route service,” explains Fransen. “People mustqualify and get certified to use it.” Fransen notes that this service positively impacts the quality of life for many of its customers by providing mobility and independence to individuals who have very limited transportation options.
People can meet Dial-A-Lift eligibility temporarily, if they have a short-term injury or situation that prevents them from using the bus. There is no additional charge for Dial-A-Lift.
Express Service Connects to Puget Sound Region
Intercity Transit also offers plenty of out-of-county travel options.
“We have express service between here and the Lakewood/Tacoma area,” says Feliciano.She notes trips on this popular service are often packed as more and more people discover the value and ease of using the service instead of driving through the congested I-5 corridor.
In fact, Intercity Transit connects with several other agencies, offering an array of flexible travel options to Thurston County riders via Pierce County, Grays Harbor Transit, Mason Transit, rural and tribal transportation, Sound Transit, and Amtrak.
“What’s really cool about that,” explains Fransen, “is that people can ride, in about two hours and one transfer, between Intercity Transit and Sound Transit. They can get to Seatac or downtown Seattle for a lot less money than driving and parking.”
Express route fares run just $2.50 each way or $75 for a monthly pass. Reduced rates for youths and seniors are $37.50 per month.
Vanpools for Long Distance Commuters
Intercity Transit’s Vanpool program is for any person for whom a bus doesn’t work because the distance they travel is too far.
“People using the Vanpool service need to live at least 10 miles from work and either live or work in Thurston County,” Fransen explains.
For example, a Seattle resident working in Thurston County can use the Vanpool service.
A group of riders with like commutes come together – they might know one another and need to create a customized route or a person can check Intercity Transit’s list of current Vanpools to see if a good fit already exists for their needs.
Once a group is established – there must be at least five riders to start – Intercity Transit supplies a van for use in regular commuting.
“There are rules. The group decides where they’re going to meet and who’s going to keep the van,” Fransen explains. Each group must have a driver who takes a defensive driving class, a coordinator, a bookkeeper, and so on. Intercity Transit can help any new group get organized. There’s no long-term commitment.
“We insure and maintain the vans, all of that,” Feliciano explains. “They just pay a monthly fee to ride it.” In many cases, an employer may pay all or part of the cost. Average fees run about $75 a month – a steal of a deal given the record gas prices motorists are seeing in the south Puget Sound region.
Intercity Transit currently has more vanpool vehicles on the road than buses. At the time of this printing it was 208 vanpools.vanpool
New Biodiesel-Electric Hybrid Buses
Intercity Transit’s fleet includes six biodiesel-electric hybrid buses – the first hybrid buses to roll on Thurston County’s roadways “If you see them on the street, they’re the ones with the big, beautiful graphics on them, like a mountain or flowers.” Seven more hybrid buses are set to go into service this fall.
The hybrid buses are purchased mostly with federal funding and are part of Intercity Transit’s significant sustainability efforts, for which the agency has received praise locally, regionally and nationally.
Record Ridership
Over the past decade, ridership on Intercity Transit has grown over 80 percent. Last year, the agency witnessed more people using its services than anytime in its 31-year history. Transit officials acknowledge that as gas prices jump, so does ridership. But when gas prices drop, most people using Intercity Transit services stay with those services. And there are other things at play in the busing boon. “There’s also increased interest now in the environment. And in recent years, people have lost jobs or are otherwise more wallet-conscious. I think it’s a combination of all those things and we work hard to meet the needs of our community,” says Fransen.
If you’ve not yet sampled some of what Intercity Transit offers, please give it a try. Intercity Transit has push pins all over the social media map to help you get informed and get started, with a Facebook page, blog, Twitter feed, and Flickr page. They also have a YouTube channel.
This article only scratches the surface of what Intercity Transit brings to our community. Watch ThurstonTalk.com for future stories about Intercity Transit projects, such as its Community Vans, Village Vans Customized Job Skills Training Program, Travel Training Program, Youth Programs, Van Grant Program, and PASS Programs.
Intercity Transit
526 Pattison Street SE
Olympia WA 98501
360.786.8585
