Intercity Transit seeks public input on two topics: (1) its Draft 2012-2017 Strategic Plan; and (2) proposed new monthly Olympia Express Passes. The comment period is open now through the public hearings scheduled for Wednesday, November 2, 2011. The public hearings begin at 5:30 p.m. at the Intercity Transit Business Office, 526 Pattison St. SE. Routes 62A, 62B, and 66 serve this location.

Draft 2012-2017 Strategic Plan

The Draft 2012-2017 Strategic Plan is the master planning document that will drive Intercity Transit operations and service delivery for the next six years. The plan, updated annually, highlights Intercity Transit service concepts, resource priorities, capital investments, and policy direction for 2012-2017. It is based on population growth, regional development and financial forecasting.  Included in the Strategic Plan are many broad operational policy positions that guide Intercity Transit and its vision for delivery of public transportation services for the region.

The plan recommends a conservative financial approach until the future of funding becomes clearer. The plan’s development comes at a time when Intercity Transit faces financial uncertainty due to the continued economic recession, reduced federal support, and uncertainty over state funding. The plan assumes federal and state funding will remain status quo and major capital programs will receive some federal funding.

The following are key recommendations in the Draft 2012-2017 Strategic Plan:

• Monitor the increased demand for, and use of, the Olympia-Tacoma Express service. Intercity Transit  must examine the feasibility of sustaining  its service level, given Pierce Transit’s elimination of all its service between Olympia and Tacoma earlier this year. Additionally, Intercity Transit should examine the implications of Sound Transit’s extension of its commuter rail service to Lakewood in late 2012, potentially further increasing demand for express service to and from Thurston County. 
• Continue work toward completing the agency’s maintenance and operations center at Pattison Street. This is the base facility for Intercity Transit, and it has been operating over capacity for years.  Expansion of the facility is necessary to support bus, van and vanpool fleet maintenance and storage, house the operations dispatch center and administer the region’s vanpool and many other programs.  Intercity Transit will continue to seek federal funds for this project.
• Complete the Hawks Prairie park-and-ride facility along the increasingly congested I-5 corridor in northeast Lacey.
• Work with other agencies within the South Puget Sound region to explore ways to better serve the growing Joint Base Lewis McChord population and offset the growing congestion in the I-5 corridor.
• Complete the design and environmental work for the Olympia Transit Center expansion and begin facility construction.  The expanded facility will allow increased transit activity at the downtown Olympia Transit Center, the region’s primary multi-modal facility.  Once the project is completed, the transit center will have more bus bays and enable Greyhound and the region’s neighboring transit systems to operate from one central transportation facility.
• Pursue federal funds to replace seven of the agency’s oldest buses, due for replacement in 2012.
• Complete the agency’s training in the Federal Transit Administration’s Environmental Management System program that supports implementation of sustainable and environmentally responsible operations.

Olympia Express Monthly Pass

Intercity Transit proposes two new Olympia Express monthly passes: (1) a full fare, $75 monthly pass; and (2) a half-priced (reduced fare) $37.50 monthly pass. These passes are proposed given Intercity Transit’s current consideration to discontinue use of the One Regional Card for All (ORCA).  If approved, the new passes will take effect January 1, 2012, and use of the ORCA card on Intercity Transit will discontinue at that time. 

The proposed full- and reduced-fare monthly passes are based on:

• The existing Olympia Express fare value;
• Expiration of Pierce Transit's agreement with Intercity Transit’s which has allowed the ORCA card to be used on Intercity Transit Olympia Express service;
• Loss of fare revenue caused by the unavailability of ORCA electronic fare equipment on Intercity Transit Olympia Express buses;
• Pierce Transit’s discontinuation of its service between Olympia and Tacoma earlier this year, making Intercity Transit the sole provider of intercounty public transit service between Thurston and Pierce Counties; and
• The uncertainty as to whether or not installation of ORCA electronic fare equipment will occur in the future.

Getting More Information

You can get detailed informational materials about both public hearings online (see links below), by calling Intercity Transit Business Office at 360-786-8585, Customer Service center at 360-786-1881, or e-mailing tellus@intercitytransit.com. Draft 2012-2017 Strategic Plan materials are also available for reference at Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater and Yelm Timberland Libraries.

Draft 2012-2017 Strategic Plan
Olympia Express Passes

Providing Comment

In addition to attending the November 2 public hearing, you can comment by e-mailing tellus@intercitytransit.com, calling 360-705-5852, or mailing Intercity Transit, P.O. Box 659., Olympia, WA 98507.  For your comments to be considered, Intercity Transit must receive them in advance of the public hearing by 4 p.m. on November 2.