Why is Intercity Transit redesigning its bus system?

In 2016, Intercity Transit began a two-year public engagement effort that informed the agency about the community’s expectations and priorities for the future of public transportation in Thurston County. The comprehensive effort provided over 10,000 ideas and prioritized those into common themes, which were used to develop scenarios for the future that included:

  • Service Reductions.
  • Status Quo System.
  • Transformational System.

Overwhelmingly, 83 percent of survey respondents preferred a transformational system, while less than 4 percent said that service reductions would be acceptable. This was confirmed by the passage of Intercity Transit Proposition 1 in November 2018.

The redesigned system responds to what the community said it wanted. Specifically, the new system will deliver:

  • Earlier and later service on high capacity (arterial) roads and moderate capacity (collector) streets.
  • Service to new areas.
  • High-frequency corridor service similar to bus rapid transit (BRT).
  • Enhanced commuter services.

How will the new system impact our community?

  • Better connectivity to area high schools, SPSCC, and other locations.
  • Better connectivity to the Capitol Campus.
  • Faster travel times with better service along the high-frequency corridor.

How does the redesigned system benefit our passengers?

  • Cross-town connections to popular destinations offer greater convenience.
  • More direct routes mean faster travel times and more convenience.
  • One-seat rides to area schools and businesses.
  • More efficient service throughout the PTBA.
  • Less out-of-direction travel to make connections.
  • Avoids potential bottlenecks and delays at hubs.
  • The redesigned system will adapt more easily to changing travel needs using different routes within the road network.

How has passenger input shaped the proposed system redesign?

Starting in 2016, we asked our customers what they wanted public transit to look like in Thurston County in the future. That input helped us to envision a transformational system. With the passage of Intercity Transit Proposition 1, the community set a course for us to develop a transformational system.

While the COVID-19 pandemic put our plans on pause, we never stopped listening. Over the last seven years, we read, categorized and recorded every comment we received. While we couldn’t respond immediately to all of them, we have been making changes along the way.

Why is Intercity Transit using a phased approach to implement a redesigned bus system?

Like many businesses, Intercity Transit faced hiring challenges during and after the pandemic. Our bus operator numbers are at a level now that allows us to incrementally update our system. As we increase service, we evaluate the impact of the changes and adjust as necessary.

Potential funding opportunities are also a factor in our phased approach to our system redesign in May. State grant funding to support a new commuter route that will connect to Joint Base Lewis McChord (JBLM) will begin on July 1, 2025. The addition of this new commuter route will coincide with the introduction of a more direct commuter route that will operate between the Olympia and Lacey Transit Centers and the SR 512 Park and Ride; this route will replace the existing Olympia Express, Route 620.

The new high-frequency corridor service that will start service in May 2026 will allow us to redistribute existing routes across the network and provide bus-to-bus connections at convenient transfer points. We hope passengers will find this change offers more convenient and direct bus service, which allows us to maximize Intercity Transit's resources and respond to changing land us and development patterns.

Will my route change?

Most likely, yes. Routes 13, 14, and 21 will continue; the other 23 routes will either be new or modified. We know this will take time to get used to. We will have our Customer Service team, our Travel Trainers and our Bus Buddies available to provide the level of help you need to figure out your new route.

The proposed system redesign has a total of 26 routes compared to 20 currently and will add over 130 new stops. It also proposes an increase in the number of annual service hours by 14 percent. So, although you may have to take a different route, it will likely be more direct, convenient and faster than your current route.

The map below is a preliminary look at what the new system will look like. We will be adding an interactive system map so passengers can look closely at new routes, zoom in to see routes that may serve them best, and get to know the proposed system before it is implemented.