South Sound Connected

It's the Summer of Soccer, and Pierce Transit is kicking it off with special event service. The Fan Zone Express is a circulator providing free rides to our local Fan Zone hosted by the Puyallup Tribe of Indians. We’ll hear from some fans using the service, and from Pierce Transit staff who worked for months on coordination, planning and logistics.

Each April, Pierce Transit employees participate in Take Your Child to Work Day. This event gives children and teens the opportunity to see what "work life" is like for their family member, and perhaps consider a career in transit themselves. The activities and interactions make a positive impact on kids and adults alike, as you will hear in this episode.

On this episode of South Sound Connected, we talk with Michelle and Karli about the services offered by the Hardship Assistance Response Team ( HART ). This program, in partnership with Pierce County and MultiCare, provides assistance to those in crisis at or near Pierce Transit facilities in our service area.

To help kick off Women's History Month, in this episode of South Sound Connected we talk with four women who work in the trades at Pierce Transit –  Phoebe, Aubrey, Sharon and Riley – about thriving in a male-dominated workforce. 

In this episode, we talk with Julie, Lead CSR for Fixed Route, who has firsthand knowledge of Pierce Transit’s lost and found process. Then we head over to 2nd Cycle Community Cycle Center to speak with Leon, Executive Director and Lincoln, Recycle and Reuse Center Manager, about how unclaimed bikes start a new life in our community (and beyond).

This episode highlights the positive role that open communication plays between Operators and Maintenance at Pierce Transit. Chris, Fleet Assistant Manager, and Drea, Transit Operator, demonstrate how sharing ideas and stories benefits the agency and improves employee and customer experience.

On this episode of South Sound Connected , we talk with Dorian, Pierce Transit's ADA Coordinator and Senior Human Resource Analyst, about the Week Without Driving , which is held each autumn to raise awareness of transportation challenges faced by those who don't or can't drive. The Week Without Driving is organized by America Walks  and  Disability Rights Washington , and is supported...

On this episode of South Sound Connected, we talk with Brittany, a Planner at Pierce Transit, about Destination 2045, which is the agency's latest long range plan setting out what services could look like over the next 20 years. Listeners can check out the plan at PierceTransit.org/long-range-plans .

In keeping with our 45th anniversary theme, we speak with Verda, an active community member who has been connected with Pierce Transit since it began in 1980. In this episode of South Sound Connected , we explore the benefits, both obvious and unique, that transit has to offer.

On this episode of South Sound Connected, we talk with Fran Draxton, Bus Training Assistant Manager, about the complex training program Pierce Transit provides to Operator trainees. We highlight the work of the instructors on Fran's team and the content of the current training program that gets new drivers ready to roll.

In honor of Pierce Transit's 45th anniversary, we're turning back the clock to look at some agency history. On this episode of South Sound Connected , we talk with Journey Level Mechanic Pat, along with Body Repair Technicians Steve and Charlie, about one of the most famous coaches here at Pierce Transit: the Twin. For further information and photos of the Twin, check out this South Sound Talk art...

In this episode of South Sound Connected, we hear about the benefits of rideshare from Pierce Transit employees who use it to commute to and from work.

On this episode of South Sound Connected, we talk with Ausha Potts, Pierce Transit’s ADA Eligibility Assistant Manager, and Tony Hester, Vice Chair of Pierce Transit’s Community Transportation Advisory Group, about an exciting pilot project Pierce Transit has recently launched in the community to help more members of the public successfully navigate our system.

On this episode of South Sound Connected, we talk with Art Hendricks, Equity and Engagement Manager, about how Pierce Transit is innovating its policies and procedures to ensure all are made welcome and feel supported.

In this episode, we speak with two Pierce Transit employees about transit Roadeos to get a first-hand account of these exciting events. We hear from Operator Bonnie Mitchell, who has received many awards over the years at the local, state and national levels of the bus Roadeo. Then we’re joined by Maintenance Technical Services Manager William Snyder, who fills us in on the what, why and how of th...

In this episode, we talk with Monica Adams, Senior Project Manager, who is coordinating a bus shelter refresh across Pierce Transit system. Monica will give us an overview of what’s happening with standard bus shelters in our community as well as some upgrades associated with the Stream service.

This episode of South Sound Connected will help you plan a multimodal summer vacation! We talk with Kimberly, the founder of Transit Trekker, a resource for car-free recreation. She discusses how combining cycling and bus riding can open the door to new adventures. You can find out more about her approach at transittrekker.com .

On this episode of South Sound Connected , we talk with Dezra Nauls, Customer Experience Manager. Pierce Transit is embarking upon a number of improvements designed to deliver superior experiences, value, and growth for customers. We learn how Dezra and his team are putting the agency’s strategic plan into action. 

In this episode, Tammy from the Community Development team explains ORCA for Multifamily, and we talk with Jeannette from House of Matthew and Nelson from Hope House , two organizations that provide their clientele with much-needed transportation resources through the ORCA program.

Curious about those new buses travelling along the Pacific Ave/State Route 7 corridor? That's Stream! Join us for a summary of the recent ribbon cutting in celebration of Pierce Transit's Stream Community Line.

In this episode, we talk with David Jackson, Public Information Officer at Sound Transit, to help listeners understand how Pierce Transit and Sound Transit share provision of services in Pierce County, and some of the similarities and differences between our two organizations.

On this episode, we talk with Nick Nash, Facilities Manager, and Jace Banta, Facilities Assistant Manager, about the business of taking care of Pierce Transit’s many facilities across its system. Transit facilities come in many shapes and sizes, and have different needs to keep them ship shape.

In this episode, we talk with Tina Vaslet, Bus Stop Planner, about Pierce Transit’s bus stop program. Tina shares some pretty interesting facts about the bus stops in Pierce Transit’s system and gives us an overview of what it takes to manage them all.

In this episode of South Sound Connected, we talk with Whit Park, Pierce Transit’s Special Events Coordinator. Whit manages logistics for any event that requires use of a Pierce Transit coach, as well as outside events that affect transit service. We’ll learn about the impact of his work on the agency and the public and highlight the tasks he works on that often occur behind the scenes.

On this episode of South Sound Connected, we talk with Frances Rankos and Kevin Rutledge, Pierce Transit’s Travel Trainers. Frances and Kevin play a key role in helping community members learn how to ride transit. We’ll learn about the importance of their work with special needs populations, as well as the varied types of assistance they provide.