After more than one year of working closely with the community to design bus service that met local needs, Pierce Transit’s Board voted to end Fife/Milton/Edgewood Routes 503 and 504 on February 14, 2015 because of low ridership and high costs per passenger. The routes, served by two 25-foot connectors, have operated as a one-year demonstration project serving the three communities since February 16, 2014. The board declined to extend the project after a number of design changes and extensive public outreach failed to improve the routes’ performance.
Ridership on Route 503 and 504 never exceeded 2 passengers per service hour; and the cost — approximately $120 — $140 per passenger — was unsustainable when compared to the 2013 Pierce Transit system average of 25.32 passengers per service hour and $5.02 per passenger.
The loss of Routes 503 and 504 does not mean the end of bus service for Fife/Milton/Edgewood residents. Pierce Transit will continue to provide local fixed-route bus service to those communities with Routes 402, 500 and 501 operating seven days a week. The agency will increase service on Route 501 in February 2015, and is also planning to increase service on Routes 402 and 500 in June, 2015. Residents will also still be served by SHUTTLE paratransit for individuals with disabilities and our popular vanpool service is also a viable option for commuters.
Pierce Transit’s Board of Commissioners remains committed to developing innovative solutions designed to meet the diverse needs of local communities. To learn more about the Route 503 and 504 demonstration efforts or if you have questions about other transportation options in Fife, Milton, and Edgewood, please join us at an upcoming Community Information Meeting January 26, 2015 at Edgewood City Hall, 2224 104th Avenue E, Edgewood, Washington, from 4 p.m. - 6 p.m. Edgewood City Hall is served by Pierce Transit’s Route 402.
Despite its overall performance, the Route 503 and Route 504 Community Connector service was a successful collaboration between Pierce Transit and a committed Community Investment Team (CIT) made up of stakeholders from Fife, Milton and Edgewood. The CIT included representatives from City of Edgewood, City of Milton, City of Fife, Edgewood F.I.S.H. Food Bank, Puyallup Tribe of Indians, Mountain View Community Center and Radiance Homeowners’ Association.
