Name: DIANE
Occupation: Mobility Coordinator/Senior Planner
Employer: Community and Economic Development – City of Tacoma
Gets around by: Olympia Express
Where do you live and where do you work?
I live in Olympia, but work in Tacoma. I have a foolishly long commute to Olympia. My life will improve considerably when I move to Tacoma, but I’ll still ride the bus unless I’m close enough to walk.
How do you get there?
I ride the bus. Driving is not a better use of my time than hopping on the 603A where I can read the NT Times in the morning, get some work done, read for my book group or take a nap. We’ve got a nice little community on the bus as people tend to ride the same schedules, although sometimes there are additional colorful characters.
How does it all add up?
I’ve been working for the City of Tacoma for four and a half years and have used Pierce Transit’s services from the beginning. Unless I have evening meetings or presentations, I usually ride the bus 3-4 times each week. Gas alone from Oly to Tacoma is about $6.00 per round trip. Add that to wear and tear on the car, parking meter fees, the occasional City parking ticket and it’s a lot of money over the span of a year. My ORCA pass is provided by the City, so the savings are substantial. Thousands of dollars I’d imagine. I’m very appreciative to have it!
What’s in it for you?
I was raised in Chicago using the “L” and other transit, so the bus has always been a reasonable option for me. My favorite aspect is when it’s a nasty, rainy, dark night, I don’t’ have to fight my way past the traffic tangle around Joint Base Lewis McChord. I sit back and let the bus driver take the frustration. Consider the benefit to folks of others using transit. Driving by a bus on I-5 they could look up at those passengers and think, “One bus, or thirty more cars clogging the road.” Better just the one bus.