Katie Cunningham

The agenda for the Community Advisory Committee meeting included general introductions, review of meeting attendance for upcoming Intercity Transit Authority (ITA) meetings, and Rider's Roundtables. New business items focused on updates for the Bus Buddy Program, discussion of the SMART Grant Interlocal Agreement with the City of Lacey regarding AI-powered Smart Sensors implementation, and an update on the May 2026 System Redesign implementation plan. Reports covered highlights from recent ITA meetings, including ITA authorization for A/V enhancements and new Village Van purchases, the election of new ITA officers, and the approval of funding for new buses. Other reports included an update on the E-Bike Lending Library Grant success and the upcoming Winter Bicycle Challenge.

This Strategic Plan defines the levels and types of public transportation services and their financing over the next six years. It outlines eight primary goals including assessing community transportation needs, providing outstanding customer service, and maintaining a safe and secure operating system. Key strategic directions involve integrating equity, sustainability, and resiliency into all agency decisions and operations, expanding transportation choices, and reducing barriers to access to increase ridership. The plan also emphasizes strengthening service along major corridors, keeping pace with development, and expanding regional express routes to enhance the quality of life and support an accessible, sustainable, livable, healthy, and prosperous community.

This Strategic Plan for Intercity Transit outlines the public transportation services and funding mechanisms for 2023-2028. It is guided by a mission to provide accessible, sustainable, and prosperous transportation choices and a vision to be a leading transit system. The plan details eight core goals, including assessing community needs, ensuring customer service and safety, providing responsive and sustainable options, increasing ridership, fostering partnerships, and building resiliency. It also establishes seven design principles focusing on diverse service types, corridor strength, reduced travel times, development integration, regional expansion, varied transportation choices, and robust infrastructure. The plan addresses nineteen policy positions covering service levels, regional connectivity, capital investments, technology adoption, fare policy, and environmental sustainability, all while navigating economic challenges and labor market limitations.

This Strategic Plan for Intercity Transit defines public transportation services and their financing for Thurston County from 2021 to 2026. The plan aims to provide and promote accessible, sustainable, and prosperous community transportation choices, with a vision to be a leading transit system recognized for its customer-focused employees. Key priorities include assessing transportation needs, delivering outstanding customer service, ensuring system safety, offering responsive transportation options within financial limitations, integrating sustainability into operations, encouraging service use and increasing ridership, and building partnerships. The strategy is guided by design principles focusing on diverse service offerings, strengthening major corridors, reducing travel times, adapting to development, expanding regional express routes, supporting various transportation choices, and investing in transit infrastructure.

This Strategic Plan outlines the levels and types of public transportation services for Thurston County from 2022 to 2027, and details the financial resources to support them. Its core mission is to provide transportation choices that foster an accessible, sustainable, healthy, and prosperous community, aspiring to be a leading transit system known for enhancing the quality of life for all citizens. Key goals include assessing community transportation needs, delivering outstanding customer service, ensuring a safe operating system, offering responsive options within financial limits, integrating sustainability, encouraging service utilization, and fostering partnerships. The plan's design principles focus on operating diverse services, strengthening major corridors, reducing travel times, adapting to development, expanding regional express routes, supporting multiple transportation modes, and providing essential facilities. It addresses policy issues across fixed-route services, capital investments, financial strategy, and other transit offerings, aiming to restore and expand services post-COVID-19 while ensuring long-term financial viability and infrastructure upgrades.