Pierce County Public Transportation Benefit Area Authority

The agenda for the Board of Commissioners meeting included special business such as welcoming a Councilmember and a Mayor to the Board. Key items for presentation included honoring the Operator of the Month for January 2026. The meeting included a public comment period regarding transit-related matters. The executive session was planned to discuss potential litigation pursuant to RCW 42.30.110 (1)(i). The consent agenda covered the approval of vouchers for January 1-31, 2026, the 2025 Q4 Contracts Report, and a resolution adopting the 2026 Federal Legislative Priorities. Action items included electing primary and alternate transit representatives to the Puget Sound Regional Council Transportation Policy Board for 2026, and authorizing the Chief Executive Officer to retroactively extend the funding for the Pierce County Sheriff's Office contract for law enforcement services for the entirety of 2026. Staff updates involved the CEO's Report and a Strategic Initiatives Update.

The meeting agenda includes preliminary items such as roll call and approval of the December 2025 minutes. Public comment is allotted for transit-related matters. Presentations scheduled cover the Rideshare 2026 Forecast and an overview of the 2025 Outreach and Community Development activities. Discussion items focus on CTAG Member Transit Talk and Committee Reports, followed by Pierce Transit News and Announcements.

This document serves as an update to Pierce Transit's Long Range Plan, outlining strategies to improve and expand the transit system to meet growing demand and increase ridership through 2040. Key focus areas include fostering a coordinated transit system, adapting to changing landscapes and emerging technologies such as electrification and autonomous vehicles, and detailing service expansion benefits and financial requirements. The plan aims to deliver a robust, reliable, and world-class bus transit system for Pierce County, contributing to enhanced mobility, environmental responsibility, economic prosperity, and public health.

The Pierce Transit Board of Commissioners discussed and adopted the annual budget for the fiscal year 2026. The budget emphasizes the agency's commitment to serving its communities by identifying efficiencies, conducting outreach, and enhancing system infrastructure. It includes operating and non-operating revenues of $225 million, which funds operating and non-operating expenses of $216 million for 1,126,779 hours of service, and contributes to the capital program. The budget also fully funds and maintains all reserve balances at levels required by the Board's adopted reserve policy. The budget includes a general wage adjustment of 4.0% for non-represented employees.

This 2022 Transit Asset Management Plan Update serves as a roadmap for Pierce Transit to maintain its capital assets in a State of Good Repair. The plan focuses on several key areas: modernizing the Maintenance and Operations Base (MOBI project), expanding and improving transit services through the Stream Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridor, transitioning to a zero-emissions vehicle fleet, and investing in employee development and retention. It aims to ensure the continuous provision of safe, reliable, and innovative transportation options, enhance community quality of life, and achieve operational excellence through data-driven asset management and strategic capital investments.