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"March 2024"



National Transit Employee Appreciation Day ? March 18

Transit Employee Appreciation Day

Intercity Transit's frontline employees work hard to ensure we can provide vital transportation services to the community. Our drivers, maintenance, and facilities staff go above and beyond to keep us moving. We want to give a big thank you to our frontline employees today and every day for all they do. Their service and dedication is impressive and we appreciate each and every one of them!

Celebrating your driver is easy to do as you see them when you?re riding. Please keep in mind those are behind the scenes who ensure your journey is a pleasant one. Our maintenance staff make sure our buses are clean, well-maintained, and fueled, while our facilities team works tirelessly to keep our transit centers and all one thousand bus stops in our system clean. Without these integral employees, our system wouldn?t run the way it does.

*Transit Heroes*



Group of Operators

Our bus drivers work diligently to manage schedules, give directions, answer questions, and so much more. They take pride in customer service and getting you safely to your destinations. They reliably maneuver buses through unpredictable traffic and inclement weather.

Our operations supervisors support our drivers and provide additional assistance to passengers when needed. They drive roads to help determine conditions and pick up stranded passengers while also performing roadside mechanical assistance if necessary to keep the buses moving and your trip on time.



Bus on Lift

Our maintenance mechanics, detailers, fuelers, and service workers work 24/7 to make sure our buses operate safely. They work hard to resolve issues as quickly as possible to ensure we can put service on the street as promised. In addition, our buses are cleaned inside and out every day to make sure your ride is as comfortable as possible.



Bus Stop

Our facilities staff are out in the system seven days a week fixing and maintaining bus stops, cleaning stops, pressure washing pavement (look for their artistic designs), removing trash, and ensuring solar lights are working. They also install our schedules at bus stops throughout the system.



*Help Us Celebrate*

Help us celebrate Intercity Transit's hard-working frontline transit employees on Monday, March 18 on National Transit Employee Appreciation Day.

Celebrating your driver can be as simple as a wave when you board the bus and a "thank you" when you leave. If you?d like to share gratitude for our maintenance and facilities employees, please stop by Customer Service in the Olympia Transit Center or look for opportunities starting Monday, March 18 to share your appreciation on Facebook [ [link removed] ] or Twitter [ [link removed] ], using *#TransitEmployeeAppreciationDay*. We will share appreciative comments with appropriate staff.

For more information about National Transit Employee Appreciation Day visit intercitytransit.com [ [link removed] ].

Winter Bicycle Challenge

Winter BCC Participant

Intercity Transit?s Winter Bicycle Challenge wrapped up at the end of February with record participation! The previous record of 232 riders was surpassed by the middle of the month. Participants got outside and rode their bicycles for health, transportation and fun.

Over 30 people won bike accessory prizes from Portland Design Works and Ortlieb Waterproof. Intercity Transit?s bike events continue in the spring! Next up, you?ll have an opportunity to join us for the Earth Day Market Ride on Saturday, April 20, followed by the Bicycle Community Challenge and Bike to Work Day in May.

For up to date event results, and all other Bicycle Community Challenge news, visit [link removed].



OTC North Site Improvements Continue

OTC Platform

Phase 2 of construction at the Olympia Transit Center (OTC) started on Monday, Feb. 26 and is expected to be completed late this month. During this phase, all bays on the south platform of the transit center will be closed temporarily.

Please board your bus at the following temporary locations:


* Routes 12 and 42 will depart from Olympia Ave. between Washington St. and Franklin St. [wb].
* Routes 13, 45 and 47 will depart from State Ave. between Washington St. and Franklin St. [eb].

Please visit intercitytransit.com/rider-alerts [ [link removed] ] for additional details including a map.
This project will improve pedestrian safety and accessibility, boarding accessibility and implement solutions to address mobility needs across the transit center.

For questions about the temporary change, please contact Customer Service at 360-786-1881.



Bus Buddy Program Celebrates its 10th Anniversary

Bus Buddy Volunteers

The Bus Buddy Program is celebrating its 10th anniversary of assisting bus riders in Thurston County! The Bus Buddy Program is made possible through a partnership between Intercity Transit, Catholic Community Services, and the Washington State Department of Transportation.

The program provides free, one-on-one assistance for people who want a little extra help riding the bus.

We have many dedicated Bus Buddies who volunteer their time and share their knowledge of riding the fixed-route bus system while providing excellent customer assistance skills to riders.
Some of the things Bus Buddies assist with include:


* Answering questions about riding the bus.
* Helping riders learn new routes and how to make local transfers.
* Riding with passengers to new destinations.
* Showing riders how to make connections with other regional transit services.
* Helping to navigate online tools.

The Bus Buddy Program attracts a range of customers. From parents needing assistance getting their children to school, exchange students needing help getting around town, people needing help getting to the grocery store or appointments, as well as those who are no longer able to drive. This program works for anyone, no matter their age or ability!

We are grateful to all the Bus Buddy volunteers and the program coordinator, Scott, for their contributions to our community and their dedication to assisting passengers with their transportation needs.

Our volunteers look forward to helping you begin your bus riding adventure! Give them a call at 360-688-8832. Visit intercitytransit.com/how-to-ride/bus-buddies [ [link removed] ] for more information about the program including how to become a volunteer.






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This email was sent to [email protected] using GovDelivery Communications Cloud on behalf of: Intercity Transit ? 222 State Avenue ? Olympia, WA 98501 GovDelivery logo [ [link removed] ]