Pierce Transit is framing 2025 as a year of serious momentum. The agency marked its 45th year of service with the opening of a new transit center, stronger on-time performance and a balance sheet it describes as solid. In its latest annual report, Pierce Transit casts the past year as both rider-focused, with more reliable trips on key corridors and expanded youth fare programs, and tightly managed on the financial side. For many South Pierce County commuters, that combination has translated into faster, more comfortable links into Tacoma and beyond.
Spanaway Transit Center and service changes
The Spanaway Transit Center opened in August 2025, the agency’s first new public transit facility since the Tacoma Dome Station in 1998. Officials say the project is designed to pull riders away from fast-moving traffic on SR-7 and make transfers less of a hassle. Local coverage noted that Phase One came in at about $13.2 million and includes 38 park-and-ride spaces, with a planned Phase Two expected to add roughly 250 more stalls along with improved access. KIRO 7 reported CEO Mike Griffus saying riders on Stream and Route 1 should see quicker, more direct service as a result.
By the numbers and community programs
According to Pierce Transit's 2025 Annual Report, the system logged 7,039,888 boardings in 2025 and hit an 84% on-time performance rate while aiming for an 85% target. The report also counts 1,051,775 free youth rides, 373,907 Rideshare rides and 248,687 SHUTTLE rides, and notes that the agency delivered more than 21,000 discounted passes or ORCA cards to community college students.
Funding and what comes next
Pierce Transit reports that it budgeted $28 million in local dollars and parlayed that into roughly $96 million in capital grants, which the agency describes as a roughly 243% return. Those combined funds supported 79 projects, ranging from vehicle replacements to facility upgrades. The agency’s Destination 2045 long-range plan outlines scenarios for additional service growth if operating funding increases, with priorities that include park-and-ride expansion, zero-emission buses and higher-frequency trunk service. The plan materials are available for the public to review online. Destination 2045 Long Range Plan
Pierce Transit highlighted the annual report’s findings in a May 5, 2026 post on its official X account, linking to the full document and calling out outreach and safety statistics. Riders can dig into the full report and upcoming service-change notes to see how specific schedules and routes might shift for their daily trips.
