As temperatures climb across the South Sound, Pierce Transit is dropping fares so people can get to cooling centers and emergency shelters without worrying about the cost of the ride. The temporary waiver covers regular buses, Runner on-demand service and SHUTTLE paratransit for registered riders, all to make sure anyone who needs air conditioning can get to it quickly.
Pierce Transit is partnering with Pierce County Human Services to provide free rides on bus, Runner and SHUTTLE paratransit to local cooling centers and shelters. Free rides on SHUTTLE paratransit are available to registered SHUTTLE customers. https://x.com/i/status/2066346876295852160
— Pierce Transit (@PierceTransit) June 11, 2026
The free round trips run from the start of service on Saturday, June 13, through the close of service on Tuesday, June 16. Riders who tell the operator they are traveling to or from a cooling center or shelter can take a free round trip. The waiver applies on all regularly scheduled Pierce Transit buses, in Runner on-demand zones and on SHUTTLE for eligible, registered customers. According to Pierce Transit, the activation covers sites across Pierce County.
Where To Find Cooling Centers
Pierce County keeps an updated list of cooling centers and emergency shelters, including libraries, day centers and specialized shelters, and posts locations and hours during heat events so people know where to go. The hot-weather resources document lists sites from Buckley to Gig Harbor and notes that Pierce Transit will provide free rides to those locations while the current activation is in place. You can see the county’s resource list and map at Pierce County.
Local coverage has pulled together a more narrative rundown of specific cooling locations and confirmed the transit support, highlighting libraries, the Beacon Young Adult Shelter and public day centers among the options. That reporting walks through several shelter and cooling-center hours and repeats that anyone who tells a Pierce Transit operator they are headed to a cooling site can ride free during the advisory period. For that list of named locations, see The News Tribune.
How Riders Can Use The Service
To use the temporary fare waiver, board a regular Pierce Transit bus and let the driver know you are going to or from a cooling center or shelter. That statement qualifies you for the free round trip. Runner remains available inside its existing on-demand zones, and SHUTTLE trips are covered for customers who are already registered for paratransit service. Pierce Transit offers booking for Runner through its on-demand app, and Pierce Transit Customer Service can help plan trips at 253-581-8000.
Fare waivers like this have become a standard tool for local agencies when extreme temperatures threaten public health, whether it is for cooling centers in the summer or warming centers during cold snaps. Earlier this year, broadcasters covered similar free-ride activations for winter warming centers, underscoring that no-fare trips to emergency sites are now a standing part of the region’s response playbook. For background on those earlier efforts, see coverage by KIRO-7.
If you or someone you know needs a place to cool down, check the county’s list, pick a site that is open and take advantage of Pierce Transit’s free rides while the activation is in effect. Both the county’s shelter page and Pierce Transit’s service notice carry the latest locations and hours, and staff advise calling ahead to confirm if you are planning to arrive later in the day. Stay safe, watch for updates in case the advisory shifts and do not feel like you have to sweat the fare on top of the heat.
