Saint Martin’s University adds transit pass program
February 5, 2010
Lacey, Washington — Saint Martin’s University and
Intercity Transit are partnering to launch a new transportation program
for the University’s students. Beginning February 8, this new program
enables Saint Martin’s students to travel free on all local transit
service operating throughout Lacey, Olympia, Tumwater, and Yelm. The
program was initiated and is strongly supported by the Associated
Students of Saint Martin’s University.
Modeled after popular pass programs operating at The
Evergreen State College and South Puget Sound Community College, both in
partnership with Intercity Transit, Saint Martin’s students will use
their current student ID card with the current semester sticker as their
bus pass to use the bus. Stickers are available through the University’s
Office of Public Safety to all enrolled undergraduate students.
“It’s great to see a program like this at Saint
Martin’s, as we’d seen other schools offering their students similar
programs,” says Troy Sykes, a junior at Saint Martin’s University. “The
fact that we can travel for free will really encourage students to take
advantage of the transit pass.”
The transit pass program works seven days a week for
travel to and from campus and anywhere else students want to go on any
of the 22 routes provided by Intercity Transit, the region’s
award-winning public transportation agency. Whether for work, school,
fun or errands, the destinations on transit are virtually unlimited.
Three bus routes accessible from campus (routes 66, 67, and 68) each run
every half hour or so, depending on the time of day and day of week. And
the Lacey Transit Center, one of Intercity Transit’s primary operating
hubs for bus system, is just a five-minute walk from campus.
Transit officials indicate destinations popular
among college students include the area’s shopping complexes and malls,
movie theaters and restaurants, other college campuses, libraries and
bookstores, coffee shops and recreation centers. Students with regional
destinations in mind can get to the Amtrak Centennial train station,
Greyhound or to Tacoma, Seattle, SeaTac Airport – even the ocean – with
additional fare for out-of-county travel.
Transit officials also indicate the new program is
especially timely given the sustained economic downturn and gas prices
nudging upwards. “We know it’s important for students to get around and
it’s very costly to have a car,” states Mike Harbour, Intercity Transit
General Manager. “Taking advantage of transit can make a huge difference
in cost and mobility, and to students’ overall college experience.”
Transit service seven days a week
Three Intercity
Transit routes, routes 66, 67, and 68, serve the Saint Martin’s campus
six days a week - Monday through Saturday - and one route, the 66, seven
days a week. All three routes go through the Lacey Transit Center, just
off Sleater-Kinney on the corner of Sixth Avenue and Golf Club Place
(next to the Lacey Fred Meyer Shopping Center). Students can use SMU
routes 66 and 68 – or others - to travel to the downtown Olympia and the
Olympia Transit Center where connections to many other bus routes can be
made, including to three neighboring transit systems (Pierce, Mason and
Grays Harbor Transit systems).
Service to Tacoma, with connections to Sea-ac
Airport and Seattle, is available seven days a week on the out-of county
Olympia-Tacoma Express service, operated jointly between Intercity
Transit and Pierce Transit. Connection to Sound Transit bus and rail
service can be made through the Olympia-Tacoma Express service.
How to use transit
Simply flash your student ID with
current term sticker as you board any Intercity Transit bus. Keep in
mind:
- Route 66 to Lacey, Ruddell Road and the Olympia Transit Center
downtown: Route 66 serves Pacific Avenue and College Street every
half hour during the day and evening and every hour at night Monday
through Saturday. The last trip from downtown Olympia is at 10:30
p.m. and arrives at the Lacey Transit Center at 11:15pm. Sunday
service is every half hour and ends earlier in the day.
- Route 67 to Lacey and Tri-Lake: Route 67 serves Pacific Avenue
every hour all day, Monday through Friday. Saturday service begins
later in the morning and runs every hour through the evening. Route
67 does not run on Sundays.
- Route 68 to Lacey, Tumwater Square, and Downtown Olympia: Route
68 serves Pacific Avenue every half-hour during mornings and
evenings Monday through Friday. Weekday afternoons and all day
Saturdays, service runs every hour. Route 68 does not run on
Sundays.
Travel training available
A free, self-paced Travel
Training program is for people who want to learn to travel independently
using Intercity Transit’s regular bus system. Training occurs one-on-one
or with a small group in a a casual, friendly manner. For more
information,
traveltraining@intercitytransit.com.
Take your bike with you
Every bus and van has a rack
for two bicycles. If your final destination is too far to walk from the
bus stop, just put your bike on the rack and away you go! Space on bike
racks is available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Skateboards and
skates are allowed inside buses, but they must be secured by the
passenger for safety.
Get More information
Intercity Transit service
information is available at the Office of Campus Life and the Office of
Public Safety. Just swing by and pick up a Transit Guide for routes and
schedule information. A brochure, which lists popular destinations and
handy routes you take to get there, is also available there. Transit
information is also available online at intercitytransit.com and through
customer service, 360-786-1881 or
customerservice@intercitytransit.com.
For more information about Intercity Transit,
please contact:
Meg Kester
marketing & communications
Manager Intercity Transit
360-705-5842
mkester@intercitytransit.com
www.intercitytransit.com
For more information about Saint Martin’s
University, please contact:
Genevieve Canceko Chan
Director of communications & marketing
Saint Martin’s University
360-438-4332
gchan@stmartin.edu
www.stmartin.edu