GIG HARBOR, Wash. — People in parts of Pierce County have a new option for public transportation this holiday season. The Key Peninsula Holiday Shuttle started running on Black Friday and is operating on Saturdays and Sundays through Christmas Eve.
“We are so excited,” said Robyn Denson, a Pierce County councilmember for District 7.
The free shuttle has 11 stops connecting rural parts of the Key Peninsula to Gig Harbor. Many of the stops are at places where people can do their shopping, like Costco, Fred Meyer, and downtown Gig Harbor.
“Transportation in rural Pierce County is a real challenge, and specifically in Key Peninsula,” said Denson. “People need transportation service to jobs or to services, to health care, or even to shopping. So, this is our first effort at really providing some transportation to residents of the Key Peninsula.”
Denson said this is just the first step in getting more transportation services to people in that area.
“The goal of the holiday shuttle is to really learn what transportation works in rural Key Peninsula,” said Denson. “So, the idea absolutely is to expand it in the future to more a weekday service and to learn which hours and locations are best for people."
Denny and Jan Prichard were on the shuttle on Saturday. They live in Longbranch, which is one of the farthest points of the Key Peninsula. They said this is an important service that they hope continues.
“There's very little that people can do to get around if you don't have your own car on the Key Peninsula,” said Denny Prichard.
Prichard said the shuttle is helpful for older people who may not want to drive in a car. Today, they took the shuttle to get to the Costco shuttle stop and to try it out, after hearing about the free service.
“We had to get a few Christmas presents and check out some hearing aid problems,” said Prichard.
He said in addition to having a free ride to Costco, he and his wife also enjoyed the views and getting to meet some new people.
“It’s kind of fun!” smiled Prichard. “This doesn't happen to us when we’re in our own car, we’re meeting a lot of new people.”