Service previously offered as JBLM Connector
On July 1, Pierce Transit began operating the JBLM Runner service at full capacity. Since September 2020, the service was running at 50 percent capacity due to pandemic social distancing mandates. The service also has a newly-rebranded vehicle and a new name, the JBLM Runner (formerly known as the JBLM Connector).
Pierce Transit’s Runner service is on-demand transportation offering a quick, car-free mobility option for riders in areas with limited transportation options, often offered during peak travel hours. It provides people who live, work and play in these areas an easy, economical and environmentally friendly way to access businesses, attractions and activities. Connections to various local and regional transit modes at the pick-up and drop-off sites further expand rider options.
The JBLM Runner service operates between McChord AFB and the Lakewood Transit Center at the following stops (for both pick-ups and drop-offs) located in Lakewood and on base. An approved Department of Defense ID is required to ride.
- Lakewood Transit Center
- Lakewood Station Bay 6
- Bridgeport & Pacific Hwy SW
- Bridgeport & San Francisco
- Barnes Blvd. & D Street
- McChord Base Exchange (Barnes Blvd. & 14th St)
- Air Museum (Barnes Blvd & Lincoln Blvd. SW)
- McChord Base Commissary (Near the front doors)
It’s easy to request a pick-up. Go to one of the boarding locations and call 253.377.4380 when you are ready to ride. Be prepared to give the agent your exact location, and the Runner will be on its way to pick you up. On-demand service for the JBLM Runner is available Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Service may vary on and around Federal holidays.
Fares for the JBLM Runner service are $2 for full-fare riders, $1 for youth or Regional Reduced Fare Permit cardholders. Riders may pay using Pierce Transit’s mobile app, PiercePay on the Hopthru app, or by purchasing One Ride Tickets, All Day Passes or a 30-Day Pass. Riders may also show the Runner driver their valid ORCA card or paper All Day Pass. Cash payment for fares on the JBLM Runner is also accepted.
Watch for Pierce Transit to expand Runner on-demand service to additional locations in the near future. Soon the Ruston Runner will resume, allowing riders to enjoy activities along Ruston Way and the Foss Waterway, with transit connections in downtown Tacoma. A new Runner service to the Port of Tacoma will also get underway soon, expanding opportunities for people to use the Runner to get to jobs located in that area.
More information on this and other Pierce Transit innovative services is available at PierceTransit.org.
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(RELEASE PREPARED BY PIERCE TRANSIT)