GH Transit to add Sunday service

Citizens of the Twin Harbors will soon be able put transit services to use seven days a week.

Grays Harbor Transit is set to once again offer services on Sundays, starting May 7.

Sunday routes, according to operations manager Patti Carlin, will mirror the services that are currently being offered on Saturdays. Routes will include three trips to Olympia, Ocean Shores and McCleary, as well as two trips to Quinault. Specialized van services for disabled riders will also run on Sunday, while dial-a-ride services, as with Saturdays, will not.

“Historically ridership is about 80 percent lower on Sundays, but we like to provide the same travel options,” Carlin said. “If the schedules are the same it is easier for our customers.”

Grays Harbor Transit will run an average of 10 buses on Sundays and all routes and stops will be hit, the only difference being in the amount of trips taken to those locations.

“We have always had Sunday service, so when we were forced to discontinue it we feel we disappointed our public,” Carlin said.

Since then, Carlin notes that Grays Harbor Transit has been working on a solution to provide for Sunday services as the public and the Transit Board both showed the desire to bring it back.

“We wanted to make sure we could sustain it, rather than start it run out of funds and then have to stop it again,” Carlin said in speaking on why it took three years to bring Sunday service back.

Not only is Sunday service being brought back, but that service, along with all other services offered the rest of the week, are set to be improved and expanded.

“We evaluate and rebuild our schedules every four months,” Carlin said.

As Grays Harbor begins to prosper, Carlin noted, Grays Harbor Transit will look to offer more and better service to the public.