Weekend and evening Sounder trains? Sound Transit wants to know if you’re interested
East Pierce County residents might have more opportunities to ride the Sounder train.
Sound Transit started a survey in late September, asking the public if they’d like to see new trips on weekends, evenings or midday. The survey also asks if residents want longer trains to add more capacity.
The survey can be found at soundersouth.participate.online. It closes Sunday, Oct. 29. It can be translated into Spanish, Vietnamese, simplified Chinese, Korean, Tagalog, Somali, Russian and Ukrainian.
Residents can also take the survey in person at a Sound Transit booth:
- 3 p.m.-6:30 p.m. Oct. 24 at the Sumner Station platform (810 Maple St.)
- 1 p.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 28 at the Auburn Halloween Harvest Festival (910 9th St. SE)
- 2 p.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 28 at the Kent Street of Treats (302 W. Meeker St.)
Sound Transit spokesperson David Jackson told The News Tribune: “The survey results will be part of a report to the Sound Transit Board of Directors, which will also include S Line ridership forecasting and demographic research. I expect that presentation to be in spring of 2024.”
Jackson said travel patterns have changed since 2020. Some employees who used to commute to work no longer do. Hybrid workers fill the train only a couple days per week.
“Given the prevalence of hybrid and remote work, Sounder S Line ridership is at about 50 percent of pre-pandemic levels – approximately 160,000 monthly boardings in 2023 vs. approximately 340,000 in 2019,” Jackson said.
BNSF Railway owns most of the tracks the Sounder runs on. That means Sound Transit officials need to have discussions with the railroad company before making any changes to transit services.
Asked if Sound Transit has started those conversations with BNSF, Jackson said: “Board direction would be required to begin any schedule change discussions with BNSF. I won’t speculate on options or when they would or would not occur.”
The Sounder train serves Puyallup, Sumner, Lakewood, Tacoma, Auburn, Kent, Tukwila and Seattle. Between the Tacoma Dome and Seattle, 13 round trips happen each weekday.
The trips with the most service on weekdays are 5-8 a.m. northbound to Seattle and 2:30-6:30 p.m. southbound to Tacoma/Lakewood. There is limited service 5-8 a.m. southbound and 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. northbound.
There is no service 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. southbound, as well as 6:30 p.m.-10 p.m. northbound and southbound. There is no regular service on the weekends — the train sometimes runs during special events at Lumen Field and T-Mobile Park.
Asked if the current commuter schedule would be limited if Sound Transit adds evening, midday or weekend service, Jackson said: “Any schedule impacts to existing service are unknown at this juncture.”
