PIERCE COUNTY, Wash. — All federal employees can ride public transit for free in Kitsap, Pierce and Mason counties starting Friday, Oct. 24, as the government shutdown enters its fourth week.
Transit authorities in the three counties announced the temporary fare waiver to help federal workers who have been unable to reload their transit passes since the shutdown began on Oct. 1. Federal employees will need to present their government-issued ID to ride fare-free on all eligible services.
The decision affects approximately 100,000 federal workers at Naval Base Kitsap and Joint Base Lewis-McChord, the largest employers in Kitsap and Pierce counties, according to transit authorities. Many of these employees rely on public transit for their daily commute, with fares typically covered by the federal government…