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Transportation - LMS & PHS Transit Information

LMS & PHS Transit Information

Since the 1990-91 school year, our secondary students who live in-town have used Pullman Transit as their transportation to and from school. 
  
Starting in the 1990-1991 school year, Pullman Public Schools has had a partnership with the City of Pullman and Pullman Transit to provide transportation for our secondary students in grades 6-12 who live in city limits (referred to as "trippers"). 
 
In Spring of 2022, the City of Pullman and their transit department made a decision in the Spring of 2022 to not renew their contract with Pullman School District for LMS & PHS Tripper service.

A red bus with the words 'Go Cougs!' on the side is parked on a city street.

How Will My Student Get to/from School?

Since the end of our contract, Pullman Transit is now offering free student transportation through their Youth Fare-Free Policy, funded through statewide transportation funding. This policy allows all students to receive a free transit pass that allows them to ride the city buses at any time to any Pullman bus route destination.

 

This new system and routing will replace the dedicated "Trippers" for students to get to and from LMS/PHS. Students will now use their free city bus pass to ride regular Pullman Transit routes to and from school.

Pullman Transit Routes & Schedule

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Yellow Bus Supplemental Routes

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Recommended Routes

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • In the spring of 2022, the City of Pullman and Pullman Transit determined they would no longer provide the LMS/PHS Tripper service to the Pullman School District as a transportation contract. They agreed to extend that service through the 2022-23 school year.

  • As part of the City of Pullman/Pullman Transit Youth Fare-Free Policy (funded through statewide transportation funding) all PSD students are eligible to receive a free transit pass that allows the student to ride Pullman Transit buses for free 24/7.
    This new pass system and routing will replace the dedicated “Trippers” for students to get to and from LMS and PHS. LMS and PHS students will be able to use their free pass to ride regular Pullman Transit routes to and from school. Additionally, can use these passes on weekends, school holidays, and summer break.

  • Depending on where the student lives and the school they attend, the pick-up and drop-off times may be different from previous years. Some students will need to catch the bus earlier in the morning, some students will need to catch the bus later than in previous years. Also, some students may need to transfer buses at the Pullman Transit Transfer Station on the corner of Davis Way and State Street.

  • After thirty-three (33) years of a cooperative relationship between the Pullman School District and the City of Pullman, the district does not have the resources to handle the in-town busing of LMS and PHS students.
    Taking over that busing would require six (6) additional buses and six (6) additional drivers. There is currently a severe driver shortage and recruiting six new drivers is just not realistic. Six (6) new buses would take roughly six (6) months to receive and cost approximately $1.2 million dollars. 

  • The bus stops at LMS and PHS are different:
    • For LMS students riding the Silver Route, the stop will be across from City Hall on Crestview. (0.2 mile walk to LMS)
    • For the LMS students riding the Paradise Route, the bus stop will be at the corner of Grand and Crestview. (0.4 mile walk to LMS)
    • For PHS students, the stop will be at the Aquatic Center at the corner of Greyhound and Hall St. (0.3 mile walk to PHS)

  • Pullman Transit will be adjusting/adding buses to routes and times when a bus is at its capacity. The times will be the same but with two buses driving the routes in a caravan.

  • Pullman Transit buses run on a schedule that will have another bus at that stop in approximately 35 minutes.

  • Pullman School District Transportation Department provides busing for all K-5 students and students grades 6-12 that live outside of Pullman or in an area not served by Pullman Transit.

    A few rural route buses transfer students at a few of the schools.

    A student living in town could catch a yellow bus at that school to take them to LMS or PHS. More details and times for these routes will be posted this coming week as rural bus routes times are finalized.

  • For routes and schedules, please visit the City of Pullman's transit website: Pullman Transit Routes & Schedules

    Other helpful resources to help you find your route:

History
Timeline: History with Pullman Transit
1990-1991 School Year
School bus service relationship between the Pullman School District and Pullman Transit begins. Pullman Transit provides bus service for PHS/LMS students living in-town, outside the 1-mile radius walking zone.
 
This type PHS/LMS bus service was called “Trippers” and ran in a.m. and p.m. on school days. These were routes that were open to the public to ride, but it was typically only PHS/LMS students that rode these buses.
August 15, 2017 Pullman Transit requested and received FTA approval to change the PHS/LMS Trippers to designated “School Bus Service” which means that ridership is exclusive to PHS/LMS students eligible for that bus service. (Outside the 1-mile walk zone and not served by a PSD rural bus route)
February 24, 2022 City informed PSD that Pullman Transit no longer intends to provide “school bus service” as has been the case for the past 32 years
May 2022 City of Pullman agreed to request, from the FTA, a one-year extension of the 5 year exemption to allow them to contract to provide school bus service for the 22-23 school year. That exemption was granted and Pullman Transit provide service for the 22-23 school year.
October 2022 Pullman Transit received funding from the State of Washington to fund the Youth Fare=Free program that will allow all students under 18 to ride Pullman Transit buses free 24 hours a day/7 days a week/365 days a year. 
Spring 2023 Pullman Transit planned to incorporate the LMS/PHS grades 6-12 transportation with the Youth Fare-Free program. They will support this program by providing additional buses on the routes with heavy ridership.
 

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