Susan Dreier Named Pierce Transit CEO

Pierce County, WA – The Pierce Transit Board of Commissioners, at a special meeting on April 1, named Susan Dreier the next Chief Executive Officer of Pierce Transit after a six month national search.

Dreier is the current Chief Operating Officer for Salem-Keizer Transit in Salem, Oregon. She began her transit career as a bus driver for Lane Transit in Eugene in 1992 before moving into management within Lane Transit.  She began her current role in 2010. 

“Susan has great communication skills, compelling story to tell in terms of her path rising through the ranks of public transit agency.  She will help bring stability for the agency for the customers, community and employees.” said Pierce Transit Board of Commissioner and Pierce County Councilmember Rick Talbert.  

The two finalists spent the day at the agency receiving a tour of facilities and system along with an all employee town hall and Community Stakeholder meeting prior to the Boards special meeting.

Dreier enters at a time where the agency is beginning to see strong recovery from the Great Recession with both sales tax revenue service hours increasing. Pierce Transit will increase service hours by 16,000 in 2015, focused primarily on adding weekend service and some frequency to weekday service.

The Board will take final action on an employment agreement at their April 13, regularly scheduled Board meeting.

The agency has been run by Interim CEO Jim Walton, former City Manager for Tacoma, since last September.