PORT ANGELES — A $3.6 million federal grant awarded to Clallam Transit System for the purchase of new buses could be in limbo, General Manager Jim Fetzer told the board of commissioners.
“The president’s office has announced that they’re going to review all grant awards, and any that aren’t obligated are going to have to be reviewed to see if they’re still going to be distributed to the agencies,” Fetzer said Wednesday.
The state Department of Transportation, which administered the Federal Transit Administration’s Buses and Bus Facilities Program grant, notified Clallam Transit last year that it was one of three state agencies to receive funding.
“I can’t tell you if it’s going to be successful or not,” Fetzer said. “The FTA Region 10 office has had a third of its staff reduced, so that’s one of the reasons things are kind of slowing down a bit.”
Meanwhile, Fetzer said he plans to retire this summer after six years with the agency.
He was hired in 2019 as operations manager and briefly served as interim general manager upon Kevin Gallacci’s retirement in June 2023. The board then voted for Fetzer to serve in the role permanently.
Fetzer said he plans to move east so he can spend more time with his grandchildren, who live in Michigan.
The board will vote at its April 16 meeting to accept his letter of resignation and discuss moving forward to find his replacement.
“The board has expressed a great deal of appreciation for Jim’s leadership in his time here, and acknowledged the significant positive impact that Jim has had on this agency and in this community,” board chair Mark Ozias said.
Fetzer’s last official day will be Aug. 1.
Ridership growth
The continuous growth in transit ridership, particularly in the West End, has agency staff discussing ways to meet demand, operations manager Jason McNickle said.
Total fixed-route ridership was up 15 percent in January and February compared with the same period last year.
In Forks, ridership on Interlink, the agency’s on-demand service, is up 44 percent.
“If Forks keeps growing, we might need to look to add another vehicle,” McNickle said.
Board member Jeff Gingell, who works at Forks Community Hospital, said the service has been extremely popular, but he had heard from patients that wait times were getting longer.
Extending service hours into the evening was one idea discussed as a possible remedy.
New vans
Ten new Ford Transit vans soon will be added to Clallam Connect’s fleet. They are slightly smaller than the vans they are replacing with a capacity for nine rather than 14 passengers. They also are significantly less expensive.
Fetzer said the Clallam Connect vans currently in use cost about $250,000, while the new ones cost about $100,000 each. Clallam Connect is a paratransit service that provides door-to-door transportation for elderly and disabled persons.
Budget
The board unanimously approved an amendment to update the operations budget by $283,809 for the hiring of a maintenance mechanic, instructor wages, and benefits and costs related to retiring employees. The changes brought the agency’s total operating expenditures for 2025 to $16,544,982.
Shuttle to Ridge
The popular shuttle to Hurricane Ridge in Olympic National Park will start service on May 24 and run through Sept. 1. The last bus of the day will leave the summit at 5:30 p.m., allowing visitors to spend more time in the park.
“We’ve worked with the park staff and they’re very excited about it,” Fetzer said.
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Reporter Paula Hunt can be reached at paula.hunt@peninsuladailynews.com
