Ben Franklin Transit is the operator of public transportation in Franklin and Benton counties in the U.S. state of Washington. Eighteen routes provide local service for the three component urban areas of the Tri-Cities: Richland, Kennewick, and Pasco. Five routes connect the Tri-Cities metro area and extend to the municipalities of Benton City, Prosser, and West Richland. Most routes run six days a week. Bus service runs between 6:00 am and 10:00 pm, Monday-Friday, and 7:00 am and 10:00 pm on Saturdays and select holidays. Trans+Plus[4] covers the Tri-Cities portion of the service area 8:30 am to 12:00 am Monday-Saturday and 7:30AM to 6:00 pm on Sundays. There is also an ADA Paratransit service, Dial-a-Ride, for those who are physically unable to use the regular transit bus service.[5] In 2024, the system had a ridership of 3,526,500, or about 24,200 per weekday as of the third quarter of 2025.
The roots of public transportation in the Tri-Cities region can be traced back to the beginnings of the Hanford Site, which was opened in 1943 in the midst of World War II, and ultimately produced the plutonium used in the Fat Man bomb that was detonated over Nagasaki, Japan. General Electric, and later the Atomic Energy Commission, provided bus service to bring its workers to and from the Hanford site to locales in the area, largely Richland.
In 1978, Benton County voters were asked to vote on a proposed countywide bus system, but the measure was defeated largely because of efforts by the Rockwell Hanford drivers, who feared they would lose their jobs if the proposal passed. (The Public Transportation Benefit Area (PTBA) officials later passed a resolution that the bus system would not compete with Rockwell Hanford). Two years later, a bus system proposal was brought to the voters again. However, this time officials largely scaled back the proposed service area to just Kennewick and Richland, and also included Pasco, located on the other side of the Columbia River in Franklin County. For a second time, the proposal was defeated. The next year saw better luck, though, as the Benton-Franklin Public Transportation Benefit Area was officially formed on May 11, 1981, when voters in the service area voted to enact a sales tax levy of three-tenths of a cent to "finance a municipal corporation which would provide public transportation services in Benton and Franklin Counties."[6][7][8]
Ben Franklin Transit began service on May 10, 1982, and carried 2,043 total riders on its first day. Ridership continued to slowly grow after that, as more routes were launched and more buses were put into service. Ben Franklin Transit would later buy out the Bassett Transit franchise, which had operated commuter bus service to the unsecured portions of the Hanford site, primarily the Energy Northwest Nuclear Power Plant.[citation needed] Residents of Benton City and Prosser voted to be annexed into the Ben Franklin Transit system in November 1997.[9] Prosser Rural Transit, an independent system that began operations in 1977,[9] continued to run until Ben Franklin Transit fully absorbed it in April 1998.[10] The first buses to Benton City began operation on July 13, 1998.[11] The annexation of Finley into the service area was approved in April 2005 after a campaign led by two high school students.[12]
In 2007, Ben Franklin Transit was awarded the Governor's Award for Sustainable Practices.[13][14]
Fleet
GM New Look, used in the early years of Ben Franklin Transit
Originally operating with a fleet that largely consisted of used GM New Look buses bought from the Minneapolis, MN MTC (Metropolitan Transit Commission),[citation needed] Ben Franklin Transit put out a bid in 1987 for 30 new buses. After some delays, mainly due to cost and budget constraints at the time, the $4.5 million bid was awarded to Gillig Corporation, which would build a total of thirty-three Gillig Phantom coaches (6 30ft and 27 35ft) at a cost of $135,759 each. In 1992, Gillig also won the contract to provide Ben Franklin Transit with eight 40-foot coaches, which had been specified in the original order, but were delayed due to cost. All subsequent bids afterwards for town coaches have been awarded to Gillig, with the exception of the nine Optima Opus coaches purchased in 2003–2004.
O2Diesel
In 2006, Ben Franklin Transit entered into an agreement with O2Diesel to test a blended fuel that included both bio-diesel and ethanol.[15][16] This experiment lasted for approximately 1 year but was ended due to cost and supply problems.
ZEPS EBus
An electric bus from Complete Coach Works, converted from a 2005 Gillig Low Floor, was introduced to service in mid-2013.[17] It primarily operated during weekday peak hours on the 23/26 pair. In a press release, CCW announced a new battery pack that is being retrofitted into this bus.[18]
Routes
There are 18 routes which serve a specific local area, as well as routes which provide a connection between the cities.[19]
The KML file gives a rough approximation of the service area. The PTBA boundary is contiguous with populated areas and with many voting precincts that fill in the gaps.
Route description (Local) Cities Served (Regional & Rural)
Service Days
Notes
Metro 1
Regional
Three Rivers Transit Center, 22nd Avenue Transit Center
Pasco, Kennewick
Sunday to Saturday
Metro 3
Regional
22nd Avenue Transit Center, Dayton Transfer Point
Pasco, Kennewick
Sunday to Saturday
20
Richland Local
West Richland Transit Center, Richland Transit Center
Thayer, Van Giesen
Monday to Saturday
25
Richland Local
Knight Street Transit Center
Wright, Stevens
Monday to Saturday
26
Richland Local
Knight Street Transit Center
George Washington Way
Monday to Saturday
40
Kennewick Local
Three Rivers Transit Center, Dayton Transfer Point
Kennewick Avenue Crosstown
Monday to Saturday
41
Kennewick Local
Dayton Transfer Point
Central Kennewick Circulator
Monday to Saturday
42
Kennewick Local
Three Rivers Transit Center, Dayton Transfer Point
4th Crosstown
Sunday to Saturday
47
Kennewick Local
Three Rivers Transit Center, Dayton Transfer Point
27th Crosstown
Monday to Saturday
48
Kennewick Local
Three Rivers Transit Center, Dayton Transfer Point
10th Crosstown
Monday to Saturday
64
Pasco Local
22nd Avenue Transit Center
Lewis Street, S Elm, Lakeview, Amazon
Sunday to Saturday
65
Pasco Local
22nd Avenue Transit Center
Sylvester, N Elm, Tierra Vida
Monday to Saturday
67
Pasco Local
22nd Avenue Transit Center
Sandifur Parkway
Monday to Saturday
110
Rural
West Richland Transit Center, Three Rivers Transit Center
Kennewick, Richland, West Richland
Monday to Saturday
123
Regional
Three Rivers Transit Center, Knight Street Transit Center
Richland, Kennewick
Sunday to Saturday
170
Rural
Prosser (Stacy Street) Transit Center, Benton City Park & Ride, Knight Street Transit Center
Richland, Benton City, Prosser
Monday to Saturday
225
Regional
22nd Avenue Transit Center, Knight Street Transit Center
Pasco, Richland
Sunday to Saturday
268
Regional
22nd Avenue Transit Center, Knight Street Transit Center
Pasco, Richland
Monday to Friday
Fares
Fares are either exact cash, a pre-purchased ticket or a pass. Upon payment of fare, a transfer valid for 3 hours after arrival at the next transit center can be requested. A day pass is also available from the driver.[20]
↑Tri-City Herald (Kennewick, WA). April 5, 1981. "Tri-City bus issue questions answered" by Bob Woebler. p. Second Page One. Microfilm roll (35mm) viewed November 2, 2009. Archive copy via Google News Archive Search.
↑Tri-City Herald (Kennewick, WA). May 20, 1980. "Tri-City voters approve mass transit system 2-1" by Bob Woebler. p. Front Page. Microfilm roll (35mm) viewed November 2, 2009.
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