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Founded | 1981 [1] |
---|---|
Headquarters | 1000 Columbia Park Trail Richland, Washington |
Service area | Tri-Cities, Washington |
Service type | Transit, Paratransit |
Routes | 22 |
Hubs | 7 |
Fleet | 66 (fixed-route) |
Daily ridership | 23,900 (weekdays, Q3 2024) [2] |
Annual ridership | 3,171,000 (2023) [3] |
Fuel type | Diesel, Battery-Electric |
Chief executive | Rachelle Glazier |
Website | bft.org |
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, as well as extend to the municipalities of Benton City, Prosser, and West Richland. Most routes run six days a week. Bus service runs between 6AM and 10:00PM, Monday-Friday and 7AM and 10:00PM on Saturdays and select holidays. Trans+Plus [4] covers the Tri-Cities portion of the service area 8:30PM to 12:00AM Monday-Saturday and 7:30AM to 6:00pm 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 2023, the system had a ridership of 3,171,000, or about 23,900 per weekday as of the third quarter of 2024.
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 as a way to bring its workers to and from the Hanford site to locales in the area, largely Richland.
In 1978, the voters of Benton County were asked to vote on a proposed county-wide bus system, but this measure was defeated, largely in part by the efforts of the Rockwell Hanford drivers, who feared that they would lose their jobs if the voters passed the proposal. (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]
May 10, 1982, saw the first day of passenger service for Ben Franklin Transit, ending with 2,043 total riders. 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 franchise of Bassett Transit who had been running commuter bus service to the unsecured portions of the Hanford site, primarily the Energy Northwest Nuclear Power Plant. In 1998, Prosser Rural Transit was absorbed into Ben Franklin Transit. [9]
In 2007, Ben Franklin Transit was awarded the Governor's Award for Sustainable Practices. [10] [11]
The new Administration building has received LEED Gold Certification
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 budgeting at the time, the $4.5 million bid was awarded to the Gillig Corporation, who would build a total of thirty-three Gillig Phantom coaches (6 30 ft and 27 35 ft) 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 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.
In 2006 Ben Franklin Transit entered into an agreement with O2Diesel to test a blended fuel that included both bio-diesel and ethanol. [12] [13] This experiment lasted for approximately 1 year but was ended due to cost and supply problems.
An electric bus from Complete Coach Works, converted from a 2005 Gillig Low Floor, was introduced into service in mid 2013. [14] 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. [15]
BFT Holiday Bus
In recent years, Ben Franklin Transit introduced its Holiday Bus Program to engage with the community during the holiday season. These specially decorated buses, adorned with festive lights and holiday-themed designs, provide free rides to passengers as part of the program. The initiative has become a symbol of community connection and holiday spirit, receiving positive feedback from riders and residents alike.
One such example is a brightly decorated Gillig Low Floor bus with holiday artwork and lights:
This program demonstrates BFT's ongoing efforts to enhance the transit experience while fostering a sense of community engagement.
There are 18 routes which serve a specific local area as well as routes which provide a connection between the cities. [16]
The KML file gives a rough approximation of the service area. The PTBA boundary is contiguous with the populated areas, as well as many voting precincts that fill in the gaps.
No. | Area served | Transit Center(s) | 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 are either by exact cash or pre-purchased ticket or pass. Upon payment of fare, a transfer valid for 90 minutes after arrival at the next transit center can be requested. A day pass is also available from the driver. [17]
The Tri-Cities are three closely linked cities at the confluence of the Yakima, Snake, and Columbia Rivers in the Columbia Basin of Eastern Washington. The cities border one another, making the Tri-Cities seem like one uninterrupted mid-sized city. The three cities function as the center of the Tri-Cities metropolitan area, which consists of Benton and Franklin counties. The Tri-Cities urban area includes the city of West Richland, the census-designated places (CDP) of West Pasco and Finley, as well as the CDP of Burbank, despite the latter being located in Walla Walla County.
Richland is a city in Benton County, Washington, United States. It is located in southeastern Washington at the confluence of the Yakima and the Columbia Rivers. As of the 2020 census, the city's population was 60,560. Along with the nearby cities of Pasco and Kennewick, Richland forms the Tri-Cities metropolitan area.
Benton County is a county in the south-central portion of the U.S. state of Washington. As of the 2020 census, its population was 206,873. The county seat is Prosser, and its most populous city is Kennewick. The Columbia River demarcates the county's north, south, and east boundaries.
Kennewick is a city in Benton County in the U.S. state of Washington. It is located along the southwest bank of the Columbia River, just southeast of the confluence of the Columbia and Yakima rivers and across from the confluence of the Columbia and Snake rivers. It is the most populous of the three cities collectively referred to as the Tri-Cities. The United States Census Bureau estimated the population to be 84,750 as of 2022, up from 83,921 at the 2020 United States census.
Interstate 182 (I-182) is an east–west auxiliary Interstate Highway in the U.S. state of Washington. It serves as a connector from I-82 to the Tri-Cities region that crosses the Columbia River on the Interstate 182 Bridge between Richland and Pasco. I-182 is 15 miles (24 km) long and entirely concurrent with U.S. Route 12 (US 12); it also intersects State Route 240 (SR 240) and US 395.
C-Tran, more formally the Clark County Public Transit Benefit Area Authority, is a public transit agency serving Clark County, Washington, United States, including the cities of Battle Ground, Camas, Vancouver, Washougal, and Yacolt. Founded in 1981, C-Tran operates fixed route bus services within Clark County, as well as paratransit services for qualified persons with disabilities (C-Van) and a dial-a-ride service in Camas, Ridgefield, and La Center. C-Tran also provides express commuter services between Clark County and Downtown Portland, Oregon and regional services to the Parkrose/Sumner and Delta Park MAX Light Rail stations, and Oregon Health and Science University. In 2023, the system had a ridership of 4,738,700, or about 15,800 per weekday as of the third quarter of 2024.
Community Transit (CT) is the public transit authority of Snohomish County, Washington, United States, in the Seattle metropolitan area. It operates local bus, paratransit and vanpool service within Snohomish County, excluding the city of Everett. CT is publicly funded, financed through sales taxes, federal grants, and farebox revenue, with an annual operating budget of $231.6 million as of 2024. In 2023, the system had a ridership of 7,133,700, or about 28,100 per weekday as of the third quarter of 2024, placing it fourth among transit agencies in the Puget Sound region. The city of Everett, which serves as the county seat, is served by Everett Transit, a municipal transit system.
Lynx is a transit system serving the greater Orlando, Florida area. Operated by the Central Florida Regional Transportation Authority, it provides bus, curb-to-curb, and paratransit services in three counties: Orange, Seminole, and Osceola. Bus routes are referred to as Links.
Spokane Transit Authority, more commonly Spokane Transit or STA, is the public transport authority of central Spokane County, Washington, United States, serving Spokane, Washington, and its surrounding urban areas. In 2023, the system had a ridership of 9,215,700, or about 36,000 per weekday as of the third quarter of 2024.
Laketran is the transit agency that serves Lake County, Ohio, the county northeast of Cleveland. It is the third-largest transit system in Northeast Ohio, serving Mentor, Painesville, Willoughby, Wickliffe. Eastlake, Fairport Harbor, Madison and other Lake County destinations. In 2023, the system had a ridership of 629,500, or about 2,600 per weekday as of the third quarter of 2024.
State Route 240 (SR 240) is a state highway in the U.S. state of Washington. It travels diagonally from northwest to southwest within Benton County, serving the Hanford Nuclear Reservation and the Tri-Cities region. The highway begins at a junction with SR 24 and travels around Richland on a limited-access bypass. From there, it briefly overlaps Interstate 182 (I-182) and continues southeast as a freeway along the Columbia River into Kennewick, terminating at an interchange with U.S. Route 395 (US 395). SR 240 is one of the busiest highways in the Tri-Cities region, with a daily average of 76,000 vehicles on a section crossing the Yakima River Delta.
Island Transit is a zero-fare transit system in Island County, Washington, serving Whidbey Island and Camano Island. The system consists of fixed-route bus service, paratransit, and vanpools, and carried a total of 974,899 passengers in 2015. Until 2023, there was no Sunday or holiday service on Island Transit routes.
The Whatcom Transportation Authority (WTA) is the public transit authority of Whatcom County in northwestern Washington, based in the city of Bellingham. It provides bus service on 28 fixed routes, including four branded "GO Lines" with 15-minute frequencies on weekdays. In addition to bus service, the WTA offers paratransit service and a vanpool programs.
Rogue Valley Transportation District is a transportation district serving the greater Jackson County, Oregon area. The district serves the cities of Medford, Ashland, White City, Phoenix, Talent, Jacksonville, and Central Point. The district also provides paratransit services to older adults and people with disabilities within its route coverage area.
Berks Area Regional Transportation Authority (BARTA), previously Berks Area Reading Transportation Authority, is a public transportation system serving the city of Reading and its surrounding area of Berks County, Pennsylvania. The South Central Transit Authority owns BARTA and the Red Rose Transit Authority (RRTA). In 2023, the system had a ridership of 2,276,000, or about 14,800 per weekday as of the third quarter of 2024.
The Sioux Area Metro (SAM) is the local governmental transit agency in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and the state's largest public transportation operator. They provide multiple scheduled fixed routes and paratransit services. In December 2023, city council members voted unanimously to select Via as its technology and operations partner. In 2023, the system had a ridership of 559,400, or about 1,800 per weekday as of the third quarter of 2024.
The Decatur Public Transit System is the primary provider of mass transportation in Macon County, Illinois. Fourteen main routes, plus one downtown shuttle using replica trolleys, serve the region.
A public transportation benefit area, abbreviated as PTBA, is a type of public-benefit corporation for public transit operators in the U.S. state of Washington. It was authorized in 1975 along with a funding mechanism that uses sales taxes levied within a district. As of 2016, there are 31 PTBAs that cover most of Washington's counties and large cities, with the exception of Seattle.
The Kennewick–Pasco–Richland metropolitan area—colloquially referred to as the Tri-Cities metropolitan area, and officially known as the Kennewick–Richland, WA Metropolitan Statistical Area—is a metropolitan area consisting of Benton and Franklin counties in Washington state, anchored by the cities of Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland. As of July 1, 2022, the U.S. Census Bureau estimates the population of the metropolitan area to be 311,469, making it the third-largest metropolitan area located entirely in Washington, after the Seattle metropolitan area and the Spokane metropolitan area. Although it is located outside of the metropolitan area, the CDP of Burbank is part of the Tri-Cities urban area.
The following is a timeline of the history of the Tri-Cities, an area of the U.S. state of Washington encompassing the cities of Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland.