RiverCities Transit (Washington)

Last updated
RiverCities Transit
Commenced operation1975 (1975) [1]
Locale Cowlitz County, Washington
Service type Bus service
Routes7
Fuel type Diesel
OperatorCowlitz Transit Authority
Website rctransit.org

RiverCities Transit is a public transit system serving the cities of Longview and Kelso in Cowlitz County, Washington.

Contents

History

A bus in Longview RiverCities Transit bus at Nichols Blvd.jpg
A bus in Longview

Public transportation service in Cowlitz County began in 1975, with the purchase of a private bus company by the cities of Longview and Kelso. The two cities partnered with the Cowlitz County government to organize a public transportation benefit area in 1987, and a 0.1 percent sales tax to fund the bus system was approved by 77.3 percent of voters on September 16, 1987. [2] : 21  The existing service, then named the "Community Urban Bus Service" (CUBS), was transferred to the Cowlitz Transit Authority on January 1, 1988. [2] : 43 

In 2008, CUBS put a 0.2 percent sales tax increase up for public vote, seeking $2 million in additional annual revenue to continue running service and expanding frequency and hours of operation. [3] The increase was approved by voters, bringing the total sales tax to 0.3 percent.

The Cowlitz Transit Authority adopted a 10-year "Transit Enhancement Plan" in 2010, proposing a re-branded system with more frequent service and newer buses. [4] In 2011, CUBS began exploring a re-brand, complete with a new name, using an online poll. [5] "RiverCities Transit" was announced as the winner later that month, [6] and a new blue-and-gray color scheme was adopted for the system's bus fleet the following year. [7] A new route system, focusing on corridors where buses run every 30 to 60 minutes, debuted in August 2013; [8] an express route between Longview and Kelso debuted earlier that year in April, reducing travel times. [9]

Services

Bus routes

As of October 2015 [10]
RouteInbound
terminus		Outbound
terminus		ViaFrequencySaturday
service		Notes
31Longview Transit Center32nd Avenue & MarylandWestern Longview60 minutes
30 minutes (peak)		Yes
32Longview Transit Center30th Avenue & LarchDowntown Longview60 minutes
30 minutes (peak)		Yes
33Longview Transit CenterHeron PointeLower Columbia College60 minutesYes
44Heron Pointe Three Rivers Mall Ocean Beach Highway, Longview60 minutesNoExpress service along Ocean Beach Highway
45Longview Transit CenterThree Rivers MallDowntown Longview, Kelso Multimodal Transportation Center 30 minutesYes"Circulator" loop
56Kelso Multimodal Transportation CenterThree Rivers MallKelso60 minutesNo
(Use route 57)		Runs in the opposite direction as route 57 [11]
57Kelso Multimodal Transportation CenterThree Rivers MallKelso60 minutesYesRuns in the opposite direction as route 56

Fleet

As of March 2014 [1] : 20 
YearManufacturerModelFleet
Numbers		Qty.CapacityFuel TypeNotes
1998 Gillig Phantom 30'42-29129 Diesel
2002GilligPhantom 35'42-01–42-04435Diesel
2003GilligPhantom 35'42-05–42-06235Diesel
2009Gillig Low Floor 35'42-07132Diesel
2011GilligLow Floor HEV 35'42-09132 Diesel-electric hybrid
2013Gillig BRT 35'42-10–42-13432Diesel

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kelso, Washington</span> City in Washington, United States

Kelso is a city in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Washington and is the county seat of Cowlitz County. At the 2020 census, the population was 12,720. Kelso is part of the Longview, Washington Metropolitan statistical area, which has a population of 110,730. Kelso shares its long western border with Longview. It is near Mount St. Helens.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Longview, Washington</span> City in Washington, United States

Longview is a city in Cowlitz County, Washington, United States. It is the principal city of the Longview, Washington Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Cowlitz County. Longview's population was 37,818 at the time of the 2020 census, making it the largest city in Cowlitz County. The city is located in southwestern Washington, at the junction of the Cowlitz and Columbia rivers. Longview shares a border with Kelso to the east, which is the county seat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cowlitz River</span> River in Washington, United States

The Cowlitz River is a river in the state of Washington in the United States, a tributary of the Columbia River. Its tributaries drain a large region including the slopes of Mount Rainier, Mount Adams, and Mount St. Helens.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Community Transit</span> Bus transit agency serving Snohomish County, Washington

Community Transit (CT) is the public transit authority of Snohomish County, Washington, United States, excluding the city of Everett, in the Seattle metropolitan area. It operates local bus, paratransit and vanpool service within Snohomish County, as well as commuter buses to Downtown Seattle and Northgate station. CT is publicly funded, financed through sales taxes, and farebox revenue, with an operating budget of $133.2 million. In 2022, the system had a ridership of 5,788,700, or about 23,600 per weekday as of the second quarter of 2023, 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spokane Transit Authority</span> Public transit authority

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 2022, the system had a ridership of 6,995,300, or about 30,200 per weekday as of the second quarter of 2023.

The Valley Metro Regional Public Transportation Authority, more popularly known as Valley Metro, is the unified public brand of the regional transit system for the Phoenix metropolitan area. Within the system, it is divided between Valley Metro Bus, which runs all bus operations, and Valley Metro Rail, which is responsible for light rail operations in the Valley. In 2022, the combined bus and rail system had a ridership of 33,944,600, or about 108,400 per weekday as of the second quarter of 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kelso Multimodal Transportation Center</span>

The Kelso Multimodal Transportation Center is an Amtrak train station located near downtown Kelso, Washington, United States. The station also serves the neighboring city of Longview, which is located just across the Cowlitz River. The station is served by Cascades and Coast Starlight trains. Greyhound Lines provides national and regional bus service, while RiverCities Transit provides local transit. Shuttle vans, taxis and rental cars can also be hired at the station.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kitsap Transit</span> Local public transit operator in Kitsap County, Washington

Kitsap Transit is a public transit agency serving Kitsap County, Washington, part of the Seattle metropolitan area. The system is based in Bremerton and operates bus service on 40 fixed routes, a foot ferry, a vanpool system, worker-driver services, and dial-a-ride services. The Kitsap Fast Ferries are also operated by Kitsap Transit. In 2022, the system had a ridership of 2,193,600, or about 100,900 per weekday as of the second quarter of 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Washington State Route 4</span> State highway in Washington

State Route 4 (SR 4) is a 62.27-mile-long (100.21 km) state highway, serving the southwestern region of the U.S. state of Washington. The highway, also known as Ocean Beach Highway, travels east along the Columbia River from U.S. Route 101 (US 101) at Johnston's Landing through Pacific, Wahkiakum and Cowlitz counties to an interchange with Interstate 5 (I-5) in Kelso. SR 4 is designated as part of the Lewis and Clark Trail Scenic Byway, a state scenic byway, as well as part of the National Highway System.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Island Transit (Washington)</span> Local public transit operator in Island County, Washington

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. There is no Sunday or holiday service on Island Transit routes.

Skagit Transit is a public transit system in Skagit County, Washington, US. It operates 19 fixed-route bus routes, as well as paratransit and vanpool services across the entire county. The agency was founded in 1993 and is funded by a 0.4 percent local sales tax.

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 31 fixed routes, including branded "GO Lines" with 15-minute frequencies on weekdays, to cities in its service area. In addition to bus service, the WTA offers paratransit service and a vanpool programs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Washington State Route 506</span> Highway in Washington

State Route 506 (SR 506) is an 11.53-mile (18.56 km) long state highway in Cowlitz and Lewis counties, part of the U.S. state of Washington, serving the communities of Ryderwood and Vader. SR 506 begins at the intersection of 2nd and Morse Street in Ryderwood, a community in Cowlitz County, traveling north into Lewis County and turning east past Vader to parallel the Cowlitz River and interchange Interstate 5 (I-5) twice west of Toledo. Originating as Secondary State Highway 1P (SSH 1P) in 1937, the highway was designated in its current form in 1964 and it shared its eastern terminus with SR 505. SR 411 terminated at Vader and both SR 411 and SR 505 were moved away from SR 506 in 1991.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Twin Transit</span> Local transit system in Lewis County, Washington, U.S.

Twin Transit is a public transit system serving the cities of Centralia and Chehalis in Lewis County, Washington. It operates four local transit bus routes and two cross-county bus routes, along with options for Dial-A-Ride and paratransit. The agency was founded in 1976 and began operating on November 1, 1977.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Washington State Route 432</span> Highway in Washington

State Route 432 (SR 432) is a 10.32-mile-long (16.61 km) state highway in the U.S. state of Washington, serving the cities of Longview and Kelso in Cowlitz County. The highway travels east along the Columbia River from an intersection with SR 4 in West Longview through the Port of Longview and the termini of SR 433 and SR 411 in Longview. SR 432 crosses the Cowlitz River on a divided highway and ends at an interchange with Interstate 5 (I-5) in Kelso. SR 432 was established during the 1964 highway renumbering as SR 832, replacing a branch of Primary State Highway 12 (PSH 12) that had been routed through Longview and Kelso since 1937. SR 432 was established in 1968 and originally routed on Nichols Boulevard within Longview and was re-aligned onto its current route in 1991 after the opening of Industrial Way.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Washington State Route 411</span>

State Route 411 (SR 411) is a 13.48-mile (21.69 km) state highway located in Cowlitz County in the U.S. state of Washington, serving Longview, Kelso, West Side Highway and Castle Rock. The roadway, which parallels the Cowlitz River and Interstate 5 (I-5), begins at an interchange with SR 432 in Longview and travels north past a spur route, under SR 4 and across the Cowlitz River to become concurrent with I-5 Business and end at an interchange with I-5, I-5 Business and SR 504 in Castle Rock. The road first appeared on a map in 1951 and originally signed as Secondary State Highway 12H (SSH 12H) in 1957, SR 411 was established in 1964 and ran from Kelso to Vader. In 1991, the highway was extended south to SR 432 in Longview, the former route becoming SR 411 Spur, and was shortened to I-5 / I-5 Business / SR 504 in Castle Rock.

Southwest Washington Regional Airport is a city-owned public-use airport located two nautical miles (3.7 km) southeast of the central business district of Kelso, in Cowlitz County, Washington, United States. The airport was renamed in 2009, prior to which it was known as the Kelso-Longview Regional Airport, or Molt Taylor Field, named after flying car designer Moulton Taylor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pierce Transit</span> Local public transit operator in Pierce County, Washington, including the city of Tacoma

Pierce Transit, officially the Pierce County Public Transportation Benefit Area Corporation, is an operator of public transit in Pierce County, Washington. It operates a variety of services, including fixed-route buses, dial-a-ride transportation, vanpool and ride-matching for carpools. The agency's service area covers the urbanized portions of Pierce County, part of the Seattle metropolitan area, and includes the city of Tacoma. In 2022, the system had a ridership of 5,562,500, or about 23,900 per weekday as of the second quarter of 2023.

Valley Transit is a public transit operator in Walla Walla County, Washington. It operates 10 routes in the cities of Walla Walla and College Place. Since 2022, Valley Transit's buses have been fare-free.

<i>Northwest</i> (sternwheeler)

Northwest was a steamboat that operated on the Columbia, Cowlitz and lower Willamette rivers from 1889 to 1907. In 1907 Northwest was transferred to Alaska, where it sank on the Skeena River

References

  1. 1 2 2013 Annual Report and 2014-2019 Transit Development Plan (PDF) (Report). RiverCities Transit. August 13, 2014. Retrieved August 23, 2016.
  2. 1 2 Planning, Research and Public Transportation Division (December 1988). Public Transportation in Washington State, 1988 (PDF) (Report). Washington State Department of Transportation . Retrieved September 18, 2016.
  3. ↑ Fischer, Amy M.E. (October 22, 2008). "Election primer: CUBS eyes expansion, seeks sales tax increase". The Daily News . Longview, Washington. Retrieved August 23, 2016.
  4. ↑ Fischer, Amy M.E. (November 27, 2010). "CUBS officials release roadmap for future service". The Daily News. Longview, Washington. Retrieved August 23, 2016.
  5. ↑ Fischer, Amy M.E. (December 8, 2011). "Bus service seeks public's opinion on new name and logo". The Daily News. Longview, Washington. Retrieved August 23, 2016.
  6. ↑ Fischer, Amy M.E. (December 29, 2011). "New bus service name chosen in decisive vote". The Daily News. Longview, Washington. Retrieved August 23, 2016.
  7. ↑ Fischer, Amy M.E. (November 11, 2012). "RiverCities Transit buses getting facelift". The Daily News. Longview, Washington. Retrieved August 23, 2016.
  8. ↑ Fischer, Amy M.E. (August 1, 2013). "RiverCities Transit set to begin revamped route system". The Daily News. Longview, Washington. Retrieved August 23, 2016.
  9. ↑ Fischer, Amy M.E. (April 11, 2013). "RiverCities Transit to begin express route from West Longview to Kelso". The Daily News. Longview, Washington. Retrieved August 23, 2016.
  10. ↑ "System Map". RiverCities Transit. Archived from the original on August 28, 2016. Retrieved August 25, 2016.
  11. ↑ "Route 56/57". RiverCities Transit. Retrieved August 23, 2016.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.