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

History

The City of Longview began operating public transit service on June 16, 1975, following the temporary suspension of service provided by the privately-run Longview–Kelso Bus Company. The city government initially ran a single route through Longview and Kelso with seven daily trips; the Kelso city government also subsidized some costs for the trial until federal grants were obtained. The bus company sold its operations and equipment to the Longview city government in September.

Longview and Kelso 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 15, 1987. The existing service, then named the "Community Urban Bus Service" (CUBS), was transferred to the Cowlitz Transit Authority on January 1, 1988. 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. 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. In 2011, CUBS began exploring a re-brand, complete with a new name, using an online poll. "RiverCities Transit" was announced as the winner later that month, and a new blue-and-gray color scheme was adopted for the system's bus fleet the following year. A new route system, focusing on corridors where buses run every 30 to 60 minutes, debuted in August 2013; an express route between Longview and Kelso debuted earlier that year in April, reducing travel times.

RiverCities Transit opened the new Downtown Transit Center in Longview in 2020. It includes administrative offices for the agency and training facilities for drivers.

Services

Bus routes

As of October 2015

Fleet

As of March 2014

References

1. ^ 2013 Annual Report and 2014-2019 Transit Development Plan (PDF) (Report). RiverCities Transit. August 13, 2014. Retrieved August 23, 2016.
2. Kaiser, Fran (June 14, 1975). "City bus starts Monday through Longview-Kelso". The Daily News. Longview, Washington. p. 1. Retrieved November 5, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
3. Kaiser, Fran (June 17, 1975). "Kelso to help Longview with costs of operating emergency bus service". The Daily News. Longview, Washington. p. 7. Retrieved November 5, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
4. Kaiser, Fran (September 20, 1975). "Bus company sells out to city". The Daily News. Longview, Washington. p. 1. Retrieved November 5, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
5. Brunner, Dell. "Buses keep rolling as transit tax coasts to easy win". The Daily News. Longview, Washington. p. A1. Retrieved November 8, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
6. ^ 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.
7. 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.
8. Fischer, Amy M.E. (November 27, 2010). "CUBS officials release roadmap for future service". The Daily News. Longview, Washington. Retrieved August 23, 2016.
9. 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.
10. Fischer, Amy M.E. (December 29, 2011). "New bus service name chosen in decisive vote". The Daily News. Longview, Washington. Retrieved August 23, 2016.
11. Fischer, Amy M.E. (November 11, 2012). "RiverCities Transit buses getting facelift". The Daily News. Longview, Washington. Retrieved August 23, 2016.
12. Fischer, Amy M.E. (August 1, 2013). "RiverCities Transit set to begin revamped route system". The Daily News. Longview, Washington. Retrieved August 23, 2016.
13. 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.
14. "New $4 million Longview bus depot opens Wednesday". The Daily News. Longview, Washington. January 28, 2020. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
15. "System Map". RiverCities Transit. Archived from the original on August 28, 2016. Retrieved August 25, 2016.
16. "Route 56/57". RiverCities Transit. Retrieved August 23, 2016.

External links

• Official website

• Bus transportation in Washington (state)
• Transit agencies in Washington (state)
• Transportation in Cowlitz County, Washington