| Founded | November 5, 1996 (November 5, 1996) |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | 116 W 5th Ave Moses Lake, Washington |
| Locale | Grant County, Washington |
| Service type | Bus service |
| Routes | 13 |
| Annual ridership | 39,215 |
| Fuel type | Diesel |
| General Manager | Greg Wright |
| Website | granttransit.com |
The Grant Transit Authority is a public transit operator in Grant County, Washington. It operates 13 routes, including intercity services that converge in the city of Moses Lake. The agency's routes have been zero-fare since 2020.
History
Grant Transit Authority began as a demonstration project with four buses in November 1995. The project, deemed a success after one year, led to a November 1996 vote to establish a public transportation benefit area (PTBA) to fund a permanent system. The vote passed, creating a 0.2 percent sales tax and allowing regular service to begin and expand the following year. The first buses began operating on November 5, 1996.
The PTBA boundaries were expanded in 1998 to include Quincy, which had opted out of the 1996 vote, thus encompassing all of Grant County. The Grant Transit Authority previously partnered with a local non-profit organization, People for People, for operations but became independent in October 2013.
In 2015, construction began on a new transit center in downtown Moses Lake. The transit center opened on August 1, 2017, with an indoor waiting area, a customer service desk, and several bays. The Grant Transit Authority debuted inter-county commuter services during the same month, connecting Moses Lake to Ellensburg and Wenatchee on weekdays. Several routes were consolidated in a major service change that took effect in April 2019.
The Grant Transit Authority temporarily ceased collection of fares in April 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Washington. The policy was extended several times and made permanent on September 1, 2022, after the state government approved a statewide elimination of youth transit fares. Prior to 2020, the adult and youth fare for all service had been $1, with a reduced fare of $0.50 for eligible seniors.
References
- ^ "History". Grant Transit Authority. 2001. Retrieved July 15, 2016.
- Schweizer, Cheryl (November 3, 2016). "Grant Transit Authority to celebrate 20th birthday". Columbia Basin Herald. Retrieved August 29, 2024.
- Sukola, Tiffany (September 11, 2014). "GTA proposes Moses Lake transit center". Columbia Basin Herald. Retrieved July 15, 2016.
- ^ Schweizer, Cheryl (August 1, 2017). "Grant Transit Authority opens doors at multimodal facility". Columbia Basin Herald. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
- Hyland, Natalie (August 12, 2017). "New Grant County buses running between Ellensburg, Moses Lake". Ellensburg Daily Record. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
- Pinkerton, Rachal (March 29, 2019). "GTA to change routes Monday". Columbia Basin Herald. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
- "Zero Fares". Grant Transit Authority. Retrieved August 29, 2024.
- Pinkerton, Rachal (April 3, 2019). "GTA changes routes schedules, times". Columbia Basin Herald. Retrieved August 29, 2024.