RiverCities Transit is a

public transit Public transport (also known as public transit, mass transit, or simply transit) are forms of transport available to the general public. It typically uses a fixed schedule, route and charges a fixed fare. There is no rigid definition of wh ...

system serving the cities of Longview and Kelso in

Cowlitz County, Washington Cowlitz County is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. As of the 2020 census, its population was 110,730. The county seat is Kelso, and its largest city is Longview. The county was formed in April 1854. Its name derives from th ...

, United States. It was established in 1975 and originally named the Community Urban Bus Service (CUBS). RiverCities Transit was adopted as the system's new name in 2011.

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 A sales tax is a tax paid to a governing body for the sales of certain goods and services. Usually laws allow the seller to collect funds for the tax from the consumer at the point of purchase. When a tax on goods or services is paid to a govern ...

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. RiverCities Transit is planned to expand into inter-county service on July 1, 2025, with the debut of commuter routes from Longview to

Rainier, Oregon Rainier ( ) is a city in Columbia County, Oregon, Columbia County, Oregon, United States. The city's population was 1,895 at the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census. Rainier is on the south bank of the Columbia River across from Kelso, Washing ...

, and

Vancouver, Washington Vancouver ( ) is a city on the north bank of the Columbia River in the U.S. state of Washington (state), Washington, located in Clark County, Washington, Clark County. Founded in 1825 and incorporated in 1857, Vancouver had a population of 190, ...

. The two routes replace existing rural bus service provided by the non-profit Lower Columbia Community Action Program that is set to end service in June 2025 due to a lack of funding. The new routes will have daily service on weekdays and are partially funded by a grant from the

Federal Transit Administration The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is an agency within the United States Department of Transportation (DOT) that provides financial and technical assistance to local public transportation systems. The FTA is one of ten modal administration ...

Fleet

References

External links

*{{official website, https://rctransit.org/ Bus transportation in Washington (state) Transit agencies in Washington (state) Transportation in Cowlitz County, Washington