BEN FRANKLIN TRANSIT

Ben Franklin Transit (BFT) is a Public Transportation Benefit Area (PTBA) authorized by Washington State Law Chapter 36.57A RCW. It is located in Benton and Franklin counties in Washington State. The Benton Franklin PTBA, also known as "Ben Franklin Transit," was formed on May 11, 1981 when voters passed a 0.3 % sales tax to fund public transportation. By authorizing this taxing authority, a municipal corporation (BFT), was formed. BFT assumed the operation of the PTBA’s Dial-A-Ride system January 1, 1985. Vanpool service was initiated in September 1982 under a contract with the Benton-Franklin Council of Governments. BFT took over Vanpool operations on January 1, 1984. In 1997, Benton City and the City of Prosser annexed into the PTBA; BFT contracted with the City of Prosser to provide service to the communities of Prosser and Benton City using their Prosser Rural Transit system. In January 1999, BFT assumed these operations. In May 2001, an additional 0.3% sales tax proposition was defeated but then approved in March 2002 increasing the direct PTBA sales tax to its current rate of 0.6%. In April 2005, the unincorporated area of Finley (11.5 square miles in Benton County) was annexed to the PTBA.

Today, BFT provides fixed route, demand response and vanpool services in a 588.3 square mile area located in Benton and Franklin Counties. The service area includes the entire cities of Kennewick, Pasco, Richland, West Richland, Benton City, Prosser and certain unincorporated areas of Benton and Franklin Counties with a combined population of approximately 248,333 residents. In 2015, combined ridership for all modes of service totaled 3,961,583.

BFT is governed by an appointed nine-member Board of Directors. The Board consists of two Franklin County commissioners, one Benton County commissioner, and a city council member from each of six cities all within BFT’s service area: Kennewick, Pasco, Richland, West Richland, Benton City, and Prosser. There is also one non-voting member of the Local Teamsters Union. The Board appoints a General Manager to implement policies authorized by the Board and oversee BFT’s daily operations as well as its approximately 279 employees. The overall management of BFT is divided into six departments; Operations, Dial-A-Ride, Maintenance, Service Delivery, Human Resources and Administrative Services.

BFT operates 21 fixed routes serving Benton City, Kennewick, Pasco, Prosser, Richland, and West Richland. There are five (5) inter-city routes, which travel between cities and sixteen (16) local routes that operate within each city. Fixed route service is derived from a network of four transit center hubs and eight park and ride lots connecting passengers with destinations such as the Tri Cities Airport, Pasco Amtrak and Greyhound Stations, Grapeline service to Walla Walla, Tri City Trolley service to Hermiston and Pendleton, and People for People service to Yakima. In addition, fixed route service serves both Columbia Basin Community College and Washington State University, most area schools and major local employers such as Battelle and the North Richland area business hub. In 2015, fixed route services carried 2,782,274 passengers.

BFT’s demand response mode includes all non-fixed route services including taxi feeder routes in low-density areas, Trans+plus night service and specialized transportation service known as Dial-A-Ride. Dial-A-Ride provides transportation to individuals in the community, who, due to a disability, are unable to use fixed route bus services. Dial-A-Ride is provided directly by BFT and through contracts with local transportation providers. In 2015, total ridership was 350,523.

Since its inception in 1984, BFT’s vanpool program has expanded to 262 vans with over 3,170 daily weekday riders serving rural employment locations such as the Hanford facility, Washington State Department of Corrections in both Walla Walla and Connell, WA and neighboring agricultural facilities.

As a community partner, BFT provides over 41,847 rides each year to special events such as the annual International Hydroplane Race and Air Show, Benton County Fair, Cable Bridge Run, Art in the Park, and Polar Bear Plunge.

In recent years, BFT has restored Sunday Service and Night Service through contracted transportation services and expanded operating hours to meet the gaps between regular service provided by BFT and contracted transportation services.

For long-term operating and capital financial planning purposes BFT has developed and annually updates its six-year Transit Development Plan (TDP). The current TDP is approved through 2020 and is sustainable at 2015 year-end service levels of 366,985 service hours through 2020.