| RiverCities Transit | |
| Commenced: | [1] |
| Locale: | Cowlitz County, Washington |
| Service Type: | Bus service |
| Routes: | 7 |
| Operator: | Cowlitz Transit Authority |
| Fuel Type: | Diesel |
RiverCities Transit is a public transit system serving the cities of Longview and Kelso in Cowlitz County, Washington.
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.[2] [3] The bus company sold its operations and equipment to the Longview city government in September.[4]
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.[5] [6] The existing service, then named the "Community Urban Bus Service" (CUBS), was transferred to the Cowlitz Transit Authority on January 1, 1988.[6] 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.[7] 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.[8] In 2011, CUBS began exploring a re-brand, complete with a new name, using an online poll.[9] "RiverCities Transit" was announced as the winner later that month,[10] and a new blue-and-gray color scheme was adopted for the system's bus fleet the following year.[11] A new route system, focusing on corridors where buses run every 30 to 60 minutes, debuted in August 2013;[12] an express route between Longview and Kelso debuted earlier that year in April, reducing travel times.[13]
RiverCities Transit opened the new Downtown Transit Center in Longview in 2020. It includes administrative offices for the agency and training facilities for drivers.[14]
| Route | Inbound terminus | Outbound terminus | Via | Frequency | Saturday service | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 | Longview Transit Center | 32nd Avenue & Maryland | Western Longview | 60 minutes 30 minutes (peak) | |||
| 32 | Longview Transit Center | 30th Avenue & Larch | Downtown Longview | 60 minutes 30 minutes (peak) | |||
| 33 | Longview Transit Center | Heron Pointe | Lower Columbia College | 60 minutes | |||
| 44 | Heron Pointe | Three Rivers Mall | Ocean Beach Highway, Longview | 60 minutes | Express service along Ocean Beach Highway | ||
| 45 | Longview Transit Center | Three Rivers Mall | Downtown Longview, Kelso Multimodal Transportation Center | 30 minutes | "Circulator" loop | ||
| 56 | Kelso Multimodal Transportation Center | Three Rivers Mall | Kelso | 60 minutes | Runs in the opposite direction as route 57[16] | ||
| 57 | Kelso Multimodal Transportation Center | Three Rivers Mall | Kelso | 60 minutes | Runs in the opposite direction as route 56 |
| Year | Manufacturer | Model | Fleet Numbers | Capacity | Fuel Type | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Gillig | Phantom 30' | 42-29 | 1 | 29 | Diesel | ||
| 2002 | Gillig | Phantom 35' | 42-01–42-04 | 4 | 35 | Diesel | ||
| 2003 | Gillig | Phantom 35' | 42-05–42-06 | 2 | 35 | Diesel | ||
| 2009 | Gillig | Low Floor 35' | 42-07 | 1 | 32 | Diesel | ||
| 2011 | Gillig | Low Floor HEV 35' | 42-09 | 1 | 32 | Diesel-electric hybrid | ||
| 2013 | Gillig | BRT 35' | 42-10–42-13 | 4 | 32 | Diesel |