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Public transportation benefit area

Topic: Finance

 From HandWiki - Reading time: 7 min

Short description: Public transit operators in Washington state

A public transportation benefit area, abbreviated as PTBA, is a type of public-benefit corporation for public transit operators in the U.S. state of Washington. It was authorized in 1975 along with a funding mechanism that uses sales taxes levied within a district. As of 2025, there are 21 PTBAs that cover most of Washington's counties and large cities, with the exception of Seattle.

Public transportation benefit areas are defined by Revised Code of Washington Chapter 36.57A, and are described as special taxing districts created solely for the purpose of funding public transportation. Within Washington state, there are 31 systems that cover all or parts of 23 counties and serve 132 cities. The majority of transit systems in the state are operated by public transportation benefit areas, with the exception of King County Metro (a metropolitan county system) and Sound Transit (a regional transit authority) in the Seattle metropolitan area; as well as county transportation authorities in Columbia County and Grays Harbor County;[1] and city-owned systems in Everett, Pullman, and Yakima.[2][3][4] Only two PTBAs serve more than one county: Ben Franklin Transit in Benton and Franklin counties; and Link Transit in Chelan and Douglas counties. These systems are allowed up to 15 members on their board of directors.[1]

PTBAs are granted the authority to impose a voter-authorized sales tax of up to 0.9 percent and motor vehicle excise tax of up to 0.4 percent within its boundaries. Community Transit, the PTBA of Snohomish County, was granted a sales tax limit of 1.2 percent in 2015 after exhausting the existing 0.9 percent.[5][6]: 1  PTBAs with boundaries on the Puget Sound are also authorized to provide passenger ferry service in addition to traditional bus, paratransit and vanpool services.[3] PTBAs are governed by a board of directors of not more than nine elected officials, supplemented by a union representative. In Thurston County, the board is allowed to have citizen members; in Mason County, elected officials on the board include representatives from school boards, fire districts, and hospital districts.[1]

A special type of PTBA for unincorporated areas within counties, called unincorporated transportation benefit areas.[7] Garfield County had the last active unincorporated transportation benefit area until it was converted into a county authority in 2016.[2]

History

On July 1, 1975, Governor Daniel J. Evans signed Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill No. 2280 into law, creating the PTBA.[8] The bill had been proposed by the Snohomish County Transportation Authority (SNO-TRAN), who would later use the legislation to establish the state's first PTBA, the Snohomish County Public Transportation Benefit Area Corporation, later renamed Community Transit, in November 1975.[9][10]

List of public transportation benefit areas

As of 2025, Washington has 21 public transportation benefit areas that serve a total population of over 4 million residents.[1][11]

Agency Established[12] Area Population[11] Jurisdiction Fixed-route
ridership (2024)[13] 		Sales tax rate[2] Website
Asotin County PTBA 2003[14] 636 sq mi (1,647 km2) 22,750 Asotin Asotin County


47,147 0.2% ridethevalley.org
Ben Franklin Transit 1981[15] 618 sq mi (1,601 km2)[16] 290,240 Benton Central Benton County and Pasco in Franklin County


2,786,983 0.6% bft.org
C-Tran 1980 627 sq mi (1,624 km2) 461,659 Clark Clark County


4,657,393 0.7% c-tran.com
Clallam Transit 1979[17] 1,753 sq mi (4,540 km2)[18] 78,650 Clallam Clallam County


803,963 0.6% clallamtransit.com
Community Transit 1976[19][20] 1,308 sq mi (3,388 km2)[21] 644,949 Snohomish Snohomish County (excluding Everett)


7,825,896 1.2% communitytransit.org
Grant Transit Authority 1996[22] 2,679 sq mi (6,939 km2) 106,250 Grant Grant County


137,795 0.2% gta-ride.com
Intercity Transit 1980 97 sq mi (251 km2)[23] 321,349 Thurston Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater and Yelm in Thurston County


4,242,911 1.2% intercitytransit.com
Island Transit 1980 208 sq mi (539 km2) 88,700 Island Island County


261,289 0.9% islandtransit.org
Jefferson Transit 1980 1,803 sq mi (4,670 km2)[24] 33,825 Jefferson Jefferson County


242,342 0.9% jeffersontransit.com
Kitsap Transit 1978 395 sq mi (1,023 km2) 288,900 Kitsap Kitsap County


1,655,636 1.1%[lower-alpha 1] kitsaptransit.com
Lewis County Transit[lower-alpha 2] 1976 13.1 sq mi (34 km2)[26] 26,245 Lewis Centralia and Chehalis in Lewis County


219,879 0.2% lewiscountytransit.org
Link Transit 1989[27] 3,500 sq mi (9,065 km2)[27] 123,176 Chelan Chelan and Douglas counties


1,233,837 0.5% linktransit.com
Mason Transit Authority 1991[28] 968 sq mi (2,507 km2)[29] 67,800 Mason Mason County


481,207 0.6% masontransit.org
Pacific Transit System 1979 933 sq mi (2,416 km2) 23,950 Pacific Pacific County


68,189 0.3% pacifictransit.org
Pierce Transit 1979 292 sq mi (756 km2)[30] 612,378 Pierce Central and northern Pierce County


6,769,493 0.6% piercetransit.org
RiverCities Transit 1987[31] 27 sq mi (70 km2)[32] 51,470 Cowlitz Kelso and Longview in Cowlitz County


271,500 0.3% rctransit.org
Skagit Transit 1992[33] 750 sq mi (1,942 km2)[34] 118,860 Skagit Northern and western Skagit County


501,584 0.4% skagittransit.org
Spokane Transit Authority 1981[35] 248 sq mi (642 km2)[35] 481,616 Spokane Central Spokane County


7,857,689 0.8%[36] spokanetransit.com
TranGO 2013[37] 5,034 sq mi (13,038 km2)[38] 40,615 Okanogan Okanogan County


56,530 0.4%[39] okanogantransit.com
Valley Transit 1980[40] 25 sq mi (65 km2)[41] 54,252 Walla Walla Southeastern Walla Walla County


455,860 0.6% valleytransit.com
Whatcom Transportation Authority 1983[42] 776 sq mi (2,010 km2)[43] 240,415 Whatcom Western Whatcom County


3,760,005 0.6% ridewta.com

See also

  • Public transportation in Washington (state)
  • Non-PTBA transit systems in Washington state:
    • Everett Transit
    • Grays Harbor Transit
    • King County Metro
    • Pullman Transit
    • Sound Transit – regional transit authority of Seattle metropolitan area
    • Yakima Transit

Notes

  1. ↑ 0.3% of the PTBA rate is allocated for Kitsap Fast Ferries service.[2]
  2. ↑ Until 2024, Lewis County Transit was named Twin Transit.[25]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Joint Transportation Committee (July 2025). Washington State Transportation Resource Manual (Report). Washington State Legislature. pp. 175–182, 405–409. https://leg.wa.gov/media/f3elvnna/transportation-resource-manual-searchable-document.pdf. Retrieved November 23, 2025. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "Local Transit Authorities and Funding Sources". Municipal Research and Services Center. January 17, 2025. https://mrsc.org/explore-topics/government-organization/special-districts/local-transit-authorities. Retrieved November 23, 2025. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Passenger-Only Ferry Business Plan and Long Range Strategy: Summary Report (Report). Kitsap Transit. December 2014. p. 4. http://www.kitsaptransit.com/uploads/pdf/projects/ferryreportfinal.pdf. Retrieved July 12, 2016. 
  4. ↑ "Chapter 36.57A RCW: Public Transportation Benefit Areas". Revised Code of Washington. Washington State Legislature. http://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=36.57A&full=true. 
  5. ↑ "RCW 82.14.045: Sales and use taxes for public transportation systems.". Revised Code of Washington. Washington State Legislature. http://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=82.14.045. 
  6. ↑ Template:WSDOT Public Transit Summary
  7. ↑ "RCW 36.57.110: Boundaries of unincorporated transportation benefit areas.". Revised Code of Washington. Washington State Legislature. http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=36.57.110. 
  8. ↑ White, Richard O., ed (July 1, 1975). "Chapter 270 (Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill No. 2280): Public Transportation". 1975 Session Laws of the State of Washington - 1st Extraordinary Session, Forty-Fourth Legislature. Session Laws of the State of Washington (1975 ed.). Olympia, Washington: Washington State Legislature. pp. 979–993. OCLC 42336168. http://www.leg.wa.gov/CodeReviser/documents/sessionlaw/1975pam1.pdf. 
  9. ↑ Brooks, Diane (December 30, 1994). "Sno-Tran Has Met Goals, Calling It A Day -- Tomorrow Ends Decade Of Success For Transit Agency". The Seattle Times. https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/19941230/1949884/sno-tran-has-met-goals-calling-it-a-day. 
  10. ↑ Template:WSDOT Public Transit Summary
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Kemp, Rob (September 26, 2025). "2025 Public Transportation Benefit Area Population Estimates". Washington State Office of Financial Management. https://ofm.wa.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/default/files/public/dataresearch/pop/special/ptba.pdf. Retrieved November 23, 2025. 
  12. ↑ Template:WSDOT Public Transit Summary
  13. ↑ Template:WSDOT Public Transit Summary
  14. ↑ "Accountability Audit Report: Asotin County Public Transportation Benefit Area". Washington State Auditor's Office. November 30, 2015. p. 5. http://portal.sao.wa.gov/ReportSearch/Home/ViewReportFile?isFinding=false&arn=1015603. 
  15. ↑ Woebler, Bob (May 20, 1980). "Tri-City voters approve mass transit system 2-1". Tri-City Herald (Kennewick, Washington: The McClatchy Company). 
  16. ↑ "BFT History". Ben Franklin Transit. http://www.bft.org/about/bft-history/. 
  17. ↑ "History". Clallam Transit. http://www.clallamtransit.com/history.html. 
  18. ↑ "Facts/Ridership & Budget". Clallam Transit. http://www.clallamtransit.com/factsridership-a-budget.html. 
  19. ↑ Lane, Bob (June 2, 1976). "Snohomish County bus system OK'd". The Seattle Times: p. A10. 
  20. ↑ "Community Transit Marks 35th Anniversary" (Press release). Everett, Washington: Community Transit. October 3, 2011. Retrieved July 12, 2016.
  21. ↑ Heath, Emmett (May 27, 2014). 2013 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, Years Ending December 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012 (Report). Community Transit. p. 109. http://www.commtrans.org/About/Documents/2013%20Community%20Transit%20CAFR%20Web%20Ready.pdf. Retrieved July 12, 2016. 
  22. ↑ "History". Grant Transit Authority. http://www.gta-ride.com/history.htm. 
  23. ↑ "30th Anniversary Survey Feedback Positive". Intercity Transit. 2011. http://www.intercitytransit.com/about/Pages/30anniversarysurvey.aspx. 
  24. ↑ "Statistical Information". Jefferson Transit. February 2011. http://jeffersontransit.com/about/statistical-information/. 
  25. ↑ "Twin Transit to rebrand to 'Lewis County Transit' in new year". The Chronicle (Centralia, Washington). December 29, 2023. https://www.chronline.com/stories/twin-transit-to-rebrand-to-lewis-county-transit-in-new-year,331828. Retrieved November 23, 2025. 
  26. ↑ 2013 Annual Report & Transit Development Plan 2014–2019 (Report). Twin Transit. August 15, 2014. p. 6. 
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 "About Link Transit". Link Transit. http://www.linktransit.com/more-link/about/about-link-transit. 
  28. ↑ "History of MTA". Mason Transit Authority. http://www.masontransit.org/about/history.html. 
  29. ↑ LePage, Caroyln (December 31, 2008). Annual Report: Mason County Public Transportation Benefit Area Authority (MTA) (Report). Mason County Transportation Authority. p. 3. http://www.masontransit.org/documents/MTA%202008%20Annual%20Report.pdf. Retrieved July 12, 2016. 
  30. ↑ "About Us". Pierce Transit. http://www.piercetransit.org/about-pierce-transit/. 
  31. ↑ Brunner, Dell. "Buses keep rolling as transit tax coasts to easy win". The Daily News (Longview, Washington): p. A1. https://www.newspapers.com/article/longview-daily-news-buses-keep-rolling-a/158701369/. Retrieved November 8, 2024. 
  32. ↑ 2013 Annual Report and 2014-2019 Transit Development Plan (Report). RiverCities Transit. August 13, 2014. p. 5. http://rctransit.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/FINAL-RiverCities-2014-TDP-081414.pdf. Retrieved July 12, 2016. 
  33. ↑ Template:WSDOT Public Transit Summary
  34. ↑ "Fact Sheet: Skagit Transit History and Demographics". Skagit Transit. 2011. http://www.skagittransit.org/about-us/fact-sheet/. 
  35. ↑ 35.0 35.1 "Spokane Transit Celebrates 35th Anniversary" (Press release). Spokane Transit Authority. March 10, 2016. Archived from the original on April 5, 2022. Retrieved May 9, 2021.
  36. ↑ "Spokane Transit 2025–2030 Transit Development Plan, Final Draft". Spokane Transit Authority. June 21, 2024. p. 21. https://www.spokanetransit.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/2025_2030-TDP-Final-Draft.pdf. Retrieved November 23, 2025. 
  37. ↑ "Okanogan County — Election results 2013". The Wenatchee World. November 5, 2013. http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2013/nov/05/okanogan-county-election-2013/. 
  38. ↑ Okanogan County Transit Authority 2013 Transit Service Plan (Report). Okanogan County Transit Authority. March 11, 2013. p. 1. 
  39. ↑ Taxpayer Account Administration (January 29, 2014). "Okanogan County Transportation Tax, Effective April 1, 2014". Washington State Department of Revenue. http://dor.wa.gov/Docs/Pubs/SpecialNotices/2014/sn_April_14_OkanTrans.pdf. 
  40. ↑ "History of Valley Transit". Valley Transit. http://www.valleytransit.com/framesets/history.htm. 
  41. ↑ "Annual Agency Profile – Valley Transit". National Transit Database. Federal Transit Administration. October 9, 2025. https://www.transit.dot.gov/sites/fta.dot.gov/files/transit_agency_profile_doc/2024/00064.pdf. Retrieved November 23, 2025. 
  42. ↑ Whatcom County Council (March 10, 1983). "Whatcom County Council Minutes: Public Transportation Benefit Area (PTBA)". Whatcom County. p. 2. http://apps2.whatcomcounty.us/council/1983/minutes/c0310.pdf. 
  43. ↑ "Whatcom Transportation Authority 2025–2030 Transit Development Plan". Whatcom Transportation Authority. July 17, 2025. p. 8. https://portal.laserfiche.com/Portal/DocView.aspx?id=17598&repo=r-d2c6dd14. Retrieved November 23, 2025. 



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