Grant Transit Authority

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.

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.^[1] The first buses began operating on November 5, 1996.^[2]

The PTBA boundaries were expanded in 1998 to include Quincy, which had opted out of the 1996 vote, thus encompassing all of Grant County.^[1] The Grant Transit Authority previously partnered with a local non-profit organization, People for People, for operations but became independent in October 2013.^[1]

In 2015, construction began on a new transit center in downtown Moses Lake.^[3] The transit center opened on August 1, 2017, with an indoor waiting area, a customer service desk, and several bays.^[4] The Grant Transit Authority debuted inter-county commuter services during the same month, connecting Moses Lake to Ellensburg and Wenatchee on weekdays.^[4][5] Several routes were consolidated in a major service change that took effect in April 2019.^[6]

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.^[7] Prior to 2020, the adult and youth fare for all service had been $1, with a reduced fare of $0.50 for eligible seniors.^[8]

• Official website