WA: ruralTRANSIT awarded funding to continue service in South Thurston County, including Saturdays

Thurston Regional Planning Council (TRPC) was awarded funding last month to continue ruralTRANSIT service for another four years, including expanded services that were piloted in 2023.

For more than 20 years, TRPC has operated ruralTRANSIT, a fare-free transportation service that connects the communities of south Thurston County. The funding comes from the Washington state Department of Transportation's (WSDOT) Consolidated Grant Program. TRPC was awarded more than $3 million to continue ruralTRANSIT's expanded service, which brought service to Yelm and added Saturday service to all routes.

"This funding is critical for many community members, from those who rely on ruralTRANSIT for their day-to-day travel needs to those who access the service for temporary situations," Amy Hatch-Winecka, TRPC senior planner, said in a news release. "Being able to get to Yelm and travel on Saturdays allows our riders more freedom and flexibility."

The pilot project that expanded ruralTRANSIT's services started in July 2023. It was also funded by WSDOT's Consolidated Grant Program through June. The expansion of service to Yelm was added to ruralTRANSIT's Route 2, which also serves Rainier, Tenino and Tumwater.

Additional service also came to Tenino and Centralia. Route 2 added an additional stop in Tenino and relocated both its stops to West Park Avenue. Route 4 added an additional stop in Centralia at the Mellen Transit Station.

Saturday service was added to all ruralTRANSIT routes, making it possible to access public transportation in southern Thurston County and beyond from Monday through Saturday.

During the pilot project, ruralTRANSIT ridership increased by nearly 50% from 1,457 in July 2023 to 2,123 in June. The service saw record ridership in May with 3,142 riders.

In addition to the expansion of ruralTRANSIT's fixed-route service, TRPC has used this grant funding to connect children in rural communities to after-school and summer learning programs. TRPC facilitates these services through ruralTRANSIT because the funding available to smaller, community-based organizations often doesn't cover transporting students to and from activities, which can be a barrier to participation.

TRPC has awarded transportation funding to ROOF Community Services in Rochester, TOGETHER! of Thurston County, and the Boys and Girls Club of Thurston County. Their programs provide school-aged children with tutoring, mentoring and access to enrichment activities including art and sports.

"This grant provides funding for transportation where there often isn't any," Hatch-Winecka said. "Having this funding makes a difference for children in our communities. They can access engaging and educational experiences they otherwise couldn't."

With the $3 million Consolidated Grant awarded through June 2029, TRPC can continue all the expanded ruralTRANSIT services that were piloted. However, that plan is dependent on the Washington state Legislature maintaining the awarded funding through future budget sessions, according to a TRPC news release.

TRPC is one of 74 recipients of WSDOT's Consolidated Grant funding across Washington state. The grants are supported by state and federal funding, including state funding from Washington's Climate Commitment Act.