Tri-City transit buses add Wi-Fi, quicker routes

Bus rides are free this week as Ben Franklin Transit introduces free Wi-Fi, extended hours and new routes designed to shorten travel times across the Tri-Cities.

The transit agency spent two years re-evaluating its system, which is based on 17 fixed routes and other services, including Dial-A-Ride and VanPool.

It rolled out the results Monday: More direct connections, longer operating hours and free Wi-Fi on most buses. The new schedule adds two hours of operation to better cater to working commuters, aging baby boomers and car-free millennials.

The transit agency streamlined its fixed routes and increased the frequency of service. That means it will take less time to get across town.

Many buses now arrive every 30 minutes instead of every hour.

The public transit agency is also embracing rider-friendly technology. Sixty buses buses offer free Wi-Fi and all are equipped with technology that feeds information about where the bus is on its route to Ben Franklin’s website.

That means riders can check on the status of the next bus at a glance or even a text message.

Ben Franklin Transit intends to add smartphone-based transit apps to further help riders track buses in the future.

The new weekday hours are 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday hours are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

As Manager Gloria Boyce told Franklin County Commissioners during a recent update, the system didn’t work well for people with jobs.

“We can get people to work but we can’t get them home” she said.

About 90 percent of the system’s current users depend on Ben Franklin buses, vans, Dial-A-Ride service and taxi/night service to get around town.

The system racked up more than 9 million miles in 2016 and is the seventh largest transit district in Washington.

Pasco Mayor Matt Watkins, who heads the transit board, said the new service structure will help the agency respond to the 48-percent increase in the area’s population between 2000 and 2015 and keep anticipating future growth.

Ben Franklin Transit will resume collecting normal fares on Monday. Fares will not change with the new system, though Boyce said officials plan to conduct a rate study in 2018.

The regular adult fare is $1.50 per ride or $25 for a monthly pass. Seniors and children five and younger are free.

A system map is available online, as is fare information.

This story was originally published September 18, 2017 at 5:52 PM with the headline "Tri-City transit buses add Wi-Fi, quicker routes."