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Updated 04/09
Public Transportation Funding
Contents
About Public Transportation Funding
The majority of the public transportation systems in Washington are operated by special transportation benefit districts which cover all or parts of 23 counties and include 132 cities. There are three municipal systems, Everett, Pullman, and Yakima, and one metropolitan county system, King County Metro, which includes 28 cities. A regional transit authority provides transportation services between King, Pierce and Snohomish Counties. Thirteen of the 39 counties have no transportation services serving unincorporated areas. Source material for this page includes:
- Public Transportation Systems Section of Local/Regional Jurisdictions (
670 KB) in Transportation Resource Manual, January 2009 Update, Washington State Joint Transportation Commission
- Public Transportation - Washington State Department of Transportation
- Sales Tax Rates - Washington State Department of Revenue Historial Local Tax Rates and Tax Rate Change Notices
- Washington State 2008 Public Transportation Directory ( 2.08 MB)
- The Intercity Bus Program - Washington State Department of Transportation
Statutes
- Cities and Towns - Authority to acquire and operate transportation facilities - RCW 35.92.060
- Municipal Public Transportation System (1965) - Ch. 35.95 RCW - Provides for financing
- Utility and Other Services Beyond City Limits - See RCW 35.84.060 - Street Railway Extensions - Provides that municipal corporation which owns or operates an urban public transportation system as defined in RCW 47.04.082 within its corporate limits may acquire, construct, extend, own, or operate such urban public transportation system to any point or points not to exceed fifteen miles outside of its corporate limits. Urban public transportation system definition includes buses, streetcars, trains, electric trolley coaches, other public transit vehicles.
- City Transportation Authority - Seattle Monorail (2002) - Ch. 35.95A RCW
- County Ferry District, passenger-only in Counties of 1 million population (2003) - RCW 36.54.110 - RCW 36.54.190
- County Public Transportation Authority (1974) - Ch. 36.57 RCW
- Public Transportation Benefit Area (1975) - Ch. 36.57A RCW
- Passenger Only Ferry (2003) - RCW 36.57A.200 and RCW 36.47A.210
- Public Transportation Systems - Authority of municipalities to acquire, operate, etc. -- Indebtedness -- Bond issues - RCW 35.58.2721
- Regional Transit Authorities - Sound Transit (1992) - Ch 81.112 RCW
- Unincorporated Transportation Benefit Areas (1975) - RCW 36.57.100
- Transit Taxes
- RCW 82.14.045 - Sales and Use Tax for Public Transportation Systems
- RCW 35.95.040 - Levy and Collection of Excise Taxes Authorized
Public Transportation Systems by County
| County | Type | Jurisdictions Included, Boundaries, and Governance | Tax Funding (Sales Tax Rate, Department of Revenue Historial Local Tax Rates) |
| City Transit Authority (Ch. 35.95A RCW) | |||
| Seattle, King County | Seattle Popular Monorail Authority 2002-2005 Dissolved |
The Project was governed by a Board of Directors consisting of 9 appointed or elected members plus one ex officio member. On November 8, 2005, Seattle citizens did not support Proposition 1, which concerned shortening the initial monorail line. As a result the the Seattle Monorail Project (SMP) was dissolved | Motor Vehicle Excise Tax of 1.4 percent |
| City Transit Systems (Ch. 35.95 RCW) | |||
| Everett, Snohomish County | Everett Transit | Everett only | Sales Tax Rate .006 |
| Pullman, Whitman County | Pullman Transit |
Pullman | Business Tax - 2% of the gross income of the business of: (a) selling or furnishing electric light and power; (b) selling, brokering, or furnishing natural or manufactured gas; (c) telephone business; (d) solid waste collection service; and, (e) selling or furnishing water and sewer services. The transit portion of the utility tax was enacted by Ordinance No. 78-39 adopted by the City Council on September 19, 1978, and approved by the voters of the city at a special election conducted on November 7, 1978. (Pullman Municipal Code 6.15.055 (3) |
| Yakima, Yakima County | City Transit |
Yakima and service to Selah by interlocal agreement | Sales Tax Rate .003 |
| Selah, Yakima County | Contract with Yakima Transit (2007) | Selah | Sales Tax Rate .003 |
| Union Gap, Yakima County | Contract with TC Transportation (2008) | Union Gap | Sales Tax Rate .002 |
| County Transit Authority (Ch. 36.57 RCW) | |||
| Grays Harbor | Grays Harbor Transportation Authority - Grays Harbor Transit - County Transportation Authority serves entire county | Aberdeen, Cosmopolis, Elma, Hoquiam, McCleary, Montesano, Oakville, Ocean Shores, Westport and unincorporated county | Sales Tax Rate .006 |
| Metropolitan County (Ch. 35.58 RCW and Ch. 36.56 RCW) | |||
| King County | Metro Transit | All cities and towns in King County and Unincorporated area Initially operated by Municipality of Metropolitan Seattle 1972, 1992 merged with King County (retaining powers of RCW 35.58) | Sales Tax Rate .009 |
| Public Transportation Benefit Authorities (Ch. 36.57A RCW) and Unincorporated County Transportation Benefit Area (RCW 36.57.100) | |||
| Asotin | Asotin County Public Transportation Benefit Area (PTBA - Ch. 36.57A RCW ) Created May 2003 | Cities of Asotin and Clarkston, and all of the unincorporated area of county. Three member board: Each entity involved has one representative who is an elected official. This consists of the City of Asotin, the City of Clarkston, each who have one councilmember, and one Commissioner from the County. Contracting with Valley Transit | Sales Tax Rate .002 A 5-year sunset clause requires the county to go before voters again in 2010 for continued funding. The new transit tax helps maintain and improve the county's public transit services and provides the matching funds needed to receive federal grants. (DOT) |
| Benton | Ben Franklin Transit Ch. 36.57A RCW ) (PTBA - | Cities of Benton City, Kennewick, Richland, West Richland and portions of unincorporated county area. Finley area annexed April 2005 | Sales Tax Rate .006 |
| Chelan | Link Transit - Serves Chelan and Douglas Counties (PTBA - Ch. 36.57A RCW ) 1989 | Cashmere, Chelan, Entiat, Leavenworth, Wenatchee, and unincorporated area of Chelan County, East Wenatchee, Rock Island, Waterville, and area of Eastmont, Orondo and Waterville school districts in Douglas County The PTBA Board of Directors was assembled to equal twelve members who are local elected officials from the two counties and the eight cities. The Board is comprised of one representative from each city: Wenatchee, East Wenatchee, Chelan, Entiat, Waterville, Rock Island, Leavenworth, and Cashmere; and two representatives from Douglas County, and Chelan County | Sales Tax Rate .004 |
| Clallam | Clallam Transit System - Countywide (PTBA - Ch. 36.57A RCW ) Formed on July 24, 1979 | Forks, Port Angeles, Sequim and all of the unincorporated areas. CTS is organized into three departmental areas: Operations, Maintenance, and Administration. Oversight of all agency operations is the responsibility of the General Manager. Legal counsel is at the disposal of the General Manager as needed. Agency policy oversight is the responsibility of an appointed panel of elected officials. The three municipalities within the service area (Forks, Port Angeles, and Sequim) and Clallam County each appoint two elected representatives to the CTS Board | Sales Tax Rate .006 |
| Clark | C-TRAN - (PTBA - Ch. 36.57A RCW ) Formed 1980 | Serves Vancouver and urban growth boundary area, election precincts 915, 960, and 646, and the city limits of Battle Ground, Camas, La Center, Ridgefield, Vancouver, Washougal, and Yacolt. Boundaries were reduced in October 2005. C-TRAN's Board of Directors is comprised of elected officials from various city and county governmental offices. The nine members consist of: all three Clark County Commissioners; three representatives from the Vancouver City Council; and one representative each from the Camas/Washougal, Battle Ground/Yacolt, and Ridgefield/La Center City Councils | Sales Tax Rate .006 Increase April 1, 2007 of .002 for unincorporated areas, Camas and Yacolt. |
| Columbia | Columbia County Public Transportation (CCPT) Formed 2005 | Countywide including Dayton and Starbuck | Sales Tax Rate .004 |
| Cowlitz | Community Urban Bus Service (CUBS) serves Kelso and Longview urban area (PTBA - Ch. 36.57A RCW ) Formed 1987 | Kelso and Longview Cowlitz Transit Authority - two representatives from Longview, two from Kelso and one from Cowlitz County |
Sales Tax Rate .003 Increased by .002 April 1, 2009 |
| Douglas | Link Transit - Serves Chelan and Douglas Counties (PTBA - Ch. 36.57A RCW ) | See Chelan County East Wenatchee, Rock Island, Waterville, and area of Eastmont, Orondo and Waterville school districts in Douglas County | Sales Tax Rate .004 |
| Franklin | Ben Franklin Transit (PTBA - Ch. 36.57A RCW ) | See Benton County Pasco | Sales Tax Rate .006 |
| Garfield | Garfield County Transportation – Unincorporated county Transportation Benefit Area serves Garfield County (RCW 36.57.100) | County-wide dial-a- ride | Grants |
| Grant | Grant Transit Authority – Countywide (PTBA - Ch. 36.57A RCW ) Formed 1996 | Coulee City, Electric City, Ephrata, George, Grand Coulee, Hartline, Krupp, Mattawa, Moses Lake, Quincy, Soap Lake, Warden, Wilson Creek, and unincorporated areas of Grant County. Board composed of one representative from each jurisdiction | Sales Tax Rate .002 |
| Island | Island Transit - Countywide (PTBA - Ch. 36.57A RCW ) 1983 | Coupeville, Langley, Oak Harbor and unincorporated part of county Board of Directors and citizen advisory board | Sales Tax Rate .006 |
| Jefferson | Jefferson Transit - Countywide (PTBA - Ch. 36.57A RCW ) 1981 | Port Townsend and unincorporated part of county The Jefferson Transit Authority Board consists of five members who represent Port Townsend City and Jefferson County government. | Sales Tax Rate .006 |
| Kitsap | Kitsap Transit - Countywide (PTBA - Ch. 36.57A RCW ) | Bremerton, Port Orchard, Poulsbo, Bainbridge Island, and unincorporated areas of county |
Sales Tax Rate .008 |
| Lewis | Twin Transit - PTBA serves Centralia and Chehalis area | Centralia and Chehalis | Sales Tax Rate .002 |
| Mason | Mason County Transportation Authority - Countywide (PTBA - Ch. 36.57A RCW ) | Shelton and unincorporated portions of county Board of 6 - 3 from county, three from city, also citizens advisory board | Sales Tax Rate .006 |
| Pacific | Pacific Transit System - Countywide (PTBA - Ch. 36.57A RCW ) | Ilwaco, Long Beach, Raymond, South Bend and unincorporated areas of county. | Sales Tax Rate .003 |
| Pierce | Pierce Transit - Countywide (PTBA - Ch. 36.57A RCW ) 1979 | Auburn (Pierce), Bonney Lake, Buckley, DuPont, Eatonville, Edgewood, Fife, Fircrest, Gig Harbor, Lakewood, Milton (Pierce), Orting, Pacific (Pierce) Puyallup, Ruston, Steilacoom, Sumner, Tacoma and University Place, and unincorporated areas of Pierce County. Governed by a Board of Commissioners comprised of nine elected officials representing the City of Tacoma, Pierce County, Lakewood, University Place/Puyallup (a rotating appointment) and the smaller towns and cities of Pierce Transit's service area. | Sales Tax Rate .006 |
| Skagit | Skagit Transit (SKAT) - (PTBA - Ch. 36.57A RCW ) | Anacortes, Burlington, Concrete, Hamilton, La Conner, Lyman, Mount Vernon, Sedro-Woolley, and part of unincorporated county? The governing board is comprised of the three county commissioners and six elected officials representing the cities of Mount Vernon, Burlington, Anacortes, and Sedro-Woolley. | Sales Tax Rate .004 Increased by .002 April 1, 2009 |
| Snohomish | Community Transit Serves urban and rural areas of Snohomish County, except Everett (PTBA - Ch. 36.57A RCW ) Began service Oct. 4, 1976 | All cities in county except Everett have voted to join the agency: Formed by Lynnwood, Edmonds, Mountlake Terrace, Brier, Woodway, Marysville and Snohomish; Monroe and Lake Stevens in 1977; Stanwood, Granite Falls, Mukilteo and Sultan in 1979; Arlington in 1980; Gold Bar, Index and Startup in 1981; Oso and Darrington in 1982; Mill Creek in 1983 and Bothell in 1992. | Sales Tax Rate .009 |
| Spokane | Spokane Transit (PTBA - Ch. 36.57A RCW ) 1980 | Airway Heights, Cheney, Medical Lake, Millwood, Latah, Liberty Lake, Spokane, and Spokane Valley, as well as portions of the unincorporated county surrounding those municipalities. It is governed by a Board of Directors composed of nine elected officials from the jurisdictions within the PTBA There are about 456 employees at Spokane Transit | Sales Tax Rate .006 |
| Thurston | Intercity Transit - PTBA serves Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater, Yelm, and urban growth area (PTBA - Ch. 36.57A RCW) | Lacey, Tumwater, Olympia, and Yelm and their urban growth areas. Intercity Transit is governed by an eight-member Board of Directors. The Authority consists of five elected officials representing the Thurston County Board of Commissioners, the Cities of Lacey, Tumwater, Olympia, and Yelm. Three members of the Authority are Citizen Representatives appointed by the Board. | Sales Tax Rate .006 |
| Walla Walla | Valley Transit - (PTBA - Ch. 36.57A RCW ) | College Place, Walla Walla, Parts of Walla Walla County 7 member board of directors comprised of two Walla Walla County Commissioners, three Walla Walla Council members, and two College Place Council members. | Sales Tax Rate .003 |
| Whatcom | Whatcom Transportation Authority -Countywide (PTBA - Ch. 36.57A RCW ) | Bellingham, Blaine, Everson, Ferndale, Lynden, Nooksack, Sumas, Nooksack 7 member board of directors with the Whatcom County Executive, one Whatcom County Council member, the Mayor of Bellingham, two Bellingham Council members, an elected representative from Lynden, Everson, Nooksack, or Sumas, and an elected representative from either Blaine or Ferndale | Sales Tax Rate .006 |
| Regional Transit Authorities | |||
| King, Pierce, Snohomish County | Sound Transit Regional Transit Authority 1996 | See Maps of Sound Transit District Boundary. King ( 3.72 MB) Pierce ( 3.9 MB) Snohomish ( 4.59 MB) Snohomish County Subarea: Includes the cities of Brier, Edmonds, Everett, Lynnwood, Mill Creek, Mountlake Terrace, Mukilteo and Woodway. North King County Subarea: Includes the cities of Seattle, Shoreline and Lake Forest Park. South King County Subarea: Includes the cities of Algona, Auburn, Burien, Des Moines, Federal Way, Kent, Normandy Park, Pacific, SeaTac and Tukwila. Since 1990, this has been the fastest growing area of King County. East King County Subarea: Includes the cities of Beaux Arts, Bellevue, Bothell, Clyde Hill, Hunts Point, Issaquah, Kirkland, Medina, Mercer Island, Newcastle, Redmond, Renton, Woodinville, and Yarrow Point. Pierce County Subarea: Includes the cities of Bonney Lake, DuPont, Edgewood, Fife, Fircrest, Lakewood, Milton, Orting, Puyallup, Ruston, Steilacoom, Sumner, Tacoma and University Place. Sound Transit is governed by an 18-member Board of Directors; 17 members are local elected officials, and the 18th member is the Washington State Department of Transportation Secretary. Local elected officials include mayors, city council members, county executives, and county council members from within the Sound Transit District. Currently, the Sound Transit Board includes three members from Snohomish County, ten from King County, four from Pierce County, and the State Transportation Department secretary. | Sales Tax Rate .009 Effective April 1, 2009, the Regional Transit Authority sales tax increased five-tenths of one percent (.005) to a total of nine-tenths of one percent (.009). The sales tax increase will be used to expand and coordinate light-rail, commuter-rail, and express bus service, and improve access to transit facilities in King, Pierce, and Snohomish Counties The RTA Tax is a 0.3 percent motor-vehicle tax and a sales tax. |
| Counties without Transit Services in Unincorporated Areas | |||
| Adams, Ferry, Kittitas, Cowlitz, Klickitat, Lewis, Lincoln, Okanogan, Pend Oreille, San Juan, Stevens, Wahkiakum, Whitman, Yakima - Note the Department of Transportation Intercity Bus Program provides transportation between cities in some areas. | |||