The Intercity Plan details the current status and future plans of intercity bus service in Washington State.
The major findings of the intercity network plan are:
- Many rural communities lack intercity bus service since Greyhound abandoned service in 2005.
- The Grape Line, (Walla Walla to Pasco) ranks highest as a regional priority to reestablish service,
- We will use intercity service to help connect isolated areas of Washington to urban centers,
- New intercity services will coordinate with other transportation providers at destinations for scheduled transfers,
- The new contracting process using Request for Proposals (RFP) will ensure the best intercity provider for a route,
- The new pilot program produces a positive public-private collaboration,
- Long-term funding is possible if the public-private collaborative funding structure is made permanent, and
- Travel Washington branding will continue to identify intercity services sponsored by the Washington State Department of Transportation.
Use the following link for more detailed information about the Intercity Network Plan.
WSDOT listened to communities throughout the state and recently awarded the first contract for intercity service to Central Washington Airporter (CWA) to provide service on the Travel Washington Grape Line (Walla Walla to Pasco). Service for Travel Washington Grape Line has began.
Use the following link for an overview of the Travel Washington network.
Next Steps: Planning for the Future of Intercity Bus Services in Washington State
Two additional Request for Proposals (RFP) are scheduled to be released in January 2008. The first RFP will provide service in north-central Washington from Omak to Ellensburg, including Wenatchee. This will be part of the Travel Washington branding, using the tradename the Travel Washington Apple Line.
The second RFP that will be released will provide service on the Olympic Peninsula from Port Angeles to Seatac, with connections in Seattle. This route will also use the Travel Washington brand.