Frequently Asked Questions
What services does Spokane Transit provide?
How many vehicles make up Spokane Transit's fleet?
When was Spokane Transit established?
What is the Public Transportation Benefit Area (PTBA)?
What is the Board of Directors' authority?
What is the Composition of the Board of Directors?
How are Board Members Appointed?
What is the Make-up of STA’s Workforce?
What’s New at Spokane Transit?
What is Spokane Transit’s estimated 2008 operating budget?
Where are STA's Park & Ride lots located?
Can STA take me to the airport?
Overview of STA | Top
Spokane Transit Authority (STA) is a municipal corporation formed in 1981 when voters approved the establishment of the Public Transportation Benefit Area (PTBA) and adopted a three-tenths of one percent sales tax as part of its financial support. A nine-member Board of Directors governs STA. The Chief Executive Officer is responsible for bus service, Paratransit and Vanpool programs.
STA operates 151 buses and vans on 40 different routes within the PTBA, which is comprised of 248 square miles within Spokane County. Currently, nearly ten million fixed-route bus rides are provided annually. The Paratransit fleet of 67 STA vans, plus 37 vans operated by First Transit under contract with STA, transport more than 500,000 passengers per year. The Vanpool program operates with a fleet of 94 vans making nearly 167,000 commuter trips per year.
STA employs more than 500 people working out of three STA-owned locations in Spokane.
The agency is segmented into three divisions: Executive Administration, Operations (Fixed Route, Paratransit and Vanpool), and Finance and Administration.
Funding for STA operations comes from local sales and use tax, assistance from the Federal Transit Administration and fare revenues. A major source of revenue for STA was lost in 1999 with the repeal of the state Motor Vehicle Excise Tax (MVET).
On May 18, 2004, 69% of voters approved an additional three-tenths of one percent sales tax, re-establishing funding lost with the repeal of MVET. A sunset clause was attached, requiring a reauthorization vote within five years. On May 20, 2008, voters overwhelmingly approved continuation of the sales tax funding with no sunset clause.
What services does Spokane Transit provide? | Top
Fixed Route Bus offers weekday, evening and weekend public transportation on 40 routes throughout the PTBA. All buses are lift-equipped to accommodate customers with disabilities and feature bike racks capable of transporting two bicycles. The general fare is $1.00. Visit www.spokanetransit.com for more information on fares and bus passes.
Paratransit Service is a shared-ride, wheelchair-accessible transportation service for ADA eligible persons who are unable to use regular lift-equipped buses. Scheduled rides are provided within 3/4 miles of an STA bus route within the Public Transportation Benefit Area for a 50 cent fare.
Vanpool is a program that groups commuters together to share the ride and expense of commuting to work. Each Vanpool group pays a set monthly fare to Spokane Transit based on daily round-trip miles. The fare includes fuel, tires, maintenance, insurance, administration and partial capital recovery.
Mobility Training is a free STA program that helps seniors and persons with disabilities gain more independence by learning to ride the bus. Call (509) 232-6303 for information.
How Many Vehicles Make Up Spokane Transit’s Fleet? | Top
The 2008 fleet:
Fixed Route Bus
Diesel Buses (132)
60-Foot Buses (6)
Hybrid Buses (3)
Trolleys (3)
Vans (7)
Paratransit
Vans (94)
Vans under contract with
First Transit (37)
Vanpool
Vans (87)
Who Rides Spokane Transit? | Top
Ridership is evenly split between males and females.
The majority of riders are between the ages of 19 and 34.
Most riders use the bus five days a week and have ridden for three years.
Our riders: 33% students, 46% employed, 11% unemployed, 10% retired or homemakers.
Sixty-eight percent of riders would not have regular transportation without STA.
When was Spokane Transit established? | Top
Spokane area voters approved the formation of a public transportation benefit area in 1981.
What is the Public Transportation Benefit Area (PTBA)? | Top
Much like a fire or school district, the PTBA is a special taxing district established by Washington State for the purpose of providing public transportation. Spokane Transit is the provider of public transportation services within the PTBA and is considered a municipal corporation.
The PTBA includes urbanized areas representing approximately two-thirds of Spokane County and 248 square miles within Spokane County.
What is the Board of Directors' Authority? | Top
The Board of Directors provides legislative direction for STA and its administrators and approves its policies, budgets and long-term plans. The Board has the authority to levy sales taxes with voter approval up to 0.9%. The current tax is 0.6%.
What is the Composition of the Board of Directors? | Top
By state law, the Board is composed of a maximum of nine elected officials from the jurisdictions in the PTBA. These include Spokane County and the cities of Airway Heights, Cheney, Liberty Lake, Medical Lake, Spokane, Spokane Valley and Millwood.
How are Board Members Appointed? | Top
Each city’s governing body and the Spokane County Commissioners appoint elected officials to serve on the STA Board.
What is the Make-up of STA’s Workforce? | Top
STA employs more than 500 individuals. The fixed route bus division accounts for 75% of the employees. Eighteen percent work in Paratransit and Vanpool. Nearly 7% of STA’s employees are in administrative positions. Four percent are management positions.
E. Susan Meyer has been the Chief Executive Officer of Spokane Transit since June 2005.
Approximately 84% of Spokane Transit’s employees are represented by unions.
Amalgamated Transit Union, Local 1015, is the largest union and represents fixed route bus drivers, mechanics, facility workers,
customer service and some clerical positions.
AFSCME, Local 3939, represents all paratransit operating positions.
Amalgamated Transit Union, Local 1598, represents fixed route and paratransit
supervisors.
What’s New at Spokane Transit? | Top
STA’s Online Trip Planner
STA’s online Trip Planner is a web-based program that helps people plan bus trips. Users enter origin and destination points and the trip planner creates multiple travel options. The program sorts results by trip time, walking distance or the number of transfers required to complete a trip. Each proposed trip has a link to trip details, including transfer points and an accompanying map and schedule. STA’s new Trip Planner makes planning bus trips fast and convenient.
Wireless Internet Access
Wireless internet service is available on our fleet of articulated buses and the North Express buses.
Ticket Vending Machines
New vending machines that dispense monthly passes and add credit to stored-value Smart Cards are now located at the Plaza and two Park & Ride locations.
All three machines allow customers to purchase Adult, VIP and Youth monthly passes using a credit or debit card. The vending machine located at the Plaza allows customers to pay
with cash.
Initially, the Five Mile Park & Ride and the Valley Transit Center will have vending machines but other locations may follow.
The machines dispense monthly passes valid for the next month beginning the 21st of the previous month. The vending machines will continue
to sell that month’s pass until the 20th of
the month.
Hybrid Coaches
STA’s three new diesel-electric hybrid buses produce up to 60 percent fewer nitrogen oxide emissions and 90 percent fewer particulate, hydrocarbon and carbon dioxide emissions. Over the course of a 15-year service life, each hybrid coach will reduce CO2 emissions by 440 tons and use 40,005 gallons less diesel fuel than a standard coach. Additionally, sound levels produced by a hybrid coach are comparable to those of a typical passenger truck.
The 40-foot hybrid coaches are the latest step STA has taken to help keep Spokane a healthy and beautiful place to live. Look for six more hybrids coming to an STA bus stop near you in late 2008.
The North Express
A new express bus route was implemented in north Spokane in January of 2008. The North Express operates during peak commute hours and travels between the Hastings Park & Ride and The Plaza in under 30 minutes. With only three stops along the way (Monroe at Francis, Wellesley and Broadway), the North Express gives northside commuters an excellent way to save on parking and high fuel costs. Wireless internet is available on all North Express buses.
What is Spokane Transit’s Estimated 2008 Operating Budget? | Top
Click here to view STA's estimated operating budget for 2008
Where are STA's Park & Ride lots located? | Top
STA offers 10 Park and Ride lots throughout the region. Park and Ride lots can also be used as a meeting place for your carpool or vanpool.
Find the one that best meets your commuting needs:
North Spokane:
Ash Street & Five Mile Road
Hastings Road & Mayfair Road
South Spokane:
East 24th Avenue & Grand Blvd.
Southeast Boulevard & 31st Avenue
Downtown Spokane:
Jefferson Street & 4th Avenue
Arena/City Ticket Parking at 433 W. Boone Avenue
Cheney:
K Street & 1st Street
Spokane Valley:
4th Avenue & University Road
Mirabeau Parkway at 13209 East Indiana Avenue
Liberty Lake:
Mission Avenue & Country Vista Blvd.
What is larger text view? | Top
This viewing option gives the user a choice on how they would like to view the STA website. The "Normal View," and the "Larger Text" (also visually reduced) contain the same content. "Larger Text" removes some graphics and increases the font size of most text. Try it out - you can always switch back by selecting "Normal View."
Can STA take me to the airport?| Top
Beginning in September 2009 service to the airport is available on Route #60. To view the full schedule click here.
Need to Contact Us? | Top
Route and Schedule Information
Call Center - 328-RIDE (7433), TTY 232-6555
Hours: Mon - Fri - 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Saturdays - 6:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Sundays - 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Customer Service Center
The Bus Shop (Passes, IDs, lost & found)
The Plaza
701 West Riverside Avenue
Spokane, WA 99201
456-PASS (7277)
Hours: Mon - Fri - 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Saturdays - noon to 5:00 p.m.
*Closed Sundays and Holidays
Ombudsman
Susan Millbank
smillbank@spokanetransit.com
Spokane Transit
1230 West Boone Avenue
Spokane, WA 99201
325-6094, TTY 232-6555
Paratransit Service
Information and reservations: 328-1552, TTY 327-6055
Open seven days a week, including holidays 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Vanpool Program
326-POOL (7665), TTY 456-4327
Administration
West 1230 Boone Avenue
Spokane, WA 99201
325-6000