Spring 2025

During fall 2024 through spring 2025, BFT has been working on analyzing data, including answers for the first summer 2024 community survey, to help inform and develop the long-range transit plan (LRTP) to prepare for what services will look like from now through 2045. The team has developed draft recommendations that will help meet BFT and community goals. The LRTP will serve as an overarching guide for implementing the recommendations within the next six to twenty years.

The LRTP is built upon the current Transit Development Plan (TDP) BFT uses for planning and operations efforts that will take place in the next one to five years.

What is the current TDP?

BFT updates and submits a six-year TDP annually to the Washington State Department of Transportation and Federal Transit Administration. This plan is a short term six-year projection of operating and capital expenditures as well as goals, accomplishments, and organizational structure for the agency. You can find all our TDP plans on the BFT website.

How is this different than the LRTP?

The LRTP assumes that the short-term changes outlined in the current TDP will be completed and will provide the foundation for the LRTP. The LRTP builds off of TDP efforts and includes the mid- and long-term recommendations for BFT for the next 6-10 and 11-20 years.

Where are we with the LRTP?

Over the winter, the team analyzed data that included results from the first community survey and developed recommendations to move forward in three strategic directions:


Getting the service right - offering the right type of transit, at the right time and place. Working better together – improving how BFT works with the community, cities, and partners. Making every dollar count – investing smartly in services, vehicles, staff, and improvements.


The team is now sharing the recommendations with the community and stakeholders and looking for community members to share their feedback on the recommendations.

What did we learn from the data?

BFT is helping people all across the Tri-Cities area get where they need to go. In 2024, BFT offered bus service on 19 routes Monday through Saturday and on seven routes on Sundays. BFT continues to provide additional services like BFT’s Dial-A-Ride provided door-to-door service throughout the whole service area, and the CONNECT service – whichworks like an on-demand ride within certain zones, and it helps people link up with the main bus routes. In Prosser and Benton City, riders can call ahead to book trips to and from specific spots.

The data showed that BFT plays a big role in helping people get to work, school, appointments, and more — and that many rely on the service every day. The data also shows there’s a wide network of buses, special services, and staff working hard to keep the community moving.

BFT highlights from 2024:

10,200 daily bus riders in 2024

Image is showing the following information as info graphics: BFT has 71 buses (with about 51 running at once most days). 96 Dial-A-Ride vehicles (up to 61 in service at once). 201 rideshare vehicles (up to 143 in use at a time). BFT has over 900 bus stop

The community provided data to the team as well through the survey in the summer of 2024. Over 500 people completed a survey to share their experiences with BFT services. From the survey data the team gathered the following information:

This image shows the community responses received through the community survey broken out into answers given from Frequent riders, regular riders, occasional drivers and non-riders.

The survey identified the top three obstacles that prevented community members from using or relying on BFT services for each rider group:


Frequent riders: The buses don’t come often enough. Services do not go where I need to go. The route is too long, or I have to transfer. Regular riders said: The buses don’t come often enough. The route is too long, or I have to transfer. Services do not go where I need to go. Occasional riders said: The buses don’t come often enough. Services do not go where I need to go. The route is too long, or I have to transfer. Non-riders said: I drive my own car. The buses don’t come often enough. A tie between: The route is too long, or I have to transfer. Service does not come close enough to my home.

Additionally, the survey identifies how each rider group ranked their top three choices of how they would improve BFT services:

  • Frequent riders:
    • Buses come more often.
    • Buses run later on Sundays.
    • A tie between:
      • buses run later on weekdays.
      • buses run later on Saturdays.
  • Regular riders:
    • Buses come more often.
    • Buses run earlier on weekdays.
    • A tie between:
      • buses run later on weekdays.
      • buses run later on Sundays.
  • Occasional riders:
    • Buses come more often.
    • Buses run earlier on weekdays.
    • A tie between:
      • Buses run later on weekdays.
      • More routes operate on Sunday.
  • Non-riders:
    • Buses come more often.
    • Buses run earlier on weekdays.
    • More bus stops have amenities (for example, shelters, benches, and trash cans).