The City of Longview began operating public transit service on June 16, 1975, following the temporary suspension of service provided by the privately-run Longview–Kelso Bus Company. The city government initially ran a single route through Longview and Kelso with seven daily trips; the Kelso city government also subsidized some costs for the trial until federal grants were obtained.[2][3] The bus company sold its operations and equipment to the Longview city government in September.[4]
Longview and Kelso partnered with the Cowlitz County government to organize a public transportation benefit area in 1987, and a 0.1 percent sales tax to fund the bus system was approved by 77.3 percent of voters on September 15, 1987.[5][6]: 21 The existing service, then named the "Community Urban Bus Service" (CUBS), was transferred to the Cowlitz Transit Authority on January 1, 1988.[6]: 43 In 2008, CUBS put a 0.2 percent sales tax increase up for public vote, seeking $2 million in additional annual revenue to continue running service and expanding frequency and hours of operation.[7] The increase was approved by voters, bringing the total sales tax to 0.3 percent.
The Cowlitz Transit Authority adopted a 10-year "Transit Enhancement Plan" in 2010, proposing a re-branded system with more frequent service and newer buses.[8] In 2011, CUBS began exploring a re-brand, complete with a new name, using an online poll.[9] "RiverCities Transit" was announced as the winner later that month,[10] and a new blue-and-gray color scheme was adopted for the system's bus fleet the following year.[11] A new route system, focusing on corridors where buses run every 30 to 60 minutes, debuted in August 2013;[12] an express route between Longview and Kelso debuted earlier that year in April, reducing travel times.[13]
RiverCities Transit opened the new Downtown Transit Center in Longview in 2020. It includes administrative offices for the agency and training facilities for drivers.[14]
^Kaiser, Fran (September 20, 1975). "Bus company sells out to city". The Daily News. Longview, Washington. p. 1. Retrieved November 5, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
