Intercity Transit

{{short description|Local public transit operator in Thurston County, Washington}}

{{Infobox Bus transit

| name = Intercity Transit

| logo = Intercity Transit logo.svg

| logo_size =

| image = Intercity Transit 902.JPG

| image_caption =

| parent =

| founded =

| headquarters = 510 Pattison St. SE
Olympia, Washington

| locale =

| service_area = Thurston County, Washington

| service_type = Bus, paratransit

| alliance =

| routes = 21[https://www.intercitytransit.com/bus/routes Routes]

| destinations =

| stops =

| hubs =

| stations =

| lounge =

| fleet =

| ridership = 11,688

| annual_ridership = 4,242,904 (2024)

| fuel_type = B20 Diesel (Biodiesel)

| operator =

| ceo =

| leader_type = General Manager

| leader = Emily Bergkamp[http://www.intercitytransit.com/about/Generalmanager/Pages/default.aspx General Manager of Intercity Transit]

| website = {{URL|https://www.intercitytransit.com/}}

}}

Image:Dash Bus.JPG parade]]

Intercity Transit is a public transportation agency organized as a municipal corporation in Thurston County, Washington, United States. It serves Lacey, Olympia, Tumwater, and Yelm and Lakewood: an area of approximately {{convert|94|sqmi|km2}}. It operates 19 bus routes,{{Cite web|url=https://www.intercitytransit.com/bus/routes|title=Routes|publisher=Intercity Transit|access-date=2020-01-07}} the Dial-A-Lift door-to-door service, a vanpool program, and specialized van programs.

In FY 2024 the system had an annual ridership of 4,242,904, or about 11,688 daily boardings.

Intercity Transit previously maintained a free shuttle route called Dash, which provided service between the Capitol Campus and downtown Olympia via Capitol Way.[http://www.intercitytransit.com/traveloptions/dash/pages/default.aspx Dash Shuttle] Dash ran every fifteen minutes on weekdays, every ten minutes on weekends, and was close to several public parking lots. However, this service was retired during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2009, the American Public Transportation Association gave Intercity Transit the America's Best Public Transportation System award for the mid-size category.{{Cite web |url=http://www.intercitytransit.com/SiteCollectionDocuments/Award%20Fact%20Sheet%20pdf.pdf |title=APTA Award Fact Sheet |access-date=2012-12-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140922223733/http://www.intercitytransit.com/SiteCollectionDocuments/Award%20Fact%20Sheet%20pdf.pdf |archive-date=2014-09-22 |url-status=dead }}

Intercity Transit began a five-year zero-fare pilot project in January 2020 as part of its service expansion approved in a 2018 ballot measure.{{cite news |last=Banse |first=Tom |date=January 2, 2020 |title='Get on and go!' No bus fare needed anymore on Olympia transit system |url=https://www.kuow.org/stories/just-get-on-and-go-no-bus-fare-needed-anymore-on-this-northwest-transit-system |publisher=KUOW |access-date=January 3, 2020}}{{cite news |last=Sundell |first=Allison |date=December 5, 2019 |title=Thurston County buses to launch zero-fare pilot in January |url=https://www.king5.com/article/traffic/traffic-news/intercity-transit-zero-fare-bus-program/281-04f28c55-251b-4ac4-99c0-6eb799b3c667 |publisher=KING 5 News |access-date=December 5, 2019}} The agency also launched a zero-fare express bus route connecting Capital Mall to Lacey in September 2019.{{cite news |last=Spegman |first=Abby |date=September 11, 2019 |title=Coming soon: A bus ride across Olympia in 10 stops — for free |url=https://www.theolympian.com/news/local/traffic/article234907902.html |work=The Olympian |access-date=December 5, 2019}} The pilot was extended to 2028 amid the COVID-19 pandemic, which also forced the suspension of the express route and Dash.{{cite news |last=Tu |first=Maylin |date=September 21, 2022 |title=As Fare-Free Transit Catches On, Checking In On 5 Cities With Free Public Transit |url=https://nextcity.org/urbanist-news/as-fare-free-transit-catches-on-checking-in-on-5-cities-with-free-public-tr |work=NextCity |accessdate=October 12, 2022}} All of Intercity Transit's fixed route services were suspended on April 13, 2020, and replaced temporarily by an on-demand system with advance reservations limited to only passengers with "essential business" as part of the local response to the pandemic.{{cite news |last=Gentzler |first=Sara |date=April 7, 2020 |title=Intercity Transit to require reservations starting next week due to COVID-19 |url=https://www.theolympian.com/news/coronavirus/article241830566.html |work=The Olympian |accessdate=April 21, 2025}} Limited fixed route service resumed in June alongside the advance reservation system but ridership remained 70{{nbsp}}percent below its 2019 levels.{{cite news |last=Boone |first=Rolf |date=June 18, 2020 |title=Limited fixed-route bus service returns on Sunday, Intercity Transit announces |url=https://www.theolympian.com/news/rebuild/article243622682.html |work=The Olympian |accessdate=April 21, 2025}}{{cite news |last=Boone |first=Rolf |date=August 22, 2020 |title=Intercity Transit ridership plunges during pandemic, down nearly 70 percent in July |url=https://www.theolympian.com/news/local/article245102705.html |work=The Olympian |accessdate=April 21, 2025}} Intercounty service to Lakewood resumed in June 2021.{{cite press release |date=June 21, 2021 |title=Intercity Transit to Resume Express Bus Service to Pierce County |url=https://www.intercitytransit.com/news/intercity-transit-resume-express-bus-service-pierce-county |publisher=Intercity Transit |accessdate=April 21, 2025}}