Intercity Transit

What Intercity Transit does

Intercity Transit is a Public Transportation Benefit Area authority operating under the legal name Intercity Transit Authority. The agency delivers multimodal public transportation across Thurston County, Washington, serving the cities of Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater, Yelm, and surrounding urban growth areas. Following the October 2023 designation as a large urban transit agency (triggered by the Olympia-Lacey urbanized area surpassing 200,000 residents), the agency operates a fleet of more than 400 vehicles including hybrid biodiesel-electric buses, propane-fueled Dial-A-Lift vans, and other support vehicles.

The service portfolio spans core fixed-route bus operations (offered under a Zero Fare model for local routes), ADA-compliant Dial-A-Lift paratransit, employer and commuter vanpool programs, the Village Vans program (employment-related transportation for welfare participants and low-income individuals), Walk N Roll youth and active transportation programs, and Community Vans for non-profits. Infrastructure investments include the Pattison Base expansion (originally built to service 80 vehicles in 1985, scaled to 400+ vehicles), 147 bus stops being enhanced across the service area, the East Martin Way Gateway Station Roundabout, and a Smart Sensor Safety Demonstration Project using AI-enabled cameras at 10 intersections in partnership with City of Lacey and WSDOT.

The revenue model is fundamentally tax- and grant-funded rather than fare-driven. Intercity Transit collects a voter-approved local sales tax under 2018's Proposition 1 and receives funding through the Washington State Bus and Bus Facilities Program, the Federal Transit Administration Surface Transportation Program, and the Climate Commitment Act. Customer access spans transit centers, Park & Ride lots, ride-matching apps (Google Maps, Transit App, myStop, OneBusAway), a Trip Planner tool, and the Greyhound partnership at Olympia Transit Center. The agency is governed by the Intercity Transit Authority Board, with Emily Bergkamp serving as General Manager since November 2023.

Name

Intercity Transit

Legal name

Intercity Transit Authority

Website

https://intercitytransit.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Intercity Transit is a Public Transportation Benefit Area authority providing zero-fare fixed-route bus, paratransit, vanpool, and community transportation services across Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater, and Yelm in Washington State's Thurston County, funded by voter-approved sales taxes and federal/state grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Transit Services

NAICS

Bus and Other Motor Vehicle Transit Systems (485113), Special Needs Transportation (485991), Interurban and Rural Bus Transportation (48521)

SIC

Local & Suburban Transit & Interurban Hwy Passenger Trans (4100)

akta.pro primary industry

Intercity Commuter Bus Operators (TLAFAFAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community & Senior Transportation Shuttles (Dial-a-Ride, Non-ADA) (TLAFAJAI), Regional Intercity Bus Operators (Scheduled) (THAIADAB)

Keywords

• Public bus transit
• Paratransit services
• Vanpool programs
• Zero-fare transit
• Municipal transportation

Headquarters

HQ city

Olympia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Public Transportation Fares: Revenue from bus fares, vanpool fares, and Dial-A-Lift services. Agency also offers zero-fare service on local routes.
2. Federal and State Grants: Funding from Washington State's Bus and Bus Facilities Program, Federal Transit Administration Surface Transportation Program, and Climate Commitment Act.
3. Voter-Approved Proposition 1: Local sales tax revenue approved by voters in November 2018 for expanded transit services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Intercity Transit is a municipal public transit agency providing fixed-route local and commuter bus service (offered Zero Fare on local routes), ADA-compliant Dial-A-Lift paratransit for riders with disabilities, a vanpool commuter rideshare program, the Village Vans transportation program for low-income and welfare participants, and the Walk N Roll youth education and bicycle program. Services are delivered through 400+ vehicles, transit centers, park-and-ride lots, and bus stops across Thurston County.

Product overview

Intercity Transit is a public transit agency providing multimodal transportation services across the Thurston County region (Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater, Yelm). The organization operates a platform of integrated transportation services including fixed-route bus service (Zero Fare), ADA-compliant Dial-A-Lift paratransit, vanpool programs, and community-based services like Village Vans and Walk N Roll. The portfolio includes traditional transit operations plus technology initiatives such as the Smart Sensor Safety Demonstration Project. Services are coordinated through transit centers, Park & Ride facilities, and supported by construction projects including bus stop enhancements and facility renovations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Walk N Roll: Youth education program promoting bicycling and walking, including bike education, repair services, and community challenges
• Dial-A-Lift
• Village Vans
• Community Vans

Products and services

• Fixed-Route Bus Service Traditional public bus service operating on fixed routes and published schedules throughout the Public Transportation Benefit Area, covering Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater, and Yelm. Operated as Zero Fare on local routes.
• Dial-A-Lift Paratransit ADA-compliant door-to-door specialized transportation service for people with disabilities that prevent them from using regular fixed-route bus service; advance reservation required.
• Vanpool Program Commuter rideshare service where groups share rides in agency-provided vans with volunteer drivers; includes statewide ride matching, commuter tax benefits, and employer tools for participating organizations.
• Village Vans Free transportation program for welfare participants and low-income individuals providing employment-related rides with built-in job training and work experience opportunities for eligible participants.
• Walk N Roll Youth education and encouragement program promoting bicycling and walking through bike education classes, repair events, the Bicycle Community Challenge, the Pedal It Forward bike rescue project, and a youth bike shop.
• Community Vans for Non-profits Program granting retired vanpool vans to qualifying non-profit organizations and agencies serving the Public Transportation Benefit Area.

Quantifiable outcome

• 33% of fleet is hybrid biodiesel-electric
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

AI capability2 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Thurston Regional Planning Council (TRPC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2026Partnership on Ride the Rainbow sweepstakes for Ride Transit Month and regional transportation planning coordination.
• City of LaceycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2026Smart Sensor Safety Demonstration Project - AI-enabled smart sensors installed at 10 intersections near Lacey Transit Center and Martin Way to improve roadway operations and safety.
• Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2026Partner in Smart Sensor Demonstration Project with access to safety data. Also provides grant funding through Bus and Bus Facilities Program.
• SCJ AllianceminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2024Engineering and design firm contracted for preliminary engineering, design, environmental and right-of-way planning for East Martin Way Gateway Station Roundabout project.
• GreyhoundcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 15 January 2022Partnership bringing Greyhound regional and national bus service to Olympia Transit Center. Passengers can purchase tickets at Customer Service counter and ship/receive packages via Greyhound.
• Pierce TransitminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTransit connection at SR 512 Park & Ride for Route 620 service to JBLM Airshow and regional transit connections.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Pierce Transit: Public transit agency serving Pierce County, WA, including Tacoma. Operates fixed-route bus, paratransit (SHUTTLE), and vanpool with comparable mid-size urban scope and Washington State governance structure.
• Community Transit: Snohomish County, WA public transit agency providing fixed-route bus, paratransit (DART), and vanpool. Comparable service portfolio and Pacific Northwest regional peer.
• Ben Franklin Transit: Public Transportation Benefit Area Authority serving the Tri-Cities region of Washington State. Direct peer in governance model (PTBA) and service mix including fixed-route, paratransit, and vanpool.
• Spokane Transit Authority: Washington State public transit authority providing fixed-route bus, paratransit, and vanpool in Spokane region. Similar mid-size urban agency and state-level policy environment.
• Salem Area Mass Transit District (Cherriots): Oregon mid-size public transit district providing fixed-route bus, paratransit (Cherriots LIFT), and regional service. Comparable mid-size urban transit operator in the Pacific Northwest.
• Lane Transit District: Eugene-Springfield, OR public transit district with fixed-route bus, paratransit (RideSource), and Emerald Express (EmX) BRT. Comparable mid-size urban transit scale.
• Whatcom Transportation Authority: Public Transportation Benefit Area Authority serving Bellingham and Whatcom County, WA. Operates fixed-route bus, paratransit (WTA Paratransit), and vanpool under identical WA PTBA governance model.

Broad incumbents

• TriMet: Portland, OR metropolitan area transit agency (bus, light rail, paratransit). Larger regional peer offering overlapping service categories and sustainability programs.
• King County Metro: Seattle-region public transit agency operating bus, paratransit (Access), and vanpool. Larger incumbent in same state with overlapping service model and zero-fare programs for select routes.
• Sound Transit: Central Puget Sound regional transit authority (bus, light rail, commuter rail, paratransit). Larger regional peer with overlapping funding sources and rider base near Intercity Transit's service area.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/intercitytransit?ob=5
• Facebookfacebook.com/pages/Intercity-Transit/288828071565
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/1112918
• Instagraminstagram.com/intercitytransit
• Xx.com/intercitytransi

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Intercity Transit