Grant Transit Authority

What Grant Transit Authority does

Grant Transit Authority (GTA) is a Public Transportation Benefit Area (PTBA) — a special-purpose government entity, not a privately held company — that operates public ground transportation across Grant County, Washington. Established by voter approval in November 1996 following a four-bus demonstration that began in November 1995, GTA runs a deviated fixed-route bus system across 11 routes (Routes 10-14, 20-22, 30, 40, 41) serving Moses Lake, Ephrata, Quincy, Soap Lake, Warden, George, and connecting communities, supplemented by ACCESS (ADA paratransit), DART (Dial-A-Ride), Vanpool/Rideshare, Bikes on Buses, and Park & Ride facilities. The Multimodal Transit Center in Moses Lake, opened July 2017, functions as the county's central intermodal hub, connecting GTA service to AMTRAK, Greyhound, Trailways, People For People, and the WSDOT Apple Line.

Underlying technology is conventional transit operations plus an active fleet-electrification initiative. GTA is deploying what it describes as the first small purpose-built battery electric van to use on-route wireless inductive charging in public transportation, supported by Park & Ride EV chargers. Operations and maintenance are largely brought in-house (since October 2013 for fixed-route operations and July 2011 for maintenance), while ACCESS/ADA service remains contracted to People For People. Real-time bus tracking is provided through a third-party dashboard (gtafrdashboard.itcurves.us); no proprietary software platform or AI/ML capability is disclosed.

The business model is a tax-and-grant-funded public-service model, not a commercial revenue model. GTA is funded primarily by a 2/10 of one percent local sales tax approved in November 1996 and matched dollar-for-dollar by the State of Washington through motor vehicle excise tax revenues, with supplementary funding from Federal Transit Administration and Washington State Department of Transportation grants. Effective September 1, 2022, GTA adopted a permanent Zero Fares policy, eliminating passenger fares on all services except Vanpool (which operates as a full cost-recovery program). Customers are Grant County residents and visitors — individual riders across the general public, ADA-eligible, dial-a-ride, and vanpool segments — with no commercial anchor customers. Governance rests with a Board of Directors composed of elected officials from member municipalities plus a Grant County Commissioner and an ATU representative. The organization is not an investment-grade equity opportunity in the conventional PE/VC/M&A sense, but is profiled here as a government entity whose strategic posture, technology adoption, and funding-base dependencies materially shape its operational trajectory.

Name

Grant Transit Authority

Legal name

Grant Transit Authority

Website

https://granttransit.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Grant Transit Authority is a Public Transportation Benefit Area (PTBA) operating deviated fixed-route bus service, ADA paratransit (ACCESS), dial-a-ride (DART), and vanpool programs across Grant County, WA, funded primarily by a voter-approved local sales tax and federal/state grants under a permanent Zero Fares policy adopted in 2022.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Transportation Services

NAICS

Bus and Other Motor Vehicle Transit Systems (485113), Special Needs Transportation (485991), Other Transit and Ground Passenger Transportation (48599), Interurban and Rural Bus Transportation (48521)

SIC

Local & Suburban Transit & Interurban Hwy Passenger Trans (4100), Transportation Services (4700)

akta.pro primary industry

Park-and-Ride / Express Commuter Bus Operators (TLAFAGAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Vanpooling & Commuter Shuttle Carpool Services (THADAFAE), ADA/Accessible Paratransit (Complementary to Fixed-Route Transit) (THAIAHAA), Community & Senior Transportation Shuttles (Dial-a-Ride, Non-ADA) (TLAFAJAI), Shuttle, Park-and-Ride & Mobility Hub Operations (BPABAKAI)

Keywords

• Public bus transit
• Paratransit services
• Vanpool programs
• Dial-a-ride service
• Multimodal transit

Headquarters

HQ city

Moses Lake

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Public Transit Operations: Grant Transit Authority operates as a Public Transportation Benefit Area (PTBA) funded primarily through a 2/10 of one percent sales tax levied in November 1996, which the state matched dollar for dollar with motor vehicle excise tax funds. Additional funding comes from Federal Transit Administration grants and state funding programs. The authority adopted a Zero Fares policy effective September 1, 2022, making all transit services fare-free (excluding Vanpool which operates as a full cost recovery program).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Grant Transit Authority (GTA) operates public transportation services across Grant County, Washington, including a deviated fixed-route bus system on 11 routes, ADA paratransit (ACCESS), general-purpose dial-a-ride (DART), and a vanpool/rideshare program. Services are delivered fare-free under a Zero Fares policy adopted in September 2022 (Vanpool operates on a full cost-recovery basis), and are anchored by the Moses Lake Multimodal Transit Center, which connects GTA buses with AMTRAK, Greyhound, Trailways, People For People, and WSDOT Apple Line.

Product overview

Grant Transit Authority operates a unified public transportation system offering fixed-route bus service, paratransit (DART and ACCESS), vanpool programs, and multimodal connections across Grant County, WA. The core service portfolio includes deviated fixed-route buses on Routes 10-41 covering Moses Lake, Ephrata, Quincy, Warden, and surrounding communities, supplemented by dial-a-ride paratransit for underserved areas, ADA-accessible curb-to-curb service, and vanpool/sharing programs. All services (except Vanpool) operate under a Zero Fares policy implemented September 2022. The Multimodal Transit Center serves as the central hub connecting GTA services with AMTRAK, Greyhound, Trailways, and other carriers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fixed-Route Bus Service Deviated fixed-route bus service operating 11 routes (Routes 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 20, 21, 22, 30, 40, 41) Monday–Friday across Moses Lake, Ephrata, Quincy, Soap Lake, Warden, and surrounding communities in Grant County, WA. Fare-free under the Zero Fares policy effective September 1, 2022.
• DART (Dial-A-Ride Transportation) Shared-ride paratransit service available to all persons in Wilson Creek, Royal City, Mattawa, and Grand Coulee areas, as well as the general public for trips not served by regular fixed routes. Scheduled by calling 509-765-0898 ext. 101.
• ACCESS Program (ADA Paratransit) Curb-to-curb shared-ride service for eligible individuals whose disabilities make it impossible to use the fixed-route system, providing travel time comparable to fixed-route buses. Fare-free. Contact 509-766-1688 or toll-free 800-406-9177.
• Vanpool/Rideshare Program Program for groups of 3–12 commuters sharing the same commute in Grant County, with van costs divided among participants. Operates as a full cost-recovery program (excluded from Zero Fares). Coordinated by Rideshare Coordinator Brandy Pesta at 509-766-1689.
• Bikes on Buses Bike rack service on GTA buses allowing riders to transport bicycles on a first-come, first-served basis; bikes are loaded and unloaded by riders at bus stops.
• Park & Ride Lots Park-and-ride facilities served by GTA routes at Randolph & Highway 17 (Route 20), George Park & Ride (Route 40), and the GTA Multimodal Transit Center with two electric vehicle chargers (Routes 10, 12, 13, 14, 30).
• Multimodal Transit Center Main transfer hub in Moses Lake opened July 2017, serving as the central location for GTA route connections and intermodal transfers to AMTRAK, Greyhound, Trailways, People For People, and WSDOT Apple Line. Lobby hours Monday–Friday 8:00 am – 4:30 pm.
• Battery Electric Bus with Wireless Inductive Charging First small purpose-built battery electric van in public transportation to utilize on-route wireless inductive charging, replacing diesel buses to provide a clean, quiet ride for passengers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Fare-free service eliminates boarding delays and minimizes close contact between passengers
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• AMTRAKcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGrant Transit Authority connects with AMTRAK at the Ephrata Amtrak station (90 Northwest Alder St). Routes 20, 21, 22, and 40 provide service to the AMTRAK station. The station was where GTA originally started in 1996.
• TrailwayscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGrant Transit Authority connects with Trailways in Ephrata and Quincy with Routes 20, 21, 22, and 40, providing intermodal connectivity for passengers.
• GreyhoundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConnections with Greyhound available via Routes 12 and 30, serving passengers needing regional and national bus service.
• People For PeoplecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPeople For People picks up in Bay 3 at the Multimodal Transit Center for riders to make connections to Wenatchee, Othello, and Tri-Cities. GTA also contracts with People For People to provide ACCESS/ADA transportation services.
• WSDOT Apple LineminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConnections made with WSDOT Apple Line in Quincy and George, providing state-level transit connections for GTA riders.
• Big Bend Community CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRoute 20 provides service to Big Bend Community College, connecting students to transit network.
• SourcewellminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGrant Transit Authority participates in the Sourcewell Cooperative Purchasing Program, utilizing cooperative purchasing agreements for procurement.
• National IPAminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGrant Transit Authority participates in the National IPA (Intelligent Process Automation) Agreement for cooperative purchasing.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Community Transit: Larger Washington State transit agency serving Snohomish County with fixed-route buses, paratransit (DART), and SWIFT BRT — directly comparable service naming conventions (DART) and paratransit delivery, but at materially greater scale than GTA.
• Spokane Transit Authority: Larger Washington State regional transit authority serving the Spokane metro area with fixed-route buses, paratransit, and vanpool — operates the same service categories as GTA at significantly greater scale and density, providing a broad-incumbent benchmark.

Direct peers

• Clallam Transit System: A small Washington State public transit agency serving the Olympic Peninsula with fixed routes, paratransit, and a tribal/commuter vanpool — comparable rural-county scale and service portfolio to Grant Transit Authority.
• Skagit Transit: Washington State public transit agency serving Mount Vernon, Burlington, and Skagit County with fixed routes, paratransit, and vanpool — comparable rural-county service area and multi-modal offering to GTA.
• RiverCities Transit: A Washington State transit operator serving Longview, Kelso, and surrounding rural Cowlitz County communities with fixed-route and paratransit service — directly comparable rural-county transit structure and funding model.
• Intercity Transit: A Washington State PTBA serving the Olympia area with fixed-route buses, paratransit (Dial-A-Lift), and vanpool — same PTBA governance model and comparable rural/small-metro service mix to Grant Transit Authority.
• Valley Transit: A Washington State public transit operator serving Walla Walla and surrounding rural areas with fixed-route bus service and paratransit — comparable rural service territory, fleet size, and passenger volumes to GTA.
• Ben Franklin Transit: A Washington State Public Transportation Benefit Area serving Richland, Kennewick, Pasco and the Tri-Cities region with fixed-route buses, paratransit, and vanpool — directly comparable PTBA structure, service mix, and state regulatory framework to Grant Transit Authority.
• Asotin County Transit: A small rural Washington State PTBA providing fixed-route and dial-a-ride service in Clarkston and Asotin County — closely comparable in scale, service mix, and rural Pacific Northwest operating context to GTA.

Regional players

• People For People: Washington State non-profit transportation provider operating in Moses Lake and across Central/Eastern WA, including the contracted ACCESS/ADA paratransit service for GTA — directly comparable mobility services and overlapping service geography with GTA.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/granttransit
• Xx.com/GrantTransit
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/grant-transit-authority

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Grant Transit Authority