mason transit authority
Mason Transit Authority is a Washington State Public Transportation Benefit Area operating public bus, Dial-A-Ride, and van services fare-free across Mason County, with regional connections to Bremerton, Olympia, and adjacent counties.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1991
- HeadquartersShelton, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What mason transit authority does
Mason Transit Authority (MTA) is a Washington State Public Transportation Benefit Area (PTBA) that has provided public transit services to Mason County since 1992. The authority operates a fleet of 73 vehicles across 11+ fixed routes, demand-responsive Dial-A-Ride service, a Worker/Driver Commuter Program serving Puget Sound Naval Shipyard employees, a Community Van leasing program, and Park & Ride facilities. Services are fare-free within Mason County; fares are charged only on out-of-county routes to Bremerton, Olympia, and other regional destinations. The authority also operates the LEED Silver-certified Transit-Community Center, a mixed-use facility generating tenant and event revenue.
MTA is funded primarily through a voter-approved 0.6% local sales and use tax, supplemented by federal and state grants (WSDOT, FTA, Tribal Transit, Regional Mobility), transit fares, and service contracts including tribal transit operations and naval shipyard commuter services. The organization employs approximately 80 people across its Shelton headquarters, Belfair satellite operations base, and the Transit-Community Center. It holds exclusive PTBA authority for Mason County and connects regionally with Jefferson Transit, Kitsap Transit, Intercity Transit, and Squaxin Island Transit.
The current strategic agenda includes a $10.1 million Park & Ride Development Project that will expand parking capacity from 154 to 506 spaces, integration of pilot tribal transit routes into the fixed-route network, and ongoing route expansion (including McCleary Pilot and additional Belfair-area routes). Technology infrastructure consists of conventional fleet management, scheduling, and real-time bus tracking systems, with no disclosed AI/ML capabilities.
mason transit authority firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- mason transit authority
- Legal name
- Mason County Public Transportation Benefit Area
- Website
- https://masontransit.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1991
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Mason Transit Authority is a Washington State Public Transportation Benefit Area operating public bus, Dial-A-Ride, and van services fare-free across Mason County, with regional connections to Bremerton, Olympia, and adjacent counties.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
mason transit authority industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Public Transit Services
- NAICS
- Bus and Other Motor Vehicle Transit Systems (485113)
- SIC
- Local & Suburban Transit & Interurban Hwy Passenger Trans (4100)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Community / Nonprofit Public Transit Bus Operators (TLAFAGAJ)
Keywords
Where mason transit authority is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Shelton
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
mason transit authority business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Local Sales and Use Tax: MTA's primary funding provided through local sales and use tax of six-tenths of one percent (0.6%), as approved by voters in 1991 and increased to 0.6% effective January 1, 2002
- Transit Fares: Fare-free service within Mason County; fares are charged only for out-of-county routes. Regional fares apply for service going out-of-county to Bremerton, Olympia, and other destinations.
- Federal and State Grants: WSDOT operating and capital grants, FTA grants including Tribal Transit Grants, Regional Mobility Grants, and other state/federal transportation funding programs
- Contracts for Service: Contracts for service including Worker/Driver Commuter Program for Puget Sound Naval Shipyard (PSNS) employees, maintenance services for Squaxin Island Tribe transit buses, and special service agreements with various agencies
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Other | Fare-free local service |
| Unit Pricing | Per ride | Regional/out-of-county fares |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Community Van Program leasing |
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
mason transit authority product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Mason Transit Authority operates fixed-route bus service, Dial-A-Ride demand-responsive transportation, a Worker/Driver commuter program for naval shipyard employees, a community van leasing program, and park-and-ride facilities for the general public of Mason County and surrounding regions. Services are provided fare-free within Mason County, with regional fares charged for out-of-county travel to Bremerton, Olympia, and other destinations.
Product overview
Mason Transit Authority operates a multi-modal public transit system offering fixed-route bus service (Deviated Fixed Route with Routes 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11, and Zipper Route), demand-responsive Dial-A-Ride service, and specialized commuter programs including the Worker/Driver Commuter Program for Puget Sound Naval Shipyard employees. The system also provides Community Van leasing, Park & Ride facilities with electric vehicle charging stations, a Bus Tracker for real-time bus locations, and operates the LEED Silver-certified Transit-Community Center. Services operate fare-free within Mason County.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Deviated Fixed Route Bus Service Fixed-route bus service covering Routes 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11, and the Zipper Route across Mason County, with the ability to deviate from routes for riders experiencing difficulty reaching bus stops. Operations run 4:10 a.m. to 8:45 p.m. fare-free within Mason County.
- Dial-A-Ride (DAR) Service General public demand-responsive transportation service for riders who cannot use routed service or live outside routed service areas. No eligibility requirements; rides requested via call-in process based on time and space availability, with a self-service application available.
- Worker/Driver Commuter Program Commuter service for Puget Sound Naval Shipyard employees, with four coaches driven by shipyard employees (who are also MTA employees) from various sites in Mason County to the shipyard in Bremerton.
- Community Van Program Van leasing program that leases 12-passenger vans to local community organizations for uses designed to enhance economic development or social service functions. Rates include a mileage fee and per day fee.
- Park & Ride Facilities Park and ride lot development and management across Mason County locations including Pear Orchard at SR 3, Shelton-Matlock at US 101, Cole Road, Pickering Rd, Belfair at SR 3, and Shelton Hills, featuring electric vehicle charging stations. Capacity projected to grow from 154 to 506 spaces.
- Transit-Community Center (T-CC) Mixed-use transit-oriented development facility at 601 West Franklin Street in Shelton, providing community event space, regional transit access information, tenant lease space for human service agencies and private sector participants, and event rentals. Awarded LEED Silver certification by the U.S. Green Building Council.
Quantifiable outcome
- Ridership grew from 60,000 trips in 1993 to 459,666 trips in 2018
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use mason transit authority
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
mason transit authority technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
mason transit authority partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Jefferson TransitcoreRegional transit connection at Triton Cove State Park on Highway 101, enabling riders to transfer between Mason Transit and Jefferson Transit services.
- Squaxin Island TransitcoreRegional connection at Kamilche Hub on Highway 101 for the Grays Harbor connection. MTA also provides routine service and maintenance on the Tribe's transit buses through an interagency agreement.
- Kitsap TransitcoreRegional connection at Bremerton Transportation Center, enabling connections between Mason County and Kitsap County transit services.
- Intercity TransitcoreConnection at Olympia Transit Center, which also provides connections to Grays Harbor Transit, Sound Transit, AMTRAK, and Greyhound service.
- Washington State FerriesminorConnections available through Kitsap Transit at Bremerton Transportation Center to Washington State Ferries service.
- Skokomish Tribal NationcoreSkokomish Tribe was awarded federal funds under FTA Tribal Transit Grant Program for pilot public transit service enhancement. MTA operates the Skokomish/Cushman service (now Route 11) on behalf of the tribe, providing vehicles and drivers. Service runs along Highway 101 between Shelton, Hoodsport and Lake Cushman areas.
- Puget Sound Naval Shipyard (PSNS)coreWorker/Driver Commuter Program providing four coaches driven by shipyard employees (who are also MTA employees) from various sites in the county to the shipyard in Bremerton.
- SCJ AlliancecoreSelected through Request for Qualifications process to provide concept and environmental assessment, public engagement, preliminary design, property acquisition and management assistance through construction completion for Park & Ride development in Mason County.
- City of SheltoncoreVarious interlocal agreements including bus pullout construction, Summer Youth Pass Program, Transit-Community Center frontage improvements, and other cooperative projects.
- Mason CountycoreInterlocal agreements for Public Works reimbursable work, supplies and services, joint planning efforts, and emergency management cooperation.
- Shelton School DistrictminorSummer Youth Adventure Pass Program interlocal agreement and After School Activities service (terminated in 2015).
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
mason transit authority competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Jefferson Transit Authority: Public Transportation Benefit Area authority serving Jefferson County, WA with fixed-route bus and Dial-A-Ride service. Directly comparable rural Washington transit agency with similar funding model (local sales tax) and a mutual transfer partnership with MTA at Triton Cove.
- Grays Harbor Transit Authority: Rural Washington transit authority providing fixed-route and paratransit service in Grays Harbor County. Comparable PTBA structure with local sales-tax funding and connection partnership through Kamilche Hub and Olympia Transit Center.
- Skagit Transit: Rural Washington Public Transportation Benefit Area serving Skagit County with fixed-route bus, paratransit, and vanpool services. Closely comparable funding structure (local sales tax), ridership scale, and service-area profile.
- Island Transit (Island County Public Transportation Benefit Area Authority): Fare-free public bus system serving Whidbey and Camano Islands under PTBA authority. Operates a fare-free model nearly identical to MTA's in-county service and serves a similarly low-density rural geography.
Broad incumbents
- Kitsap Transit: Larger Washington public transit operator serving Kitsap County with bus, ferry, and vanpool services. Regional partner at Bremerton Transportation Center and a much larger urban system with overlapping service portfolio.
- Intercity Transit: Public transit authority serving Thurston County (Olympia) with fixed-route, Dial-A-Ride, and vanpool services. Regional connection partner at Olympia Transit Center and a more urbanized but structurally similar PTBA-style operator.
- Whatcom Transportation Authority: Public Transportation Benefit Area serving Whatcom County (Bellingham) with fixed-route bus and paratransit. Structurally similar Washington PTBA with a larger service area and broader urban ridership base.
- Ben Franklin Transit: Public Transportation Benefit Area serving the Tri-Cities (Benton and Franklin Counties) with fixed-route bus, paratransit, and vanpool services. Comparable Washington PTBA structure and funding model, serving a larger regional population.
- Pierce Transit: Large public transportation benefit area serving Pierce County (Tacoma) with fixed-route bus, paratransit, and shuttle services. Comparable Washington transit operator with substantially larger scale and urban ridership base.
- Community Transit: Snohomish County public transit operator offering bus, paratransit, and SWIFT BRT service. The Community Transit Association of America awarded MTA the Rural Transit System of the Year honor in 2015, signaling direct recognition of comparable operational standards.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
mason transit authority social profiles
Digital presencemason transit authority compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
mason transit authority financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
mason transit authority leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
mason transit authority funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
mason transit authority M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about mason transit authority
What does mason transit authority do?
Mason Transit Authority operates fixed-route bus service, Dial-A-Ride demand-responsive transportation, a Worker/Driver commuter program for naval shipyard employees, a community van leasing program, and park-and-ride facilities for the general public of Mason County and surrounding regions. Services are provided fare-free within Mason County, with regional fares charged for out-of-county travel to Bremerton, Olympia, and other destinations.
Is mason transit authority a public or private company?
mason transit authority is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was mason transit authority founded?
mason transit authority was founded in 1991.
Where is mason transit authority based?
mason transit authority is headquartered in Shelton, United States, in the North America region.
How does mason transit authority make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Local Sales and Use Tax is the primary driver. The others are transit Fares, federal and State Grants and contracts for Service.
Who are mason transit authority's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Jefferson Transit Authority, Grays Harbor Transit Authority, Skagit Transit and Island Transit (Island County Public Transportation Benefit Area Authority). Broad incumbents are Kitsap Transit, Intercity Transit, Whatcom Transportation Authority, Ben Franklin Transit, Pierce Transit and Community Transit.
Does mason transit authority have an API?
No public API is recorded for mason transit authority.
What industry is mason transit authority in?
mason transit authority's product category is Public Transit Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is TLAFAGAJ, Community / Nonprofit Public Transit Bus Operators. Its NAICS code is 485113 and its SIC code is 4100.