1. Intercity Bus Program: Alternative Strategy for Rural Transport
Stephen Abernathy, AICP
Intercity Bus Program Manager
Public Transportation Division

2. Travel Washington Intercity Bus Network 2009

3. Intercity Bus Program Uses FTA 5311(f) Federal funds
Request for Proposals (RFP) for specific routes within the identified corridor for open competitive process
Provides more flexibility to meet identified rural transportation needs
Select best operator for each project
Competition between providers, not projects

4. RFP Process (No Grant Applications!)
RFP’s Issued on Corridor Basis
Purchase of Service Contract, rather than operating assistance grant
Provides more control
Establishes expectations in advance
Ensures provider is tied in with Greyhound schedule, ticketing (MAX) web-site and National Bus
Traffic Association (NBTA)

5. Greyhound Rural Feeder Service Program
How Local In-kind Match Pilot Project works:
5311(f) Formula Local Match Option
$100, Actual Operating Cost $100,000
$100,000 Project Cost $150,000
- 50,000 less Fares ,000
50, Deficit ,000
- 25, % 5311(f) ,000
$ 25, % local match $ 50,000*
* At about $2.00 per mile (50% of Greyhound’s total operating cost), the project would need 25,000 annual Greyhound miles to match the project.
* Greyhound agrees in writing to make this in-kind donation to the project.

6. RFP Process and Contract Award
WSDOT collaborates with area stakeholders to identify intercity
transportation needs and levels of service for each route.
Each RFP is drafted for a specific route. RFP is published
statewide for maximum response potential.
Providers respond to the RFP with their proposals for meeting
specified service criteria.
Pre-proposal conference held prior to final proposal review.
A diverse panel of regional stakeholders reviews each of the
proposals, scores each to select the one which meets the
service criteria, and reflects the best overall public interest
value.

7. RFP Criteria
Realistic schedule connections with interstate, regional and local
providers.
A sound and sustainable business plan which includes marketing, revenue recovery from fares, freight handling and contracts.
ADA compliant service vehicles and accommodations for bicycles.
Interline agreements with Greyhound, Amtrak & other intercity carriers.
FMCSA & USDOT authority to connect with interstate carriers.
Federal certifications and assurances regarding insurance and
drug/alcohol compliance.

8. Travel Washington Intercity Bus
Project funded with FTA 5311(f) funding and local “in-kind” match provided by Greyhound’s unsubsidized capital costs
Definition includes rural feeder service segments to interstate trunk-line Greyhound service in Washington state.
The service schedules help meet regional travel needs in addition to making the Greyhound connections.
Current three intercity routes are:
Some of the unservced areas have good transit
NEW is the real issue after Walla Walla
Minus the purple
Travel Washington Grapeline- Walla Walla to Tri-Cities
Travel Washington Dungenessline- Port Angeles to SeaTac
Travel Washington Appleline- Omak to Ellensburg (October 2008)

9. Travel Washington Intercity Bus
Customer ticketing:
All Travel Washington customers are able to buy a one-way or round trip ticket in several ways:
Greyhound’s toll-free telephone information center
Online through or any three Travel Washington websites
By phone (or in person) through Travel Washington providers, using Greyhound-supplied software and ticket printer (MAXX system)
Customers buy tickets in advance or on the day of travel
Tickets, issued in multiple parts, will include travel on Travel Washington and Greyhound (to their final destination)

10. MAX Ticket Sample

11. Interline Ticket Example

12. Travel Washington Intercity Bus
Reconciling ticket revenues:
Travel Washington providers & Greyhound both sell tickets.
If Travel Washington provider sells the ticket, they will collect the fare for all segments of the trip including Greyhound segments.
If Greyhound sells the ticket, Greyhound will collect the fare for all segments of the trip including Travel Washington provider segments.
At the end of each month, Travel Washington providers and Greyhound reconcile ticket revenue collected by both and reimburse the other for any ticket revenue owed.

13. Travel Washington Intercity Bus
Unique marketing of statewide intercity bus service.
Standardized branding of vehicles.

14. Marketing and Promotions of Travel Washington Intercity Service
Grape Man at State Transportation Conference in the Tri-Cities 2008
Apple Man with passengers in Omak October 2008

15. The Result
More regional interconnectivity and mobility & access “beyond” Washington
Increased coordination amongst interstate and regional providers
Consistent and sustainable high quality service
Increased community and regional awareness of services

16. The Future
Travel Washington “Fourth Corridor” planning underway. Fourth Corridor connecting rural northeast Washington communities to Spokane (based on 2007 Intercity Bus Network Implementation Plan) Connections to Greyhound, Northwest Trailways, Amtrak and international airport
Centralized customer service and dispatching through system designed by Bellair
E-Ticket sales using Trip-Tik electronic sales technology to be deployed
Coordinating intercity bus service connections with Oregon and Idaho programs

17. Questions?