Yakima Transit’s bustling transit system has been on the go since Christmas day of 1907, when
the first public rides were given on the Yakima Valley Transportation Company trolleys. By
1910, riders could go for a three hour, forty-mile round-trip over all the trolley routes (or
streetcars as they were called) for just 50 cents.
In 1924, the first motor bus service began and was so instantly popular with the riders that three
more “Mack” buses were purchased the following year. Both buses and trolleys continued to
operate through World War II, until February 1, 1947 when the streetcars were discontinued.
Yakima was the last city in Washington to lose this service.
In March of 1957, the Yakima Valley Transportation Company, a subsidiary of the Union Pacific
Railroad, was sold to a private individual. Years of struggle followed and in May of 1966, the
private company went out of business. This trend was repeated all across the nation as private
companies were going bankrupt by the ever-increasing costs of operating a transit system.
After a few months without bus service, the citizens of Yakima voted for a Household Tax to
support a transit system and the Yakima City Lines began operation on October 3, 1966. In
December 1978, the name was changed to Yakima Transit.
Yakima Transit operated under the Household Tax until the end of 1980. At that time, operating
expenses began exceeding income so the citizens again went to the poles and voted in a 3/10 of
1% sales tax dedicated solely to transit. This tax was instituted on January 1, 1981 and replaced
the Household tax that was no longer viable.
Yakima Transit has continued to operate within the city limits of Yakima within the last ten
years worked with the cities of Selah and Union Gap to help them start local transit services.
Yakima Transit continues to provide fixed-route and paratransit services. Yakima Transit also
participates with Central Washington University and WSDOT in funding the Yakima-Ellensburg
Commuter. Transit fixed-route (bus) ridership consistently exceeds one million passenger-
boardings annually.
For almost forty years, Yakima Transit has continued to provide the Yakima area with
public transportation services!
Monday - Friday, 5:30am - 6:30pm
Saturday, 7:00am - 6:30pm
Sunday, 8:00a.m. - 4:00p.m.
Yakima Transit Dispatch Office
2301 Fruitvale Blvd.
Yakima, WA 98902
Office: (509) 575-6175
Fax: (509) 576-6414
Email: asktransit@yakimawa.gov
Yakima Transit Center
104 S. 4th Street
Yakima, WA 98901
Dial-A-Ride
Information Line (509) 575-6054
Trip Reservation Line (509) 248-1119
Transit Administration
Manager and Supervisor’s Line – (509) 575-6175 option#5
Yakima Transit Dial-A-Ride Program – (509) 576-6426
Medstar – (509) 248-2004
Central Washington Airporter Shuttle/Yakima-Ellensburg Commuter – 1-866-235-5247
Marketing – (509) 576-6426
Planning & Grants – (509) 576-6422
Bus Sales and Purchases – (509) 576-6412
Comments and Complaints can be filed with Yakima Transit at any time via mail to 2301
Fruitvale Blvd, Yakima, WA 98902, emailed to transit@yakimawa.gov, or by phone 509-575-
6175. Please indicate in the subject line of your email or letter what type of complaint it will be.
Yakima Transit had different processes for different types of complaints.
If the complaint is a civil rights complaint (discrimination based on a disability, race, gender, or
any other protected class), please use the following form:
Title VI Complaint Form
Title VI Complaint Form - Spanish
Discrimination complaints on the basis of a disability please contact Yakima Transit Field
Operations Supervisor, Jeff Beaver, via email at jeff.beaver@yakimawa.gov or via phone at 509-
575-6456, if mailed or emailed please use the following form: ADA Complaint Form
Call the information office (509) 575-6175 Mon-Sat.
Be prepared to tell us the route name and number and the date and time you were riding. Found
items are typically turned into the Transit Ticket Window at the Transit Center Downtown, feel
free to check with the attendant there first. Articles are generally kept for one week and then
donated to a local charity. Yakima Transit is not responsible for any lost personal property.
Yakima Transit (City of Yakima, Transit Division) is committed to providing safe, reliable, courteous, accessible and user-friendly services to its customers. To ensure equality and fairness, Yakima Transit is committed to making reasonable modifications to its policies, practices and procedures to avoid discrimination and ensure programs and services are accessible to individuals with disabilities. Requests for modifications can be made by calling Yakima Transit at (509)575-6054 or emailing Ask Transit at transit@yakimawa.gov.
(509) 576-6423
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