RICHLAND, Wash. – In celebration of this year’s Earth Day, Ben Franklin Transit is offering free bus fares and highlighting its latest environmental initiative.
“Throughout the year, we pick four different days, Earth Day being one of the days where we offer free rides,” said BFT’s chief executive officer Thomas Drozt.
Additionally, April 22nd is School Bus Driver Appreciation Day, “Everybody in the…transportation world deserves a day like this where we just come out celebrate acknowledge the hard work that they do,” Drozt stated.
Ben Franklin Transit is also highlighting its veterans program, which features buses wrapped to honor each branch of military service.
Drozt also explained the importance of their School Trippers program. “We provide two School Trippers: Route 26 and Route 123,” he said.
These routes serve Christ the King, Carmichael Middle School, and Hanford High School.
The trippers aim to manage the influx of students at bus stops, ensuring regular services remain unaffected.
The conversation then shifted to the introduction of new electric buses in in the Tri-Cities.
Drozt highlighted the motivation behind this initiative. “In the world that we live in today and with environmental sustainability, we’re looking to contribute our piece to those programs,” he stated.
BFT is currently preparing two new electric e-buses, with maintenance and operator training underway.
These 40-foot Gilligs have a range of about 250 miles, covering approximately 70% of the transit system’s routes. Route 170, which serves Prosser and Benton City, remains an exception due to its distance.
The introduction of the e-buses required adjustments in route planning to accommodate the buses’ range and height. Kevin Sliger, BFT’s chief planning and development officer noted, “These buses have batteries on the roof… so the bus is about a foot taller, so we need to make sure all the routes have the clearance for the bus.”
“We were able to leverage some grant funding, so we have about $500,000 that came from a Department of Ecology grant,” said Joshua Rosas, BFT’s chief operations officer. The remaining buses are funded 15% by local funds and 85% by federal funds.
These efforts reflect Ben Franklin Transit’s dedication to the community and its appreciation for both bus drivers and military personnel.
For more information on Ben Franklin Transit and the programs they offer, you can head over to their website.
