GTA changes routes schedules, times

File photo A Grant Transit Authority bus stops to pick up passengers at the GTA Moses Lake facility.

by Rachal Pinkerton Staff Writer
| April 3, 2019 3:00 AM

MOSES LAKE — Grant Transit Authority’s (GTA) changes to its bus routes and schedules were implemented on Monday. Some routes stayed the same, while others were cut or combined with other routes. A few routes were turned into Dial-A-Ride Transportation (DART) services.

Moses Lake in-town routes

Routes 10 and 11 are being combined into Route 10. The new combined route will make an hour-long loop that encompasses the Multimodal Transit Center (MTC), WorkSource, Fairchild Cinemas on Block Street, Grove Terrace on Maple Drive, Patton Boulevard and Loring Drive, Big Bend Community College (BBCC), Airway Deli Mart, Cascade Grocery, a request stop at the Grant County Fairgrounds, with the route ending at the MTC. The route begins at 7 a.m. at both the MTC and at BBCC. It ends at 6:30 p.m. at BBCC.

Route 12 is similar to the current schedule, with a few minor changes in departure times. The biggest change to this route is the addition of a request stop at Ernie’s Truck Stop and a removal of the Yonezawa Boulevard and Division Street stop.

Routes 13 and 14 are keeping all of their current stops. There are some changes to the departure times at some stops.

Grant County routes

Route 20 between BBCC and the Ephrata Transportation Center (ETC) will not start until 6 a.m. Also the bus will leave Safeway in Ephrata seven minutes earlier than it currently does.

Routes 21 and 22 are remaining similar to their current route. Route 21, the Ephrata City Circulator, has a few departure time changes. Route 22, the Soap Lake Circulator, has one stop change. Instead of stopping at the Coulee Cruisers Diner, the bus will now stop at Daisy Street South and Third Avenue Southeast. There are also time changes on this route.

Route 30 to Warden also has a few bus departure time changes. A request stop at Cascade Grocery has been added after the bus leaves BBCC at 4 p.m. A stop has been added at Moses Lake Walmart at 7 p.m. and a request stop at BBCC after that. Route 30W to Warden is unchanged. The return trip from Warden has a few departure time changes.

Routes 40 and 41 are being combined into a new Route 40. Stops on this route are the MTC, Moses Lake Walmart, BBCC, Soap Lake Lava Links, ETC, Ephrata Walmart, Ephrata Pizza Hut, a request stop at Winchester, Quincy Senior Center, a request stop at Quincy Lamb Weston, Quincy Ace Hardware and George Park and Ride. For most of the day, the route goes between ETC, Quincy and George Park & Ride. Access to Route 40 from Moses Lake will be through Route 20. This route starts at 5:15 a.m. at the MTC and ends at Moses Lake Walmart at 7:50 p.m. with a request stop at MTC. There will no longer be any weekend service to Ephrata, Soap Lake, Quincy or George.

Routes 50 and 60 with service to Wenatchee and Ellensburg are each losing one trip per day. Route 50 to Wenatchee will remain the same for the morning run. The noon and evening run are being combined into one run that leaves BBCC at 2 p.m. and returns at 5:30 p.m. Route 60 to Ellensburg leaves the MTC at the same time. Once it arrives in Ellensburg, departure times for the rest of the route are moved up 10 minutes. The afternoon route leaves BBCC at 1:30 p.m. and returns to the MTC at 5:45 p.m. The afternoon route does not return through Quincy, but does go to George and Ephrata.

Route 270 to Wanapum Dam leaves MTC at 4:30 a.m. It stops at ETC at 5 p.m., George at 5:25 a.m. before arriving at Wanapum Dam at 5:45 a.m. On the way back to the ETC, it stops at George at 6:05 a.m. The afternoon run begins at MTC at 3:15 p.m., going straight to George at 4 p.m. and Wanapum Dam at 4:30 p.m. It returns to George at 4:55 p.m. and ends at MTC at 5:30 p.m. The bus does not stop in Ephrata during the afternoon run.

Route 280 to Royal City is being turned into a Dial-A-Ride Transportation (DART) route. It will have service Monday through Thursday through June 2019. Then the service will be reduced to Tuesday and Thursday only. Morning pick up times will be at ETC at 6:55 a.m. and Red Rock Elementary School at 7:40 a.m. Afternoon pick up times will be 3:35 p.m. at Red Rock Elementary School and ETC at 4:20 p.m.

In addition to Royal City, Wilson Creek, Grand Coulee and Mattawa are also DART routes. These cities do not have fixed route service. Anyone wishing to use the DART services must book a ride two days in advance. Rides can be booked by calling (509) 765-0898, ext. 102, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The service times for Wilson Creek, Grand Coulee and Mattawa will remain the same as before.

The prices to ride the bus will stay the same. Adults and youth are $1. Seniors 60 and up and disabled persons are $0.50. Children six and under are free with an adult. Trips to Wenatchee and Ellensburg are $3. The fare for DART service is $1 per boarding.

Monthly passes are also available. Adults are $25 per month; students are $20 per month; seniors and disabled persons are $15 per month and commuters to Wenatchee and Ellensburg are $80 per month. Passes are good for one calendar month.

For more information on routes and pricing, call 509-765-0898 or visit the Multimodal Transit Center, 116 W. Fifth Ave., in Moses Lake.