Benton County
Benton County Transportation Providers
Benton Area Transit (BAT), operated by Benton County, provides public fixed route and demand response transit services throughout the county and beyond. It
provides key transit connections between Linn, Benton, and Lincoln counties and is the public transportation service provider for older adults and people with disabilities within Benton County, with a population of more than 100,000 people.
BAT operates two fixed-route services – the 99 Express and the Coast to Valley Express. The former is a commuter route that operates Monday through Friday between Corvallis, Lewisburg, and Adair Village. The latter is a regional service provided through a partnership with Lincoln County Transit, operating seven days per week between Newport, Corvallis, and the Amtrak Station in Albany.
BAT Lift provides demand-response services for older adults and people with disabilities throughout Benton County. BAT Lift also provides federally mandated paratransit service on behalf of Corvallis and Philomath. BAT provides transportation for Benton County residents served through its Developmental Diversity program and who need transportation to and from jobs. All told, BAT provides between 50,000 and 65,000 rides per year to residents and visitors.
BAT links passengers to local transit systems such as Corvallis Transit System, Albany Transit System and Lincoln County Transit, including significant ridership for the Oregon State University community. Most BAT users consider themselves regular riders, accessing the system between 1–3 times per week. Top uses for BAT’s services include tourism or general travel (21%), shopping (22%), work (17%), medical appointments (14%), social opportunities (15%), and school (11%). While most fixed-route systems have struggled to recover pre-pandemic ridership, ridership on BAT’s Coast to Valley service has grown 50 percent over 2019 figures.
Future service expansions include additional runs by the Coast to Valley Express and a new pilot service operated in partnership with Yamhill County to include connections along the Highway 99W corridor between Monmouth, Adair Village, Corvallis, Monroe and junction City/Eugene. Links with other transit systems will extend service to Salem and McMinnville.
Benton Area Transit
Why BAT Matters
“BAT Lift makes a huge difference for me. It gives me a whole lot of freedom and independence I wouldn’t otherwise have.”
-Jessica S
“I use the Coast to Valley Express five days a week. It’s affordable, reliable, and allows me so much opportunity!”
-Steve D.
From just two buses 50 years ago, Corvallis Transit System (CTS) has grown into a robust system providing more than 1 million rides per year (pre-Covid) in a college town community with a population of less than 60,000. For a decade, CTS has met service benchmarks associated with larger transit systems, qualifying for additional federal funding under the Small Transit Intensive Cities program.
The system is owned and operated by the City of Corvallis and currently using an operations contractor to deliver service.
CTS operates 10 fixed routes, seven days a week, from 6 am to 9 pm, serving all of Corvallis. CTS also operates the Philomath Connection transit service connecting a neighboring city’s residents with school, work, shopping, and appointments in Corvallis. ADA paratransit service for both cities is provided in partnership with Benton Area Transit.
The City’s Downtown Transit Center is a hub for other regional services such as the Philomath Connection, Benton Area Transit’s Coast to Valley and 99 Express services, the City of Albany’s Linn Benton Loop, and Greyhound.
A Leader in Fare Equity
While many transit systems suspended fares during the height of the pandemic, CTS has been an early leader, becoming completely fare free in 2011. This addressed financial equity while eliminating farebox equipment and software for payment apps, printed fare media, staff time associated with fare collection enforcement, handling fare box coinage and selling passes. It also reduced delays on buses as passengers just board and sit.
Ridership increased by more than 30 percent when the system went fare-less, demonstrating that even a modest fare is a barrier to some riders. CTS staff has
presented at many conferences on going fare free and regularly receives inquiries from transit agencies that are considering it. The City is proud of being a leader in adopting a fare-less model.
Going Electric
CTS will put its first two Battery Electric Buses (BEBs) into service in April 2023. The community has anticipated this transition, which was envisioned in the
Transit Development Plan and Corvallis Climate Action Plan. Two additional BEBs were awarded to CTS from FTA’s “2022 Low or No Emission Grant Program”. These vehicles will go into service when delivered and the bus yard is upgraded to accommodate charging infrastructure. CTS plans to continue electrifying its fleet as the current diesel buses reach their useful lives.
Corvallis Transit System (CTS)
Why CTS Matters
CTS ridership looks like our community – students, visitors, and riders who live without a car.
Corvallis has several high-density areas served by transit, including Oregon State University, a cluster of regional medical facilities, and downtown Corvallis.
OSU students, including many international students, attend college without the expense of a vehicle.
“I take CTS to and from OSU every day. It’s very convenient. Without the bus, I would drive and find park, which would be costly and unfriendly to the environment.”
-Eddie K