Use the interactive maps on the Central Transit Website, download the HERE WeGo or the TRANSIT app available on Google Play or the Apple Store to plan your trip.

https://wego.here.com/ and https://transitapp.com

Taking an Unfamiliar Route? Check the interactive map on our website or just enter your destination into the HERE WeGo or Transit app: it will tell you when to leave for the stop, when to hurry up (if you’re late), when to disembark & transfer!

When’s Your Bus Arriving? No Search Required!! Check the interactive map on our website or use the HERE WeGo or Transit app to get upcoming departure times for all your nearby routes. Open the app and there when your bus will arrive. So Simple!

Need More Info? Tap your transit line to watch your bus approach on the map!

SMS Text Messages or IVR Interactive Voice Response Messaging Now Available!

While waiting at a bus stop, you can text or talk the bus stop # to 509-297-8861 and instantly receive tracking info for the next arriving bus and route. The bus stop number is located on the bottom of the bus stop sign along with the number to text or call. For a route-specific request, add the route # number after the bus stop # to receive info for only that route. Example: 324 12 where 324 is the bus stop # and 12 is the route number.

(Hard copies of the routes and schedules are available online, on most buses, at major retailers, hotels, and public agencies.)

Where Do the Buses Stop? All bus stops have a Central Transit bus sign where the buses will stop. Many of our popular stops have lit bus shelters complete with artwork from local artists.

When Should I be at the Bus Stop? We recommend you arrive at the bus stop at least 5 minutes before your bus is scheduled to arrive or depart.

Do I have to wear a Seatbelt? Washington State law requires riders to wear a seatbelt when riding the bus.

Are there Stop Announcements? Yes, major transfer and destination points will be announced on all fixed route buses and bus drivers will announce other stops upon request. In many cases, the driver will ask where you want to exit the bus when you board. In addition, you may use the pull-cord running along the bus windows. When it is pulled the driver will stop at the next bus stop on the route.

At the bus stop, the bus will come to a full stop, and riders will board or exit.

Entering the Bus: After the bus is fully stopped, and the door to the bus is open, board the bus and quickly take a seat.

Exiting the Bus: As your stop approaches, gather up any belongings you might have, and prepare to exit the bus. Never walk in front of the bus to cross the street.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

Can I Bring my Service Animal on the bus? Yes.

The service animal must be on a leash tether or harness unless use of such a device would interfere with the task the service animal performs, or the person’s disability prevents uses of such devices. The service animal must remain at your feet or on your lap. Animals may not sit on a vehicle seat. The animal must not be aggressive toward people or other animals.

Pets, other than service animals used to assist persons with disabilities, must be in cages which cannot block the aisle of the bus.

Does it Cost to Ride? No. Central Transit is fare free for all riders.

Are all Central Transit buses ADA accessible? Yes.

All buses have accessible lifts. Please note your mobility device must be in good working order; with batteries charged, tires inflated, and all parts secure. Drivers use front and rear tie-downs to secure mobility devises and a lap and shoulder belt to secure passengers.

Can I use a 3 wheeled scooter? Yes, however, upon entering the bus, for your safety, please transfer to a seat.

Feeling unsteady? Our bus drivers will be happy to provide assistance upon request.

Can I bring Portable Oxygen? Yes.

Portable oxygen devices are allowed to travel with respirators and properly secured portable oxygen tanks which must not obstruct the aisle.

Can I bring my bike? Yes.

All buses are equipped with bike racks on the front of the bus which hold two bikes. Riders are responsible to load and unload their own bikes and space on the racks is on a first come basis. Bikes are NOT allowed inside the buses and Central Transit is not responsible for any damage incurred to or caused by bicycles on Central Transit property.

Motorized bikes are not allowed.

RIDER RULES OF CONDUCT

OUR RULES OF RIDER CONDUCT DEFINE THE TYPES OF ACTIONS WHICH ARE PROHIBITED ON ALL CENTRAL TRANSIT VEHICLES, AT BUS STOPS AND BUS SHELTERS.

A rider’s privileges may be suspended for any of the following infractions on Central Transit vehicles, at bus stops, and bus shelters:

1. State law prohibits smoking, vaping or carrying a lit pipe, cigar, or cigarette on the bus. (All must be 25 feet from the bus)

2. Shirts and shoes are required.

3. Carrying hazardous, explosive, incendiary or flammable materials or devices including gasoline and care batteries is prohibited.

4. Take a seat immediately after boarding the bus and stay seated at all times. Seatbelts are required when riding the bus.

5. Eating and drinking is not allowed on the bus.

6. To ensure all passengers a timely and safe ride, carry-on items are limited to those that a passengers can load in a single boarding. Items may not block walkways or pose any safety issue. Packages must be removed from seating if needed for seating by a boarding passenger(s).

7. Playing music without earphones is not allowed on the bus.

8. Children under the age of 10 must be accompanied by an adult or older child of at least 14 years of age.

9. Distracting, disturbing or harassing drivers along with the use of profanity, loud, raucous, unruly or harmful behavior on the bus will not be allowed.

10. Bicycles must be stored in the bicycle racks only. The bicycle racks are on a first come first serve basis. Motorized bikes are not allowed.

11. Rollerblades must be carried onboard.

12. Pets, other than service animals used to assist persons with disabilities, must be in cages and may not block the aisle.

13. Baby strollers may be brought on the bus but must be folded before boarding and placed out of the aisle. The child must be carried or seated on your lap.

14. Carrying weapons is not allowed.

15. Discarding litter in places other than the designated receptacle is not allowed.

16. Sleeping, lying down or occupying more than one seat is not allowed when riding the bus.

17. Engaging in other conduct inconsistent with the intended purpose of the vehicle, bus stop or bus shelter is not allowed.

**** Please note, the first few seats are reserved for the elderly and riders with mobility impairments. Passengers seated in these areas are urged to give up their seats when requested.

For a complete copy of the Rules of Conduct, email us at [email protected]

YOUTH POLICY

Ellensburg Central Transit’s goal is to provide safe, clean and efficient transportation for persons of all ages.  To ride safely, passengers should be able to adapt to unexpected situations such as bus service delays, trip cancellations, detours or other service disruptions.  For these reasons, Central Transit recommends an adult or a responsible person of not less than 14 years accompany youths under the age of 10, when riding any Central Transit bus.

An adult or responsible older person of at least 14 years of age should accompany Paratransit passengers under 10 years of age. All Paratransit trips have a defined pick up and destination, however the operator cannot be responsible for a paratransit passenger before leaving the trip origin or after the passenger reaches their destination.

 Youths 10 years of age or older may ride Central Transit buses unaccompanied, however the following recommendations can help make riding a more pleasant and safe experience.

• Identification should be carried, listing their name, address, home phone number and the contact information for their primary guardian.

• The parent or other responsible person should review the details of the trip with the young passenger prior to travel. Details to review include the bus route they will be riding, the locations where they will be getting on and off the bus and landmarks along the route, so they are always aware of their location. It is a good idea to take some practice runs with the child, so they understand the procedures and become comfortable with the process of riding the bus.
• The parent or other responsible person should remain with the child at the pick-up location until the bus leaves. Should a delay occur, the child will be much more comfortable waiting with someone they are familiar with than waiting alone.  It will also be more comfortable for the youth to have someone they know to help make arrangements if the trip is canceled or detoured.
• For safety, the youth should sit as close as possible to the bus operator.
• We strongly recommend that no youths travel unaccompanied during hours of darkness.

FOR QUESTIONS OR ASSITANCE, YOUNG PASSENGERS SHOULD ASK THE BUS OPERATOR FOR HELP.

Ellensburg Central Transit is responsible to provide service for all of our customers and cannot neglect these responsibilities in order to monitor unaccompanied children.  Bus operators will be glad to answer questions when the bus is not in motion. If asked, the operator will do their best to verify the correct bus is boarded and the child exits the bus at the correct stop. Please note that the operators will try, but cannot guarantee, that a youth boards the correct bus, exits the bus at the correct location or that they will supervise an unaccompanied child.

For questions contact us at [email protected]

WINTER WEATHER RIDING TIPS

BE EARLY

Buses move only as quickly as traffic or road conditions allow. If there is snow or ice, consider taking an earlier bus to ensure you arrive at your destination on time.

PLAY IT SAFE

Buses may slide on snow as they approach the curb. Stay on the curb until the bus comes to a complete stop.

BE VISIBLE

Especially on dark winter mornings and evenings, it is important that you make yourself visible to an approaching bus. Wear light-color clothing. Signal your presence with a small blinker light or flashlight. Make sure you stand where you are visible to the bus driver far enough away that he has time to stop.

STEP CAREFULLY

Bus steps become slippery from snow. Kick the snow from your shoes before stepping on the bus. Use the handrails and take your time.

DRESS WARMLY

Although the ride will be warm, your trip to and from the bus stop may not be. Put on an extra layer – even a short wait at your stop can be dangerous if you’re not dressed for the weather. If the temperature on your bus isn’t right, please tell your driver so the problem can be repaired.

DON’T BLAME THE DRIVER

If your bus is late, remember that your driver is doing his or her best to make sure you arrive at your destination despite bad road conditions. Safety is our first priority.

RIDER ALERTS

Weather conditions can change quickly. Before you leave, check for Rider Alerts on the Central Transit website, Facebook, Twitter, the TRANSIT app or Google Maps.

CABULANCE SERVICE

What is Cabulance Service?

Cabulance is a City of Ellensburg service which operates 24-7 to provide accessible non-emergency medical transportation for individuals within the City of Ellensburg to and from specific medical facilities as initiated by Kittitas Valley Fire & Rescue, Kittitas Valley Hospital and other contracted facilities.

REGIONAL TRANSIT CONNECTIONS:

Apple Line | Okanogan County Transit Authority (okanogantransit.com) – Service between Ellensburg and Omak.

Bellair Airport Shuttle – Yakima to SeaTac and Seattle via Ellensburg and return.

FlixBus – Serving cities in the Pacific Northwest and beyond.

Greyhound Bus Service – Nationwide

Kittitas County Connector – Certain areas within Kittitas County.

Yakima-Ellensburg Commuter – Ellensburg to Yakima and return. Route 11 Schedule | Yakima Transit

TITLE VI NOTICE:

NOTICE TO PUBLIC
This hereby gives public notice that it is the policy of WSDOT to assure full compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1987, and related nondiscrimination statutes and regulations in all programs and activities. It is our policy that no person in the United States of America shall, on the grounds of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination under any of our programs or activities. This includes the entire operations of WSDOT and any sub-recipients.
Any person who believes he or she has been subjected to unlawful discriminatory practice under Title VI has a right to file a formal complaint. Any such complaint must be filed in writing or in person with Washington Department of Transportation, Office Equal Opportunity, 310 Maple Park Ave., P.O. Box 47314, Olympia, WA 98504, within one hundred-eighty (180) days following the date of the alleged discriminatory action.

AVISO AL PÚBLICO
Esto da aviso público que es la política de WSDOT para asegurar la completa conformidad con el título VI de la ley de derechos civiles de 1964, la ley de restauración de los derechos civiles de 1987 y relacionados con la no discriminación estatutos y reglamentos en todos los programas y actividades. Nuestra política es que ninguna persona en los Estados Unidos de América, por motivos de raza, color, origen nacional, sexo, edad, o discapacidad serán excluidos de la participación en, ser negado los beneficios de, o lo contrario ser objeto de discriminación en cualquiera de nuestros programas o actividades. Esto incluye las operaciones todas de WSDOT y cualquier subreceptores.
Cualquier persona que cree que él o ella ha sido sometida a una práctica discriminatoria ilegal bajo el título VI tiene derecho a presentar una queja formal. Cualquier denuncia debe ser presentada por escrito o en persona con el Departamento de transporte de Washington, oficina de igualdad de oportunidades, 310 Maple Park Ave., P.O. Box 47314, Olympia, WA 98504, dentro de ciento ochenta 180 días siguientes a la fecha de la presunta acción discriminatoria.

TITLE VI PLAN: