TRI-CITIES, Wash.-
With single-digit temperatures expected to hit the Tri-Cities this weekend, Ben Franklin Transit (BFT) is prepared to take riders to their destination safely.
Nineteen buses that BFT acquired in the fall of 2023 have automatic chains that deploy with the push of a button. These chains drop from the bus and rotate underneath the tires, which makes it simple to increase traction control on routes where compact snow and ice are expected.
“We allot those buses to the routes we know have difficulty with snow,” Community Relations & Social Media Manager of Ben Franklin Transit Brittany Nelson said. “They’re for places where sliding is a true danger.”
Detours and delays can be frustrating, but they’re necessary to keep riders safe.
“It’s always safety over schedule. Any time the roads are icy and slick and you feel you need to slow down, buses also need to slow down a bit,” Nelson said. “So we do run behind a little bit in the winter when there’s weather involved.”
It’s simple to stay aware of when detours and delays happen. Riders can stay up-to-date by checking the Transit app or by visiting BFT’s website.
For those who need to get out of the bitter cold, BFT has routes that stop by warming centers across the area:
Kennewick
MCL Keewaydin Park – Routes 3, 40, 41, 42, 47, 48Columbia Center Mall – Route 123MCL Kennewick Union – Route 47
Pasco
Tri-City Union Gospel Mission – Route 65Mid Columbia Libraries (MCL): Pasco – Route 65First Avenue Center – Route 3MCL West Pasco – 225
Richland & West Richland
Richland Library – Route 26Richland Community Center – Routes 225, 268 (this stop is about a quarter mile away)MCL West Richland – Route 20
Prosser
Becky’s Coffee Corner – Route 170Renz Farmers Insurance Agency – Route 170MCL Prosser – Route 170 (stop about a quarter of a mile away)
Benton City
MCL Benton City – Route 170
Cash fare on BFT lines is $1.50. Routes run until about 10 p.m. on weekdays and about 6 p.m. on Sundays.
