In the early 1980s, then-unincorporated Spokane Valley and its surrounding area was home to over 90,000 residents but was served by just two bus routes.

Additionally, due to funding issues with the existing system, routes destined for outside city limits were in danger of being eliminated on April 1, 1981.

[4] A second major purpose of the county-wide taxpayer funded transit system was to radically transform and develop public transportation outside the city limits of Spokane.

[6] Because of the transit center's historical prominence in the transformation of Spokane Transit's operations, the center is named for former Millwood mayor and STA board member, Clarence Pence,[7] as well as Bob Cole, who played prominent role in the aforementioned expansion of public transportation in the Spokane region.

[10] The Pence-Cole Valley Transit Center played a key role in STA's early 2000s light rail proposal.