WSRTC is a continuation and broadening of the original California Oregon Advanced Transportation System (COATS). COATS began in 1998 as a collaborative effort among the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) and the Montana State University, Bozeman's Western Transportation Institute (WTI) to investigate the use of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) in rural areas. The intent of the COATS project was to facilitate the use of ITS to enhance safety, improve the movement of people, goods and services, and subsequently promote the economic development of the bi-state region and to begin deployment of those solutions.

During the COATS effort, the WSRTTIF was created to bridge the technology transfer gap between practitioners. WSRTTIF consisted of nuts-and-bolts presentations that allowed frank discussions on how technology projects were implemented in the field.  The WSRTTIF provided insight into not only the need for collaboration on rural ITS technology transfer, but also operations and safety research.  The WSRTTIF was acknowledged by nationally by NRITS in 2012 as the best new innovative product, service or application.

The COATS Steering Committee determined that it was in the best interest of the project to broaden its area of service to the western United States. This included a refocusing on three primary areas, technology, operations and safety, while leveraging research dollars to provide reliable, robust solutions to common rural transportation issues.  The Steering Committee reached out to Washington and Nevada and developed the charter for the WSRTC.  Washington took the lead state role and TPF-5(241) was underway in March 2011.  Utah joined the WSRTC in 2018.

The WSRTC has been responsible for operating multiple projects, including:

-       Western States Rural Transportation Technology Implementers Forum (Technology/Safety/Operations)

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