Cascades East Transit outlines new fares, committee raises concerns about paratransit impacts

Bob Townsend, director of Cascades East Transit, briefed the City of Bend Accessibility Advisory Committee on Aug. 28, 2025, about a recently approved fare schedule and public outreach leading to implementation later this year. Townsend said the Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council board approved the fares on Aug. 8 and that staff are planning implementation and rider education in October with fares going live in January.

Townsend explained that the agency paused fares during the pandemic and has pursued an extended outreach process to reintroduce fares and simplify pricing across services governed by the Federal Transit Administration. "What was approved by the COIC board, as of August 8," Townsend said, referring to the recommended fare schedule.

Townsend summarized historical and new fares: he said Bend fixed‑route fares were $1.50 in the 2017 schedule and the proposed city fixed route fare is $2.00. He said community connector (regional) fares that had been $3.75 are set at $2.00 under the new schedule. He described a two‑tier approach for Bend Dial‑A‑Ride: the first 10 rides in a month would be priced differently than subsequent rides to encourage appropriate use of fixed routes when feasible. "Now it's $2 for the first 10 rides in a month, $4 for anything after that," Townsend said.

Committee members asked for details and raised concerns. Liz Diether Martin asked whether the two‑tier Dial‑A‑Ride approach would penalize frequent users; Townsend said the pricing is intended to reflect higher per‑ride operating costs for door‑to‑door paratransit and to encourage use of fixed routes where practical. He said paratransit rides can cost the system significantly more per trip than fixed‑route rides.

Members representing service providers and disability advocates said many users rely on door‑to‑door service for safety and practical reasons, and that charging could reduce access if fixed‑route alternatives are not viable where riders live. Several committee members urged CET to pair fare changes with expanded routes and better outreach in places such as Redmond, where Dial‑A‑Ride is currently used like a taxi because of limited fixed‑route coverage.

Townsend acknowledged tradeoffs and said some rural services that now operate as free taxi‑style Dial‑A‑Ride may shift to a qualified paratransit model in future service changes. He also said the agency is moving toward automated tools for trip booking and vehicle tracking, which officials expect will improve customer experience.

Townsend said the agency will continue to refine implementation details and work with partners; he asked the committee for continued input during the October–January education and rollout period.