Cascades East Transit expands hours, rolls out fare plan and seeks funding changes as board weighs growth
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Summary
Cascades East Transit Director Bob Townsend told the Bend City Council on June 4 that CET has expanded weekday service hours, will introduce a mobile transit pass and an airport pilot route this summer, and is preparing a systemwide fare policy while monitoring state payroll-tax and funding changes that could reshape service capacity.
Cascades East Transit Director Bob Townsend updated the Bend City Council on June 4 about service expansions, an upcoming fare plan and ongoing state and federal funding negotiations that could change CET’s growth trajectory.
Townsend said CET restored weekday weekday hours to roughly 6 a.m.–7:30 p.m. to better serve commuters after COVID-era cutbacks concentrated ridership in midday. He described the change as gradual and said early rider counts on Monday showed preliminary uptake but that CET expects ridership to grow as riders learn the new schedule.
Townsend detailed other changes planned this summer and fall: a July 14 launch of a new Route 8 in northeast Bend; a pilot direct morning “airport” route serving Hawthorne Station to the Redmond Airport (initially 4 a.m.–noon trips); new benches, shelters and sign flags at about 300 stops (delivery phased over two to three years); and a mobile ticketing/transit pass system planned for a phased rollout in July–October. CET’s board will vote on fares in October after outreach; the proposed baseline fare is $2 full price and $1 reduced, with a three-ride daily cap for reduced fares and higher fares for Dial-a-Ride.
Townsend said CET is working on a North Hub near the Lowe’s site at Cooley and Third as a phased bus hub and potential future building for rider amenities.
On funding and policy, Townsend briefed council on two legislative issues: “qualified entity” (QE) language from House Bill 2017 that determines which local governments receive transit payroll funds and how they distribute them to CET and other operators; and proposals to increase the statewide payroll transit tax (current 0.1%). He summarized draft proposals ranging from keeping the tax at 0.1% to raising it toward 0.5% over time, and said CET modelers estimate that increases could fund increased frequency and new routes (for example, 15-minute frequencies) and substantially expand service, while absence of increases would force CET to prioritize routes and vulnerable riders.
Townsend said CET would begin publicly presenting a detailed fare policy for comment; the board plans a public hearing on August 7 and a final vote in October. He said CET expects fare revenue to be modest — projected in the hundreds of thousands in a $20 million operating budget — but fare collection serves both revenue and trip-control purposes. CET plans to keep reduced fare eligibility aligned with existing City of Bend low-income criteria and will offer institutional or business pass agreements to protect privacy for users who cannot provide ID.
Townsend also outlined federal grant news: CET had received a $1.6 million federal Western Federal Lands grant to buy buses for its Bachelor service.
Councilors pressed staff on student eligibility, how reduced fares would be verified, rider outreach and “walkshed” and access issues. Several councilors urged sustained outreach to bring riders back and to brief council once CET has a year of post-expansion ridership data to support future adjustments.
Townsend said CET will bring expanded route data to Bend next spring and recommended a gradual approach: measure ridership changes from added hours and new routes, then revisit route design and frequency in mid-2026 depending on legislative outcomes and payroll-tax revenue.
