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Transit manager urges committee to adopt new fares and confirms major bus-buying year
Summary
Yamhill County Transit Manager Cynthia Thompson told the budget committee the department expects a larger-than-usual capital year as multiple bus grants arrive and a pilot route between McMinnville and Junction City launches; she also previewed a proposed fare restructure to be discussed May 8
Cynthia Thompson, Yamhill County Transit manager, told the budget committee that this budget cycle is unusually large because several bus capital grants culminate in the coming fiscal year, producing roughly $3.5 million to buy vehicles and pilot a new intercity service.
Thompson said roughly $4 million of capital funds and one-time items are budgeted in 2025-26, primarily for bus purchases (five 30-foot buses and several midsize vehicles) and a pilot intercity route between McMinnville and Junction City. She described the procurement delays and multi-year grant timing that created the concentration of purchases in one fiscal year.
On operating funding she highlighted the state—s State Transportation Improvement Fund (STIF) and federal Section 5307 and 5311 operating grants as major revenue sources. Thompson said STIF funds included about $2.2 million in the draft and that small-city operating and local partner contributions also provide important support.
Fares and service design
Thompson said the transit advisory committee has vetted a proposed fare-structure change and that the public hearing will be May 8. She estimated fare revenue for a full year under the proposal at roughly $195,000 and said the proposal aims to simplify fares and improve ridership clarity, while acknowledging that fare revenue will not fully cover operating costs.
Service and staffing
Thompson described success with the adult recovery cohort, service to older adults and people with disabilities, and improvements in passenger and demand-response service quality. She said procurement and on-boarding of vehicles will take into 2026 and the department is planning staffing and shop needs accordingly. She said the vendor agreement for operations is due for renewal in late 2025 and she has asked the operator for an updated cost proposal.
Why it matters
A concentrated year of vehicle purchases is a chance to modernize the fleet, but it requires careful procurement, storage, and staffing planning. The proposed fare changes and contract negotiations will affect operating budgets and municipal partners—contributions in the next year.
What happens next
Thompson will pursue the transit advisory committee—s public outreach and present the fare proposal at the May 8 meeting; the committee will consider capital purchases and operating contributions during budget deliberations.
