Cascades East Transit service hours to expand in June; committee reviews logo for accessibility

Derek Hoffbauer and other committee members discussed upcoming changes to Cascades East Transit service and asked COBAC to review a preliminary transit logo for accessibility.

Hoffbauer said fixed-route hours will expand starting June 2 to run earlier and later, with weekday service stretching roughly from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. within Bend; he said regional connector schedules will generally be adjusted to match. The expansion coincides with a planned outreach week that will encourage riders to try the service once new hours are implemented.

Hoffbauer also said CET plans to reintroduce fares using a transit card system so the agency can collect fares without relying on cash, an effort the council liaison said is intended to help the service reach a goal of roughly 25% fare recovery over time. Councilor liaison Ariel Mendez and committee members noted legislative and federal funding uncertainties could affect service plans.

Committee members reviewed sample logo designs for the regional transit network. Several members raised contrast and legibility concerns: one member said options 3, 4 and 6 lacked sufficient contrast for low-vision users. Liz Deeth Martin offered to run color combinations through accessibility checkers. Equity staff confirmed the design will be presented to the COIC board and that the committee’s feedback will be included in the vetting process.

Why this matters: expanded hours and a fare-card rollout change rider behavior and access; logo contrast and readability affect the transit system’s usability for people with low vision and color-vision deficiencies. Committee members recommended accessible contrast checks and simpler iconography.