Cascades East Transit

Cascades East Transit (CET) has reinstituted bus fares this week after five years of free service that began with the COVID-19 pandemic. The change is due to a reduction in state and federal funding, which CET relied on, particularly after the state transit tax.  Andrea Wassoulou, CET’s outreach and engagement administrator, explained that the fares are necessary to keep the bus system operational. The prices were set by the transit director and the COIC board, aligning with or being lower than rates in other rural communities across the state.

They are offering daily, monthly, and yearly passes for tribal members, people on OHP, people with disabilities, and military veterans. Any who fall under those categories qualify for half off on the passes, and they just need to call their customer service line. With the pass, it’ll be thirty dollars for an unlimited number of rides for the monthly pass, or 1 dollar per ride, and the yearly pass which at the half off rate, would be $250.

Concerns have been raised about the impact of the new fares on homeless people and those with financial barriers. In response, CET has launched a “Community Movement Fund” and is seeking donations from corporations and individuals to provide tickets to social service companies, non-profits, and homeless shelters across Central Oregon. Interested donors can contact CET directly.

All riders are now required to have both a transit pass and a fare to ride the bus, though cash is still being accepted for a two-dollar ride. Additionally, CET is adding security guards to buses to enhance safety.

CET staff is holding weekly sign-up events in Warm Springs to help people get passes.  They have begun setting up on the Warm Springs Reservation every Wednesday from 9 AM to 2 PM to help out avid transit goers transition to their new fare pass system.