Rural Transit Service Enhancement Proposal

1. CET Service Proposal

2. Existing Services • Nearly 100 miles north to south, and 50 miles west to east • Community Connector service Monday - Friday • Rural Dial-A-Ride service • Madras • Redmond • Prineville • La Pine • Sisters • Deviated Fixed-Route • Warm Springs • Madras

3. Existing Regional Service

4. Transit Definitions • ADA Paratransit Service. The federal Americans with Disabilities Act requires public transit providers offer paratransit service for persons who cannot ride fixed-route service due to a disability, within ¾ mile of fixed-route service • Headway (or frequency). The time interval between two scheduled transit vehicles in one direction • Cycle Time. The amount of time it takes a bus to complete a round trip between two points • Interlining. A bus serving different routes during the day to improve transit efficiency or provide more convenient service to passengers

5. Local Service Types • Demand-Response(e.g., in Redmond, La Pine, Prineville, etc.) • Curb-to-curb service within a zone • No fixed route or schedule • Requires a reservation in advance

6. Local Service Types • Fixed-Route • Serves a designated route and stops • Requires ADA Paratransit service for persons with disabilities (increases cost) Higher-frequency urban route (e.g., Bend) More coverage-oriented route

7. Local Service Types • “Deviated” Fixed-Route or “Flex” Route • Hybrid between demand-response and fixed-route service • Travel along a fixed alignment with scheduled stops • Can deviate from the route by up to ¾ mile (may vary, but must be “reasonable”) to directly serve a destination or pick up passengers • The number of deviations that can be accepted is limited by the time available in the schedule

8. Work Commute Patterns, 2014 Service & Market Analysis Key Findings • Bend, Redmond, Prineville, and Madras are the key activity centers in the region. Work and non-work travel demand is strong between these communities. • Specific trips see high ridership that exceeds passenger capacity • Mid-morning and late afternoon trips in some markets have relatively low ridership, highlighting the need to optimize current schedules and/or level of service

9. Service Opportunities • Additional peak trips to better meet work commute needs • Through-route or interline trips to efficiently connect different markets • Over time, provide at least one midday trip to better serve non-work trips • Plan to phase in limited stops at major activity centers • Improve timing of the regional system with local fixed-route services in Bend. • Enhance local connections to/from regional service in other communities, including flexible options to serve last trips of the day • Enable more spontaneous use of the system with more consistent connections

10. Near-Term Proposal Phasing • Near-term changes are cost-neutral or possible using available COIC funding • Additional, future changes that can be implemented as warranted based on future funding and demand Including Future Options

11. Overview of Proposed Near-Term Changes • Retime Community Connector system to use 90-minute “cycle time” • Improves timing of connections to Bend’s fixed route transit system • Enables limited stops at major activity centers • Takes advantage of new Redmond hub • Short layovers to connect to/from Bend, Madras, and Prineville through Redmond • Considered major rider groups such as COCC, Heart of Oregon, OFCO, RPA, etc. • Prineville – Redmond – Bend connection on single bus • Addition of Metolius and Culver stops on Madras-Redmond runs, and deviated flex route in Madras and Warm Springs • Addition of Community Connector route between Bend and Sisters

12. Route 20- Warm Springs & Madras Service • Addition of deviated flex route in Madras and Warm Springs • Customers can ride service without transfers • Allows residents of both communities to benefit from consistent pick up and drop off times along the route with the flexibility to take them to and from specific other destinations • No reservation required unless requesting deviation • Funded by the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs • The first of its kind in our service area! We hope to use this as a pilot for future deviated fixed routes in other communities

13. Route 20- Warm Springs & Madras Service

14. Madras-Metolius-Culver Service (Proposed Change) • Currently 2 runs in the morning & 2 in the afternoon. Proposed change will eliminate 1 run in the morning & 1 run in afternoon • Proposed change will add Culver-Metolius stops to the Madras-Redmond service • Instead of 4 daily round trips, this route will have 7 round trips connecting Metolius-Culver to both Madras and Redmond

15. Route 22- Madras-Redmond Service (Proposed Change) • Retime schedules to connect with regional system in Redmond and improve on-time performance • Improved connectivity between Metolius and Culver and Madras/Redmond • Changes enabled at no additional cost by eliminating one run (low ridership on last two afternoon trips) • Changes consider current rider groups to assure no loss of service • Future expansion can include stops at Walmart/Medical Center in Redmond

17. Route 24 – Redmond-Bend Service (Proposed Change) • Will be rerouted in Redmond to use planned new transit center between Lowes and Fred Meyer when complete (Kalama & Canal) • Additional stop in Bend at Cascade Village • Some trips interlined with Redmond-Prineville service (no transfer) • Later service to connect with last run of Bend fixed routes Proposed Redmond service

19. Route 26 – Redmond-Prineville Service (Proposed Change) • Will be rerouted in Redmond to use the new transit center when completed • Stop at Prineville P&R eliminated; new stops inbound at the Library and outbound at 3rd and Harwood • Additional trips in PM alleviate overcrowding • All trips interlined with Bend-Redmond service (no transfer) • Later service hours for better commute opportunities Proposed Prineville service

21. Route 28/29 – Sisters Service (Proposed Change) • Route 28 • Will be rerouted in Redmond to use the new transit center between Lowes and Fred Meyer upon completion (Kalama & Canal) • Very minor changes in timings (less than 5 minutes) • Route 29 • Route 29 – Provides service between Bend and Sisters with one trip in the morning and two in the afternoon Proposed Sisters-Bend

23. Route 30 – Bend-La Pine Service (Proposed Change) • Extend beyond Wickiup Junction into La Pine • Convert “deadhead” trips to scheduled trips • Stop at Badger Road in south Bend (near Walmart) • Improve marketing of Deschutes River Woods connection Proposed Route 30

25. Future Enhancement Opportunities • Based on demand and available funding: • Additional trips (more frequent service) in peak periods • At least one midday trip in all markets • Additional midday trips in other markets • Additional evening trips on Routes 22, 24, 26 • Potential, future local flex service • Connections to COCC and Airport in Redmond on Route 26

26. Proposed Project Timeline RPTAC Recommendation – Sept 20 Presentation to COIC Board – Nov 3 Stakeholder Feedback – Nov 7 Public Open Houses – Nov 8 & Nov 14

27. "I started riding in January 2015 when I started at Youth Builders. Before then, I never really went anywhere. Now I know the schedule. If I want to go somewhere, I don't have to wait a week to go when my mom does." -- Scott Powell, Madras Resident

28. THANK YOU Karen FriendCOIC Interim Executive Directorkfriend@coic.orgJackson LesterTransit Plannerjlester@coic.org Judy WattsOutreach and Engagement Administratorjwatts@coic.org