NEWBERG, Ore. — Yamhill County Transit is overhauling its bus network beginning Monday, May 11, eliminating general-public Dial-a-Ride service in McMinnville entirely and sharply curtailing the on-demand service in Newberg, while also restructuring schedules on all four of its intercity commuter routes.
In late April, YCT said they received messages from the community asking whether the agency was closing. Rumors circulated online and they received messages inquiring to the future of the public transportation agency, they said.
“Modifying services and routes is a natural part of providing transportation services,” the agency posted on its Facebook page. “We are working diligently to right-size our service in an increasingly difficult financial environment. Our goal is always to make the service we provide more efficient for our riders.”
The changes, which the agency describes as the first of two planned rounds of adjustments, are driven by a nearly $700,000 annual budget shortfall, according to YCT’s website. The agency posted a webpage specifically addressing the cuts, saying operational costs — including fuel, labor, insurance, and vehicle purchases — have roughly doubled in recent years while federal, state, and local revenues have remained flat or declined.
“Without a stable local source of funding to provide matching for grant dollars, changes are necessary to keep YCT operating and protect our essential services to the community long-term,” the webpage states.
YCT currently does not charge fares to ride the bus system, though its website indicates fares will be implemented in the coming months.
YCT acknowledged that Dial-a-Ride would absorb the most significant cuts in this round of changes. The agency cited the service’s per-rider cost as a key factor, noting that with only a few riders per hour, demand-response service is more expensive to operate than fixed-route buses.
In Newberg, the service is being reduced to a “very limited medical and life-sustaining service shuttle” available only to older adults and people with disabilities.
Riders who qualify for Oregon Health Plan coverage through Yamhill County Care Organization may be eligible for non-emergency medical transportation for physical, dental, pharmacy, and behavioral health visits. Information is available through the Oregon Health Authority at oregon.gov.
Intercity Routes Being Restructured
All four of YCTs intercity commuter routes are also being adjusted starting May 11, with reduced daily trip counts on most lines and updated boarding and drop-off times intended to improve connections with other regional transit systems.
Route 44, which connects Yamhill County communities from McMinnville through Dundee and Newberg to Tigard, will maintain its current number of round trips but with modified endpoints. Four of the nine daily trips will now end at Langer Drive in Sherwood, where riders can transfer to TriMet’s Line 93 to continue to Tigard.
The remaining five trips — two early morning, one midday, and two evening — will continue to Tigard as usual. Adjusted Route 44 schedules begin around 5:35 a.m.
The Route 44X express service is being suspended. There are 13 total stops in Newberg and Dundee.
The agency said it will post draft schedules to its website at ycbus.org ahead of May 11.
Funding Shortfall
YCT operates primarily on federal and state grant funding. In addressing what riders can do to help restore services, the agency pointed to awareness and advocacy as the most immediate tools available.
“Reach out to the leaders of your community and the Yamhill County Commissioners and tell them why transit services are important to you and important for the community,” the agency wrote. “A sustainable local funding source is essential for YCT’s continued service.”
The Yamhill County Board of Commissioners, which serves as YCT’s board of directors, can be reached through the county’s website at yamhillcounty.gov. The board will meet on May 7 from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Yamhill County Government Campus Building, Mt. Hood meeting room at 400 NE Baker St. in McMinnville.
This is a developing story. Stay tuned to newsberg.org to receive the latest.
