Bus line serving Newport, Bend, Portland shuts down
(Updated with more info on safety violations)
Valley Retriever Buslines, which provided daily round trips between Newport and Bend and between Newport and Portland, closed down on Monday, the Oregon Department of Transportation reported.
Last week, Valley Retriever notified the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration that it would not meet the Monday deadline for addressing safety-related violations noted in a March review, ODOT officials said.
The Oregon Motor Carrier Safety Division found Newport-based Valley Retriever deficient in eight categories, from driver qualifications and hours of service to drug and alcohol use and testing and vehicle inspection, repair and maintenance.
ODOT said its Rail and Public Transit Division is working with public and private service operators on options to fill the service gap.
It maintains a website listing transportation options and said it is working with other transit providers to help travelers make connections.
To learn about options from the Bend area, contact Cascades East Transit’s Hawthorne Station, 541-385-8680. For options from Newport, contact Lincoln County Transit, 541-265-4900. ODOT’s TripCheck.com website also offers information about transit options.
