New, time-saving ‘low-floor’ buses roll into Bend

Cascade East Transit is hoping to make getting around Bend faster and easier for everyone, especially riders challenged by disabilities.

Low-floor buses hit the streets Thursday after a ceremonial ribbon-cutting. Unlike regular buses, they have the ability to lower to the curb. A wheelchair ramp lets people with mobility limitations board smoothly and more quickly.

Jordan Ohlde, who uses a wheelchair, said it takes three to four minutes, and driver assistance, for him to board a regular bus.

“They have to get out of their bus and deploy the lift, get back in and strap (me) down, then put the lift back up,” he said.

After the ribbon-cutting, the public was invited to take a ride on the new buses. Ohlde said getting on was about two to three minutes quicker.

Even people who don’t ride the bus could still save some commute time. Officials said the addition of low-floor buses to the existing fleet will increase the reliability and frequency of Cascades East Transit fixed-route bus service.

“It’s going to be about 25 percent savings in time,” Michelle Rhoads said. “So not only the people boarding the bus will get on the bus faster, but it will also allow the buses to get back in motion sooner, which will allow the motorists in vehicles behind the bus to move forward that much faster, too.”

Three of the four buses have arrived, with the fourth due next spring. They’ll run the routes with the heaviest traffic and those most ridden by people with mobility limitations.

Each low-floor bus cost about $400,000, about twice as much as a regular bus. They are funded by several different parties: ODOT, the Oregon Business Development Department and the Federal Transit Administration.

More information can be found here: http://cascadeseasttransit.com/