Starting April 29, The LINK Public Transportation is offering a new deviated fixed route serving key stops in The Dalles. Circling the city on a one-hour loop on Monday through Friday, 7am to 6pm, riders can get on stops at The Dalles Transit Center, near Goodwill to access the 6th street shopping area, Columbia Gorge Community College, Mid-Columbia Medical Center and the Veterans’ Service Office downtown.
Similar to The LINK’s dial-a-ride service, which is still available for everyone, rides on the route are $1.50 each way. As an incentive to encourage the community to try out the new service, all rides on the deviated fixed route are free for the first two weeks of the service through May 10, 2019.
The bus operates along a route with a regular schedule, but is called a “deviated” fixed route because it can also leave the route to accommodate requests for “off-route” drop-offs or pick-ups. The number of deviations per loop is limited and must be scheduled in advance by calling The LINK at 541-296-7595. Only deviations within 1/4 mile of the route are allowed. Time is built into the schedule to allow for deviations. This means the bus may get to the stops earlier than the scheduled time if there are no deviations, but the bus will not leave that stop until the time posted in the schedule.
“This route was identified as a priority in the 2016 The
Dalles Transportation System Plan,” said Charlotte Sallee, Transportation
Operations Director. “Thanks to a grant from the Federal Transportation
Administration and new Oregon state funding for public transportation, The LINK
was able to launch this new service as another way to serve our community.”
Earlier
in April, The LINK announced a new option to pay for rides on LINK buses using
a smartphone through the free Hopthru app. With mobile ticketing and a bus
route, the LINK has more plans in the works that will better serve public
transportation needs for everyone in Wasco County. Find the schedule and map
for the deviated fixed route, information about the Hopthru app and more on The
LINK’s pages at http://mcedd.org/linktransit or by calling
The LINK at 541-296-7595.
The LINK Public Transportation is operated by Mid-Columbia Economic Development
District