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Service Questions
How
is the service funded?
Since 1985, Lane Transit District has administered a number
of services located within Lane County that are funded through the
Special Transportation Fund for the Elderly and Disabled (STF).
Money for the fund comes from the State of Oregon's cigarette tax.
LTD has been successful in applying for federal grants through the
Small City and Rural Assistance Program to improve rural services
to the general public in Florence,
Cottage Grove, and now Oakridge. Guest fares and other
local contributions cover about 10 percent of the full cost.
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Is
Oakridge now a part of LTD's service district?
No. In order to be part of LTD's service area and to get
regular, fixed-route bus service, communities within Lane County
must agree to participate in LTD's business payroll
and self-employment tax program. However, LTD provides technical
assistance to rural communities through its Accessible Services
Program and Commuter Solutions. In this way, LTD has been able
to help establish programs outside of its service area by securing
other funding.
LTD coordinates
these services with the help and guidance of interested rural residents,
local officials, and staff from social service agencies.
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Who
coordinates the service?
Commuter Solutions and the Accessible Services
Program teamed up to create the Diamond Express.
The service will be operated by Special Mobility Services (SMS),
serving as LTD's contractor. SMS operates RideSource, a curb-to-curb
service for seniors and people
with disabilities in Eugene and Springfield. SMS successfully has
operated Dial-a-Ride and other specialized transit
services for more than 20 years. SMS employs the Oakridge Diamond
Express manager and drivers.
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How
much does it cost to ride, and how does it
coordinate with LTD's fare system? Can I ride with
my LTD group pass?
Each one-way trip costs $2.50. If guests pay for a $5.00
round-trip when boarding in Oakridge, they will receive an
LTD Day Pass that can be used on LTD buses throughout
that day. LTD group pass holders and other LTD passes
cannot be used to ride the Diamond Express. At this time,
all fares must be paid in cash with exact change.
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What
is the capacity for people, bicycles, and
wheelchairs on the vehicle?
In order to begin service as soon as possible, an available
14-passenger vehicle will be used. There is space for one
guest who uses a wheelchair or other mobility device.
Bicycles cannot be accommodated on this vehicle.
However, LTD has been awarded a grant to purchase a
new, larger vehicle, which will have a bicycle rack, storage space,
and other amenities.
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What happens if the bus is full? Will another
bus be sent out?
This question wins the prize for the most frequently asked! Service
will be on a first-come, first-served basis. There will
be morning runs from Oakridge into Eugene-Springfield at
6:11 a.m. and 9:11 a.m. each weekday. The driver will ask guests
to make a reservation for their return on the 2:30 p.m.
or 5:30 p.m. trips back to Oakridge. These guests will be
given priority seating. If needed, a second vehicle will be dispatched
for a last return trip of the day around 5:30 p.m.
in order to ensure that everyone gets back to Oakridge. If
there are overloads on a regular basis, an advanced
reservation system will be used until a larger vehicle is in service.
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How
often and when are service and fare
changes reviewed?
The service and fares are reviewed each year.
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How
do I catch the bus if there is not a
designated stop? Can I get on anywhere?
To be picked up, guests may hail the driver from a safe
location, or they may ask to be dropped off along the route within
Oakridge, except on Hwy 58. After leaving Oakridge,
the driver only will stop at designated stops. (See the route
map and schedule.) On return trips to Oakridge, the driver
only will stop at those locations where guests ask to be
dropped off. For example, the driver may by-pass the
Westridge stop on a return trip if no one on the bus needs
to get off at that location.
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Is
there a Park & Ride location?
Currently, there is one designated Park & Ride location at
the Westridge Middle School to serve residents of Westfir. Oakridge
guests will need to walk or be dropped off to catch
the bus, or they may use available on-street parking near the route.
Park & ride locations in Oakridge may become
available in the future.
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How
is the curb-to-curb feature of the service
going to work?
This is where the Diamond Express really shines! Once
the second run of the day from Oakridge makes its 10:25 a.m. stop
near the Eugene Station, senior guests and those with disabilities
(and others as time permits) can be dropped off
at their final destination. Diamond Express becomes curb-to-curb
service for destinations within Eugene and Springfield. Upon boarding,
guests will tell the driver their desired drop-off location. The
driver will create the most efficient route for dropping guests
where they would like to go, and the driver also will arrange
for a pick-up time that allows
the bus to get back on schedule for the 2:30 p.m. departure at
the 11th Avenue and Willamette Street bus stop.
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