Health, Safety & Operations Updates

Thanks to an ODOT grant, CET designed and built new ADA-compliant bus stops throughout our region. Three bus stops in Madras along Route 20 have changed locations:

• Madras Safeway
• Madras Dollar Tree
• Madras Bi-Mart

The image below identifies where the new bus stops are located, which are a short walk from the previous stop locations. If you have questions about the new stop locations, please call CET’s Customer Service Representatives at 541-385-8680.

CET will operate Bend fixed-route weekday services on a reduced-frequency “Saturday schedule” starting on Monday, September 20, 2021, until further notice. Despite a robust driver recruitment effort this summer, MTM-Transit, CET’s Bend services contractor, was not able to recruit and retain enough drivers to operate regular schedules in Bend during the weekdays. Saturday schedule information for Bend routes can be accessed at www.cascadeseasttransit.com/Bend.

Bend and rural Dial-A-Ride services and regional Community Connectors will continue to operate on regular schedules and service hours. A Dial-A-Ride vehicle and driver will be available at Hawthorne Station (334 NE Hawthorne Ave.) during the weekdays between 5 pm and 7:30 pm to provide free rides to customers arriving by Community Connectors who need to reach their final destinations within Bend city limits. All CET services are currently free to the public and face coverings are required inside buses and at transit facilities.

Route 10 in Bend does not operate on a Saturday schedule and will be suspended starting September 20 until further notice. Route 11 serves a similar geography and can be utilized by passengers to access destinations in Southwest Bend. The following Route 10 stops will be temporarily closed starting September 20 until further notice:

• SW Simpson at SW Colombia
• SW Simpson at Century Drive
• SW Colorado at SW Columbia
• SW Colorado at SW Simpson

Transitioning Bend’s weekday fixed-route services to Saturday schedules allows CET to maintain geographic route coverage while reducing the amount of bus drivers needed per day to operate services. MTM-Transit bus driver positions and application materials are posted at www.mtm-inc.net/careers/. CET driver positions for Community Connector, rural Dial-A-Ride and seasonal services are posted at www.governmentjobs.com/careers/coic. CET apologizes for any inconveniences to transit riders during this transition. Please visit www.cascadeseasttransit.com or call CET’s call center at 541-385-8680 for service information and updates.

Beginning August 2, Route 3 will run on a detour due to Newport  Ave. construction. The stop located at Newport @ College Way (N) will be relocated to NW Shevlin Park Rd @ NW Newport Hills Dr. The stops located at Newport @ 11th (N) and (S), Newport @ 14th (N) and (S), and Newport @ College Way (S) will not be served. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Expect delays due to construction. Please call 541-385-8680 for more information.

Until further notice, the 7:05 am southbound run for Route 22 Madras – Redmond will be temporarily canceled.

Please find the updated schedule in red below.

To learn more about this service change or how to plan your trip, contact CET at 541-385-8680 or email us at cet.comments@coic.org