The Community Connector schedules are changing Monday, February 6th. After nearly a year-long process of studying the route schedules, CET staff drafted proposals, vetted proposed changes with the public, and received feedback from the Regional Public Transit Advisory Committee. The COIC Board adopted the Community Connector changes in late 2016.
The Community Connector changes will improve the convenience of using public transit across the region in the following ways:
- Commuter friendly schedules provide better access for workers who work typical office hours (weekday 8 to 5)
- Interlined bus routes that use the same bus on multiple routes. For example, someone traveling from Prineville to Bend will be on the same bus from Prineville to Redmond and Redmond to Bend. Riders will not need to get off and on the bus at the transfer in Redmond.
- Community Connector buses will sync better with each other and with routes in Bend providing a decrease in wait times for the transfer
- A new direct bus route from Sisters to Bend will launch February 6th
To view the new schedules, click on the link below.
How exactly is this better for people who work etc 8-5 on the weekdays? If I have work or school in Bend until 5, which I do, and it’s not a 5 minute walk to Hawthorne station, which it is not, there is literally no way for me to get home to Madras now. I’m fortunate that I have somewhere to spend the night in Bend, but I miss time with my daughter and have to pay extra in childcare. And what if I didn’t have friends to stay with?