Cascades East Transit introduced on Monday the first ever public transit bus routes for Redmond, Oregon! The two “flex” routes will provide regular weekday service to the city long known as “The Hub” of Central Oregon for its many connections across the region.
Route A provides access to the airport and all the businesses in southeast Redmond and south Highway 97.
Route B serves northwest Redmond, from the high school to Walmart and the hospital and all the neighborhoods around 19th Street.
The spirit of The Hub is carried forward with public transit as Community Connector bus lines from across the region – from Madras and Bend, Sisters and Prineville – meet up at CET’s transfer station located at the old county fair grounds (behind Fred Meyer). The new Routes A and B begin and end at the Redmond Transit Hub, enabling riders to easily transfer buses for a ride across town or across Central Oregon.
The “flex” in the name of these new routes refers to what’s called “deviated service” or the flexibility to make stops outside of regular bus stops. Each route has a “flex area” of 1/4 mile around the route where riders can request to be picked up or dropped off by calling ahead. This service model allows the new bus routes to reach more riders while the service grows in Redmond. Rider demand at certain locations may later lead to a permanent bus stop being added.
The City of Redmond called for regular bus service in its 2009 Transportation System Plan. In 2021, CET completed a feasibility study charting a course to introduce bus service to Redmond starting with flex routes that may later become regular fixed routes. Two routes were suggested as a starting point, serving the northwest and southeast areas of the city based on “trip generators” like the concentration of homes and businesses. CET’s roadmap for Redmond anticipates up to a total of five bus routes for Redmond by 2030.
All CET bus routes are free to ride with the exception of recreation routes, like Ride the River and Transit to Trails. Riders can hop on the new routes at any of the fixed bus stops noted on the route schedules or call ahead for flex service. Flex stops must be requested in advance by calling CET’s Redmond call center at 541-385-8680. No reservation is needed if using a regular bus stop.
➔ Read more about how these routes were developed
➔ See all transit services in Redmond