It’s now possible to take a bus – well, two actually – from Yachats all the way to Eugene.
But because of a poor connection in Florence, it could take 12 hours to get to Eugene using the new bus system.
On Monday, Feb. 19, the Lane Council of Governments started a 2-year, $1.37 million pilot program to offer twice-a-day bus service between Florence and Eugene. The route connects with the agency’s four-times-a-day bus service between Yachats and Florence.
For the new route the agency is using a 10-passenger bus donated by the Confederated Tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw. A one-way ticket is $5.
The new bus service leaves the Eugene Amtrak station at 7:08 a.m. seven days a week, makes two stops in Eugene, one in Veneta and then Mapleton before a scheduled stop at the Three Rivers Casino at 8:42 a.m., then to the gazebo in Old Town Florence before arriving at 9 a.m. at the Grocery Outlet store on U.S. Highway 101.
Grocery Outlet is also the south terminus of the Florence-Yachats Connector bus. But the first morning bus from Yachats does not leave until 9 a.m. Monday through Saturday and arrives at Grocery Outlet at 9:50 a.m.
People riding the bus from Eugene and wanting to go to Yachats will have to wait two hours to catch the 11 a.m. bus north — or drive to Florence to catch the Eugene-bound bus.
After leaving the Grocery Outlet in Florence at 9:06 a.m., the new Florence-to-Eugene bus arrives back at the Eugene Amtrak station at 10:55 a.m.
The second run of the day from Eugene to Florence starts at 4 p.m. and is scheduled to arrive at Grocery Outlet at 5:58 p.m.
The Lane Council of Governments took over the Florence-Yachats Connector last fall after winning a $500,000 state grant to continue the pilot program for two more years. At the same time it won the $1.37 million grant to establish the new route between Florence and Eugene.
Who is working on scheduling so that the buses connect? I’ve been told that between Yachats and Florence the buses are very closely scheduled…about 10 minutes from connecting. Florence to Eugene seems to be the hang-up. Several people here on the Coast really want this to work and the bus would most definately be used more, especially if the stop included the Eugene airport.
Thank you!