99 Vine - free bus service, McMinnville-Corvallis-Eugene

[Steve Starcevich]

Hey everyone, 

There is some confusion about the free new bus service between McMinnville and Eugene, caused mainly by the truly terrible mobile webpage. Just to clear up some things: you currently can't (and don't need to) buy tickets or make reservations, you just show up at the bus stop and step onto the bus. 

Here's a photo of the downtown Corvallis 99 Vine bus stop. I talked to a man who was heading back to Monmouth at this stop. He has occasional work in Corvallis and is medically unable to drive. Until last week, he had to take a bus from Monmouth to Salem, a train to Albany, and then a bus to Corvallis. The one-way trip was $11 and took ~3 hours. The 99 Vine turns it into a free 30-minute trip.

I was at this stop to talk to the 99 Vine bus driver, but the bus was at least 25 minutes late by the time I had to leave. This grateful man kindly gave me most of the details I needed. He said he was dropped off across the street from this stop on the southbound leg of Monmouth to Corvallis. I'm still not sure if you catch both the north- and south-bound routes at this bus stop.

Last Wednesday, my 18-year-old caught the last northbound 99 Vine bus (scheduled for 2:45 PM) from the UO campus to Corvallis. It arrived 25 minutes late to his stop, but the trip only took an 1 hr 20 minutes to get to downtown Corvallis. It was a short bus with 14 seats, plus two areas for wheelchairs, and a front bike carrier for 2 bikes. The seats are comfortable and have seatbelts, but the rows are close together, leaving little legroom. There were only three passengers until two more hopped on  

I'm sure with a little time, they will dial this route in and reduce wait times. The mobile webpage is worse than useless, it misinforms. I've tried to call Pacific Crest Bus Lines, but I get a virtual agent instead of a human. The webpage looks ok on a computer, even though it still makes it look like you need to reserve a seat. Unfortunately, most people will be using a cell phone for things like this. I'll update this if I manage to get a hold of a human.

Cheers, Steve

Steve Starcevich (he/him) |541-602-1265

Transportation Action Team | Corvallis Sustainability Coalition

https://sustainablecorvallis.org/action-teams/transportation/

[Keith Barton]

Thank you, Steve!

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Transportation Action Team | Corvallis Sustainability Coalition
 

VISION: Corvallis is a hub in a regional transportation system that includes sustainable transportation modes for people and goods.
 
sustainablecorvallis.org/what-we-do/action-teams/transportation
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Keith
 

[Wendy Byrne]

Very helpful, Steve! 

Thank you!

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[Rachel Schwindt]

Thank you Steve, this is helpful. I had been wondering if I get get my bike on the bus since the photo of the bus on the webpage shows a coach type bus.

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Transportation Action Team | Corvallis Sustainability Coalition
 

[Dave Hockman-Wert]

Fyi on using the mobile webpage: turn your phone to landscape and you can see the whole schedule. 

There has been confusion on where the pickups/dropoffs will take place, but the driver who took us to Eugene Airport said all pickups and dropoffs, north or southbound, should stop at the site by the shelter that Steve indicated. But be watching in case they come by on the other side of the street.

The seats are way too close together, unfortunately. Hopefully they'll fix this. 

And the AI agent on the phone really annoys me.

Dave

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Transportation Action Team | Corvallis Sustainability Coalition