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Douglas County agreed Tuesday to absorb Umpqua Transit, ensuring that bus service between Sutherlin, Roseburg and Winston will continue uninterrupted.
The board of directors for the Umpqua Regional Council of Governments, which operates Umpqua Transit, is scheduled to meet this afternoon to ratify the deal. Officials said they are confident the deal will be approved.
“I like it. I think this is a win-win for the county, for the cities and the citizens,” Roseburg Mayor Larry Rich said.
With only three days remaining before the transportation provider was scheduled to go out of business, the Board of Commissioners said it would step in and run the service itself. Umpqua Transit’s 16 employees will be retained and go to work Monday as new county employees.
“There’ll be no disruption in services and that’s really critical,” Commissioner Dan Van Slyke said Tuesday afternoon during a meeting between the commissioners and officials with the Umpqua Regional Council of Governments.
Van Slyke met privately last week with URCOG officials after a meeting failed to bring a solution for Umpqua Transit’s impending shutdown. He said then that an interruption in service was not an option and he worked to make sure the buses kept running past the end of the month, the end of the fiscal year.
With the county stepping in, the goal is to make the transition “as seamless as possible,” said Commissioner Doug Robertson, who offered the motion for the county to take over Umpqua Transit. The main thing, he said, was to make sure riders continue to be able to get where they need to go.
“They’re going to be able to get to work, to get to their medical appointments and wherever else they need to go,” Robertson said.
Commissioner Marilyn Kittelman, who last week pressed the Oregon Department of Transportation to instead contract directly with the Umpqua Community Action Network to take over the bus service, voted in favor of the motion offered by her fellow commissioners.
Kittelman had expressed reservations about having the county take over Umpqua Transit in case that meant also being saddled with any leftover debt when URCOG shuts down at 5 p.m. Friday.
Following the changeover, Umpqua Transit will be operated as a part of the Douglas County Health Department, which has a transportation office that deals with rides for people with disabilities and the elderly.
Peggy Kennerly, the county’s health director, said a planned Umpqua Transit fare increase will be shelved. Rides will remain $1.50 each way and passengers can continue to buy a book of 12 tickets for $15. Monthly passes will remain $37.50.
“We’re not raising fares and we’ll honor any tickets already purchased from Umpqua Transit,” Kennerly said.
• You can reach reporter John Sowell at 957-4209 or by e-mail at jsowell@newsreview.info.
The board of directors for the Umpqua Regional Council of Governments, which operates Umpqua Transit, is scheduled to meet this afternoon to ratify the deal. Officials said they are confident the deal will be approved.
“I like it. I think this is a win-win for the county, for the cities and the citizens,” Roseburg Mayor Larry Rich said.
With only three days remaining before the transportation provider was scheduled to go out of business, the Board of Commissioners said it would step in and run the service itself. Umpqua Transit’s 16 employees will be retained and go to work Monday as new county employees.
“There’ll be no disruption in services and that’s really critical,” Commissioner Dan Van Slyke said Tuesday afternoon during a meeting between the commissioners and officials with the Umpqua Regional Council of Governments.
Van Slyke met privately last week with URCOG officials after a meeting failed to bring a solution for Umpqua Transit’s impending shutdown. He said then that an interruption in service was not an option and he worked to make sure the buses kept running past the end of the month, the end of the fiscal year.
With the county stepping in, the goal is to make the transition “as seamless as possible,” said Commissioner Doug Robertson, who offered the motion for the county to take over Umpqua Transit. The main thing, he said, was to make sure riders continue to be able to get where they need to go.
“They’re going to be able to get to work, to get to their medical appointments and wherever else they need to go,” Robertson said.
Commissioner Marilyn Kittelman, who last week pressed the Oregon Department of Transportation to instead contract directly with the Umpqua Community Action Network to take over the bus service, voted in favor of the motion offered by her fellow commissioners.
Kittelman had expressed reservations about having the county take over Umpqua Transit in case that meant also being saddled with any leftover debt when URCOG shuts down at 5 p.m. Friday.
Following the changeover, Umpqua Transit will be operated as a part of the Douglas County Health Department, which has a transportation office that deals with rides for people with disabilities and the elderly.
Peggy Kennerly, the county’s health director, said a planned Umpqua Transit fare increase will be shelved. Rides will remain $1.50 each way and passengers can continue to buy a book of 12 tickets for $15. Monthly passes will remain $37.50.
“We’re not raising fares and we’ll honor any tickets already purchased from Umpqua Transit,” Kennerly said.
• You can reach reporter John Sowell at 957-4209 or by e-mail at jsowell@newsreview.info.
