How can we solve traffic to Mt.Bachelor?

As tourism and the full-time population in Bend has skyrocketed, the weekend drive to the mountain is becoming longer. This year is worse than ever.

There are only two ways to get to the mountain - drive in a car or hitch a ride with Cascade East’s Transit’s Mt.Bachelor shuttle. If you live elsewhere and can’t find a way to Bend’s shuttle location, well, you're out of luck. 

There are “hardos” who bike to the mountain. The most well-known is Stratton Matteson, who posts videos on his instagram of him bicycling to his various snowboard destinations, which include a lot of backcountry areas near Mt.Bachelor. 

But the vast majority of Mt.Bachelor patrons, they drive, usually in cars filled with just a few people. Increasing the number and frequency of the Mt.Bachelor shuttle would be a huge step toward alleviating traffic congestion.

The problem?

“It’s an expensive service to run” said Andrea Breault, the Director of Transportation for Cascades East Transit and a 19-year veteran of the industry. In an interview with The Deschutes Chronicle, Andrea said it costs CET $104 dollars an hour to operate a bus once you include labor, fuel, employee benefits, insurance, and maintenance. 

80% of the Mt.Bachelor shuttle operation is funded with a partnership from Mt.Bachelor LLC, which is why it's free for Bachelor employees, and the hours are focused on getting them to and from their shifts. Mt.Bachelor actively encourages employees to take the shuttle to provide as much parking as possible for guests, especially those who pay for priority parking. It also serves as a supplemental benefit for employees, who are often paid minimum wage. 

“Without Mt.Bachelor, the shuttle would not exist” Andrea said. 

Credit: Cascade East Transit

In today's mountain culture, it's not uncommon for skiers to go up for the afternoon, or only for a few hours. Most locals are just trying to get a few laps in before or after work which makes the limited shuttle schedule very hard to use. On the weekends, only three shuttles run after 9 am and for paying guests, the mountain is open until 4 pm.

Cascade East Transit, according to Andrea, is “A provider for the most vulnerable populations.” The majority of services revolve around helping elderly, disabled, and rural residents get to and from their destinations with required “door-to-door service”. If it wasn't for CET’s programs, many rural and elderly residents wouldn’t be able to go to the doctor, pick up prescriptions, or buy groceries. 

Though these services are no doubt essential, they are costly and take up the majority of the funding CET receives from grants. Andrea hopes that having a voter-approved funding source would allow them to focus their priorities and provide tangible results for Bend residents.  

“We are thinking more strategically about how we can build the Mt.Bachelor program but for right now we are grabbing straws for the operation dollars.” Andrea said. 

Though CET is still in the beginning stages of a possible ballot measure, Andrea thinks, “What probably makes sense is a TUF, a transportation utility fee.” 

Staff Meeting at CET Credit: Cascade East Transit

A Transportation Utility Fee, unlike a tax, is a fee that would be collected from the beneficiaries of CET’s services, in this case, Bend residents. It would likely be collected through Bend property's monthly utility fee. With a sustainable funding source like a TUF, Andrea said, “We could offer the service at a very low fare or free.”

Though a possible ballot won’t go to the voters until next year, there is short-term relief coming for next season. Through the agency's hard work, they have secured a grant to replace all 6 shuttle buses with a 2024 Coach Version that will hold 12-15 more people. 

Noticeably missing from this conversation is the hotel industry which benefits immensely from the roads Bend residents pay to maintain and the Mt.Bachelor shuttle CET provides. Andrea would love to provide hotels with free shuttle passes or increased transportation services for their guests, if the industry could provide support in return. “There's room for more partnership” Andrea added. 

Photo Credit: Cascade East Transit

Being the Director of Transportation for CET is a very tough job. Though Andrea’s main goal is to get busses on the road and provide services for those who most need them, she is also responsible for seeking and applying to a hodgepodge of government grants to fund the agency. The process of applying for and receiving government grants can be extremely tedious and time-consuming. 

Though she hopes to get a measure to the voters of Bend and provide a much-needed sustainable funding source for her agency, she will continue to vigorously apply for grants.

“I won’t stop because that's our lifeline.”