Public bus service is expanded to 5 days

GOLD BEACH – A $204,000 grant will enable the Curry Coastal Express bus service to operate five days a week for the first time in three years, Curry County commissioners learned Tuesday.

The expanded service will begin Monday, Nov. 9.

The commissioners, sitting as the Curry County Public Transit Service District board, officially applied for the grant from federal and state funding for Rural Transportation and through the Jobs and Transportation Act.

“Most of it will go for expanding coastal express services,” Transit General Manager Joanne Wasbauer told the board.  “We have requests from Gold Beach and Brookings for bus shelters. The shelters would be substantial.”

Wasbauer said the shelters would cost from $20,000 to $30,000, depending on the shelters to be purchased.

“What isn’t used by the coastal express will go into other services,” Wasbauer said.

She said the coastal express expansion would take $170,000 of that money.

“Residents can now commute to weekday jobs, visit friends in nearby towns and return the next day, attend special events, keep appointments with medical specialists, or make connections with airports or long-distance bus services,” she said.

The Coastal Express travels three times a day between Smith River Rancheria and Coos Bay/North Bend with stops in every city in between. Fares are $4 per city segment. Riders over 60, registered students and people with disabilities ride for half fare.

Monthly passes and discounted punch passes are available. All buses are wheelchair accessible.

Last year’s grants made it possible for transit to replace two old buses, add a van for medical transportation and perform preventive maintenance. Future plans include increasing security on the buses, adding shelters and bus stop signs, and updating communication systems.

Schedules and other information are available by calling 541-412-8806 or from outside of Brookings, 800-921-2871. 

Schedules are also available at www.currypublictransit.org.