The Coquille Tribe of Oregon is pleased with a $200,000 transit grant it’s received from the federal government. KLCC’s Brian Bull reports.
Tribal authorities say the Coquille Indians and Coos County Area Transit will benefit from the grant. It will fund improvements and expansion of its existing bus service. Annual ridership is expected to double from 25,000 to 50,000 and wait times will shorten.
Fauna Larkin is the tribe’s Assistant Health and Human Services Administrator. She says bus transit is an essential service for many in her community.
“There are still many people who are without cars, either because they’re elderly and have mobility challenges or don’t drive anymore, or because they’re younger may not have their license, or may not have been able to purchase a car, or even families that can’t afford to have more than one car, and yet both parents need to get to work.”
Oregon Congressman Peter DeFazio recently announced the grant, he’s a ranking member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. The funding comes from the Tribal Transit Program in the Fixing American’s Surface Transportation Act of 2015.
Copyright 2017, KLCC.
