A new bus route launched Monday connects rural communities to regional transit hubs in the Willamette Valley.
The 99 Vine bus is a joint project of Benton and Yamhill Counties. Benton County Public works director Gary Stockhoff said it connects rural towns to Benton and Lane County’s main bus depots as well as the Airport and Amtrak station in Eugene.
"There's really no service like that now that captures a lot of these rural communities that don't have a dedicated transit program or transit service," Stockhoff said.
Stockhoff said the route is designed with multiple age groups in mind, connecting students from small towns to more opportunities, or rural communities to each other.
The 99 Vine offers four departures on weekdays and connects McMinnville, Amity, Rickreall, Monmouth, Adair Village, Corvallis, Monroe, Junction City, and Eugene. The full list of stops, and times is available at the company that Benton County contracted with to provide the service, Pacific Crest Busline’s website.
Stockhoff said a state grant will allow the two counties to offer the new route for free for six months. He said local leaders will look at data from the pilot and determine potential changes when the grant expires.
