LTD to Launch March 2 Rural Shuttle Pilot Serving Three Lane Areas

Lane Transit District will launch a pre-scheduled Rural Shuttle Pilot on March 2, 2026, offering pickup at requested locations outside Cottage Grove and Creswell and dropoffs at destinations including Cottage Grove Walmart and Creswell Park & Ride at 1st and C Street, plus routes from the Mohawk Valley into Springfield and an OR 36 corridor linking Mapleton and the Deadwood area. Reservations open today, Feb. 25, and LTD says riders should contact the district at least one day in advance to book rides.

The pilot uses an origin-to-destination booking model: each Rural Shuttle bus will pick passengers up at a requested location within the defined service area and drop them off at select destinations designed to connect to other transportation options. LTD lists the service as intended for trips to medical appointments, grocery shopping, prescription pickup, obtaining healthy food, accessing social opportunities, and making connections to other transit services.

Service days and hours differ by corridor. The South Lane pilot will operate Mondays and Wednesdays from 6:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. with fares set at $5.00 one-way and $10.00 round trip, the latter including an LTD Day Pass. The Mohawk Valley shuttle will run Tuesdays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; the sources reviewed do not specify a Mohawk fare. The OR 36/Highway 36 shuttle will operate Thursdays from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.; OR 36 fares are $2.50 one-way and $5.00 round trip, with the round trip including a Rhody Express Day Pass for connections.

OR 36 riders can use Mapleton or Florence connection points to transfer to Link Lane service between Eugene and Florence or between Florence and Yachats, though Link Lane requires an additional fare when used as a connection. LTD provides corridor maps on its website showing the OR 36 route with stops along Highway 36 and a highlighted urban growth boundary, and a South Lane map showing pick-up areas and road connections.

Funding for the pilot comes from Oregon Statewide Transportation Improvement Funds, and LTD expects the pilot to operate through the STIF funding horizon ending June 30, 2027. Cosette Rees, LTD regional mobility services director, said, “We have so many people who are really needing to have some access, and opportunity to accomplish things like medical appointments, going to and from the grocery store and getting fresh food, even coming in to socialize.” Rees noted the pilot restores some service to South Lane County after a previous program lost funding.

LTD Chief Executive Officer Jameson Auten framed the project as part of a coordinated effort with regional partners, saying, “Rural transit services are a lifeline. Without access to affordable and reliable transit, quality of life deteriorates quickly when you can’t sustain essential connections to medical care, education, and work.” Auten added, “This is a big change, both for our South Lane riders and our new riders. We are coordinating with our partners, including Lane Council of Governments and area nonprofits to ensure our pilot integrates with other agencies providing services to rural residents.”

Separately, LTD will expand the Cottage Grove-only LTD Connector hours starting Feb. 2, 2026, to Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. LTD is asking riders to provide feedback on the Rural Shuttle Pilot; officials say rider input will be used to improve the service and to inform future grant proposals as the district evaluates continuation beyond the June 30, 2027 funding deadline.