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We’re excited to share our new website and new domain with you. It’s still the same Cascades West, now with a fresh new online home.
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Oregon Cascades West Council of Governments connects local governments and communities with services in senior care, community programs, economic development, and transportation.
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Transportation Impact

Completed Plans & Projects

View completed transportation plans and projects highlighting regional planning efforts, infrastructure improvements, and mobility initiatives across the Cascades West region.
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Transforming Communities

We're improving the quality of life and safety for residents in our region

Our transportation projects and services improve the quality of life and safety in the communities in our region. We provide specialized services, grants, and expertise to transform and modernize regional transportation accessibility, planning, and more! Click on the map below to see some of our recent work.

Explore the map below to see some of our recent work.
Cascades West Economic Development District
Map of Linn, Benton and Lincoln Counties in Oregon

Transit Workforce Study

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Human Services Coordinated Plans

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Want to see more of our community impact?

Check out our community and economic development projects to see more real-world improvements happening across Linn, Benton, and Lincoln Counties.

CED Impact

Let’s build the next success story in your county.

If you’re exploring transit, mobility, or other transportation needs, use this form to reach our team. We’ll follow up to learn more and share next steps.

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Transit Workforce Study

In our community, buses are a vital part of daily life.

Transit Workforce Study, Benton, Lane, Linn and Marion Counties – 2024

In our community, buses are a vital part of daily life. They help people get to work, school, and other important places. However, many of our buses are facing a serious problem: there aren’t enough drivers to keep them running smoothly. To tackle this issue, the Oregon Cascades West Council of Governments (OCWCOG) partnered with the University of Oregon to study why this is happening and what we can do to fix it. The results were published in the Transit Workforce Study, which is designed to help local transit systems overcome these challenges.

Why Is There a Shortage of Bus Drivers?

The study found that the shortage of bus drivers isn’t just a problem locally —it’s happening across the entire country. Here are some key reasons why:

  • High Costs of Becoming a Driver: To drive a bus, you need a special license called a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL). Getting this license is expensive, and not everyone can afford it.
  • Low Awareness of Transit Careers: Many people don’t know that driving a bus can be a good, steady job with benefits. This lack of awareness means fewer people are applying for these positions.
  • Hiring Challenges: The process to apply for and get a job as a bus driver can be long and frustrating. This discourages people from completing their applications.
  • Negative Perceptions: Some people think that driving a bus is a hard, thankless job, especially with the challenges of dealing with difficult passengers.

How Can We Fix This?

Based on these findings, OCWCOG has proposed a few solutions to help bring more people into the transit workforce:

  • Improve access to CDLs: Private trainers, public colleges and universities, workforce development programs, and transit agencies should collaborate to identify opportunities to expand access to CDL licensing programs. Decreasing barriers to CDL licensing can look like many things, including expanding the number of training centers, or lowering the cost of licensing through scholarships, stipends or subsidies.
  • Job Promotion: Transit agencies should invest in more physical advertising at the places people interact with transit, such as on buses and at transit stations. They should also sharpen their online presence by posting to online job boards and by designing up easy to navigate, mobile-friendly hiring pages. Agencies should also participate at in-person career fairs. Most of all, center the voices of current operators, and have them tell the story of why working in transit is a rewarding public service opportunity.
  • Improving the Hiring Process: Simplifying and speeding up the hiring process will help more people get through it and start working sooner. This can involve doing interviews first to identify promising candidates, and being in constant contact with the applicant up until the job is offered.
  • Driver Retention: It is important that the needs of current and prospective bus drivers are listened to so that they don’t leave for another career. Drivers need additional support to deal with the challenges of the job, especially those that have arisen since the pandemic. The study talked to drivers and found that they want more training in customer service, conflict resolution, and more hands-on learning opportunities by shadowing their coworkers on their routes. Drivers also want more control over their schedule, with the ability to choose consistent hours that work with their schedules, and regular opportunities to take their mandatory breaks.

How You Can Help

The transit workforce shortage affects everyone who relies on buses to get around. By spreading the word about these opportunities and supporting efforts to make bus driving a more appealing job, you can help make sure our buses keep running smoothly. If you or someone you know is interested in becoming a bus driver or supporting the workforce, now is the perfect time to get involved.

If your organization is interested in supporting our local transit providers, please reach out to OCWCOG to discuss how we can solve this workforce issue through collaborative partnerships.

Together, we can overcome these challenges and ensure that our community stays connected. Whether it’s through considering a career in transit, sharing this information with others, or supporting local initiatives, everyone has a role to play in solving this problem. Let’s work together to keep our buses moving!

View the study here:

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Bus Route 3 in Albany, Oregon

Human Services Coordinated Plans for Benton, Linn, and Lincoln Counties

Federal transit law requires that projects selected to receive funding under the Enhanced Mobility for Individuals and Individuals with Disabilities (Section 5310) Program are “included in a locally developed, coordinated public-transit human services transportation plan.” The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) requires recipients of the Statewide Transportation Improvement Fund (STIF) to engage in a coordinated planning process. Projects submitted for Section 5310 funds and STIF funding must be included in a Coordinated Plan, which is updated every five years.

As the regional administrator of local, state, and federal grants for Linn, Benton, and Lincoln counties, the Oregon Cascades West Council of Governments (OCWCOG) worked with each of the counties to update the 2017 Coordinated Plans. The purpose of the Coordinated Plan is to establish and support partnerships between public transportation providers and health and human service agencies to ensure that the transportation system meets the needs of its users. Targeted populations include older adults, people with disabilities, people with low-incomes, veterans, and youth/students.

Plan Development
The development of the Coordinated Plans began in March 2022. Stakeholder outreach was conducted from May to August 2022 to understand transportation needs of the region. Engagement activities include:

  • Project Advisory Committee meetings
  • Stakeholder Interviews
  • Focus Groups
  • Online Provider Surveys

Plan Structure
The plans consist of the following elements:

  • A demographic profile and employment characteristics of the county;
  • An inventory of existing transportation services;
  • A description of transportation funding sources;
  • An assessment of transportation needs; and
  • A comprehensive list of strategies and actions to address identified local and regional transportation needs and service gaps.

Implementation of the strategies and actions presented will require coordination between OCWCOG, health and human services agencies, transit providers, and with the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians (CTSI), who work closely with many regional entities.

These Coordinated Plans are designed to guide transportation investments and policy recommendations for the next five years. While facilitator organizations will be responsible for championing the implementation of these strategies and actions, support from partner organizations, and community members will be essential for the continued success of this planning effort.