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Potential Upcoming Removal of Route 28

Proposed Removal of Route 28 and Addition of DART in Cashmere

Link Transit is considering removing Route 28 (Columbia Station to Cashmere via Olds Station) and replacing it with DART (Dail-A-Ride-Transit) – a free public transit, shared-ride service scheduled by reservation online or by phone. Currently, the ridership on Route 28 is so low that it is not financially feasible for the agency.

DART service would be available in the greater Cashmere area and can be scheduled for rides Monday – Friday from 7:30am to 6:00pm and Saturday – Sunday from 9:00am to 6:00pm. The DART would provide better access to community resources, such as Martin’s Market, and can help connect riders to other bus stops. DART reservations can be made up to 5 days in advance.

Link Transit invites you to a community meeting to discuss and hear feedback from the community on the implications and opportunities of this possible change. Two meetings will be held on Wednesday, September 30th at:

Light refreshments will be available. You can also provide feedback via the form at the bottom of this page.

Why We Are Considering this Change

How Route 28 Ridership Supports the Route’s Removal

  • Route 28 was responsible for 1% of all Link Transit boardings system-wide, while accounting for 3% of Link Transit’s revenue hours.
  • Route 28 had 24,049 total boardings. For reference, Route 22 had 191,683 boardings over the same period.
  • 71% of Route 28 ridership is generated by stops served by Route 22; meaning it is reasonable to assume that 71% of riders will not lose access to bus service.
  • Only 29% of Route 28 ridership comes from stops unique to Route 28.
  • Route 28 ridership does not warrant a fixed route bus line; it lacks the density for fixed route service.

Benefits of the Proposed DART Service

  • Currently, you cannot access a grocery store in Cashmere on Route 28 (buses cannot access Martin’s Market due to safety concerns at intersections and parking lot). DART will provide access to Martin’s Market.
  • Route 28 operates ~every 90 minutes. DART has the capacity to be far more responsive to a far greater number of people in Cashmere.
  • The density is ideal to provide the DART service.

What is DART and how will it serve Cashmere?

DART (Dial-A-Ride Transit) is a free shared-ride service offered in Chelan outside of our regular service area. DART service does require advanced reservation and initial enrollment using an app or by phone. After that, it’s easy to schedule your DART service!

Hours of Operation

Monday – Friday 7:30AM – 6:00PM

Saturday – Sunday 9:00AM – 6:00PM

Below is the proposed map for the Cashmere DART service area that shows how this will increase service in the Cashmere area.

Proposed Route 28 Removal Community Input

Link Transit invites you to provide feedback on the implications and opportunities of the possible Route 28 removal and addition of DART Cashmere service.

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