For decades, elders in Simnasho walked if they needed to reach Madras, Warm Springs, or The Dalles. Now, for the first time, a public bus comes to them.

Cascades East Transit launched Route 21 on May 5, making history as the first public bus service to reach the remote community of Simnasho on the Warm Springs Reservation. The new route runs a roughly 50-mile loop from Madras through Warm Springs to Kah-Nee-Ta Hot Springs Resort, then on to Simnasho before returning — four days a week, Tuesday through Friday, three times daily in one direction.

"It's definitely an uplifting internal feeling for me to see this day come to pass and I'm thankful for it," said Delson Suppah Sr., an elder and member of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs who lives in Simnasho. "A lot of our elders, when I was younger — if they had to get to some place, whether it was The Dalles or Madras from here in Simnasho, they would just start walking."

A 15-Month Pilot, Funded by the State

The new service is entirely funded by a $200,000 Innovative Mobility Grant from the Oregon Department of Transportation and is designed as a 15-month pilot program. The route is free to ride throughout May; after that, fares are $2 per ride.

Route 21 is also a "flex route" — riders can call Cascades East Transit the day before to be picked up anywhere along the route, in addition to scheduled stops. Bus driver Chris Ulibarri told passengers on opening day that he'll stop for anyone who waves the bus down along the route.

Access to Jobs, Healthcare, and Community

The Warm Springs Reservation covers roughly 1,000 square miles and lacks the road density that makes personal vehicles practical for all residents. Census data shows people living in Warm Springs are four times more likely than Madras residents to have no access to a car, with an estimated median income under $36,000.

Lonny Macy, a planner for and member of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, said the route is "significant and important because Kah-Nee-Ta provides jobs." The once-shuttered resort — which reopened in 2024 — employs over 100 people during peak season.

The route also gives Simnasho-area residents a path to the IHS Health and Wellness Center in Warm Springs and to St. Charles Madras, the county's only hospital.

Bob Townsend, Cascades East Transit director, said if the pilot succeeds, the agency will seek additional permanent funding from grants or tribal contributions to continue and potentially expand service.

For schedule and pickup information, contact Cascades East Transit or visit their website.