On a recent road trip to Newberg, I noticed some paper bus schedules for Yamhill Country Transit Area
[YCTA].
There was a route connecting Newberg and McMinnville with Tigard! When I got home, I discovered YCTA also had a connection to Forest Grove. So, I in my mind I visualized a 'Grand Tour' starting in Tigard that would visit Newberg, Dundee, McMinnville, Carlton, Forest Grove, and Hillsboro.
Topological Schematic of The Yamhill Loop
Before the trip, I studied YCTA routes and schedules and determined that I couldn't just hop off the bus at each town for a short layover till the next bus came along because there were some long gaps in service. This called for planning to select the towns where I wanted to spend time on the ground.
This particular Transit Tour page originally delved into those details — illustrating what all I considered to put together a feasible tour.
All those bloody details have now been moved to a "Theory" page - see the LINK in References below.
Some Possible Transit Tours in Yamhill County
My July 25th excursion used Yamhill County Transit lines #44 and #33, which are intercity connectors with McMinnville as their hub. Here are route summaries from the YCTA website:
Summaries of YCTA Routes 33&44
To begin any of these tours, you need to get to the Tigard Transit Center via #12, #45, #78, or other Trimet line. Your arrival time needs to be before the YCTA bus #44 leaves. (If you get there with some slack time, cross the tracks and go to Symposium for an Espresso.)
Espresso at Symposium between Trimet and YCTA 44 bus
This particular Tour uses YCTA 44 to begin, then uses YCTA 33 to finish, with obligatory change and layover in McMinnville.
You can buy a Day pass from the Driver or from person behind a bullet-proof westside window in the Tigard Transit Center. $2.50 cash.
YCTA Day Pass
July 25th, 2019 Grand Tour (Proof of Concept!)
My July 25 tour is RED on the space-time diagram on the theory page.
8:44a — Took YCTA 44 to McMinnville.
GREAT SCENIC RIDE on 99W.
Went through Sherwood, Newberg, Dundee, Dayton, and Lafayette (?) on some back roads!
Arrived 10:02a.
Spent 135 minutes in McMinnville.
Lunch at LaRambla in McMinnville
12:45p — Took YCTA 33 to Forest Grove.
Another Scenic ride, passing through Carlton, Yamhill, and Gaston!
Arrived 1:27p.
Spent 165 minutes in Forest Grove.
4:12p — Took YCTA 33 to Hillsboro (Same driver).
Arrived 4:27p.
Spent time in Hillsboro before taking Blue Line MAX to Portland.
Mex Dinner at OCHOA's in Hillsboro
Summary: This allowed me to have:
an espresso at Symposium in Tigard
a Tapa for Lunch at La Rambla
a beer at the Rooftop Bar on Hotel Oregon in McMinnVille
a shot of Billy Whiskey at The Grand Lodge in Forest Grove
dinner at Ochoa's Mexican Food in Hillsboro
and a shot of George Dickel Rye when I got home less than twelve hours after I left!
The above July 25 tour is in RED on the space-time diagram on the theory page, LINK in References below.
Advice
YCTA also goes to Grand Ronde and Salem. From Grand Ronde, you can get a Costal Connector, and so on.
It's up to you what you visit! I hear there is great Ice Cream at the Pharmacy in Hillsboro. The Horse Radish in Carlton is a highly recommended restaurant.
A Tour could depart from Hillsboro and go to Carlton and McMinnville. Times from Hillsboro would be different, but similar. Not my project!
A Tour could possibly use WES to get back to Tigard Transit Center from BVTRN transit station, but you'd have to figure the timing. Likewise, someone could come up from Wilsonville on WES to Tigard, do the tour, then return to Wilsonville via WES!
Other things to know
There are two kinds of YCTA routes: Intercity Connectors and Local Service. McMinnville Transit Center (TC) is a Hub for both kinds of routes.
YCTA has no Arrival Time Tracker
YCTA has no Trip Planner, but Google can show a single point-to-point trip involving Trimet and YCTA or combinations of other transit providers.
The YCTA stop in Tigard TC is not in the TC per se, it's on Commercial Ave, just south, on the sidewalk. Board there.
Pay $2.50 cash for a Day pass. No Hop card. No Senior fare.
McMinnville TC is east and south of downtown about 6 and 2 blocks respectively.
When you get off in McMinn, head west 6 blocks and north a few blocks..
Hillsboro TC is not at Hatfield Center. The TC is the next (first) MAX stop inbound. The YTCA stop looks like a temporary curb pull-up spot. Note that Trimet Line 57 also goes to Forest Grove from here.
You could take your bike!
YCTA buses have bike racks. #44 can carry three bikes. #33 rack carries two. The 44 I rode picked up bikes in diff towns on way to McMinnville. MAX allows bikes too.
Update, Trimet #39 route changed since this Tour was done. Now, #39 could be used to go to the Barbur Transit Station, but the schedule is very reduced. However! TM #43 now meanders all the way to Tigard Transit Center from near my home.... so that is a possibility. TM #43 also connects to TM #12. YMMV
References ( ALWAYS UNDER CONSTRUCTION )
A [LINK] indicates an external references.
Transit Tour Theory Page (shows planning of this Yamhill tour)
[LINK]
