In Eastern Oregon, small communities like Pendleton rely on federal programs to maintain essential air service, highlighting ongoing debates over transportation funding.
Pendleton is just a three-hour drive from Portland, but for residents, the 55-minute flight on an eight-seat plane is often the better choice.
This flight is made possible through the federal Essential Air Service (EAS) program, established after the deregulation of airlines to keep smaller towns connected.
However, the program faces significant scrutiny as its annual cost surpasses $500 million nationwide, prompting Congress to reconsider whether taxpayer funding is justifiable.
The situation escalated recently when the program nearly ran out of funds during a government shutdown, raising alarms over air travel reliability for rural residents.
To fully grasp Pendleton’s air service situation, we must consider the history of transportation in the United States, reaching back a century.
In the early 20th century, the federal government implemented strict regulations governing train, bus, and eventually airline travel.
These regulations allowed even the smallest towns to maintain access to transportation through cross-subsidization, where higher rates in urban areas helped support less profitable rural routes.
However, the landscape changed drastically during the late 1970s and early 1980s with the deregulation of transportation.
Freight and passenger transport companies quickly abandoned rural services, deeming them unprofitable.
In response to this loss, the federal government stepped in, establishing subsidies such as Amtrak for trains, EAS for flights, and various grants for rural buses.
The story of Pendleton and its flight services brings us to one local resident, Ken “Buck” Buckley.
Recently, Buckley found himself stranded in Eastern Oregon due to a truck breakdown, stuck with a hefty load of deer antlers that he buys and sells for pet products.
A tow truck driver offered to transport his load to market for an additional fee, and Buckley quickly accepted.
After selling his antlers, Buckley needed to travel to Portland to acquire a new truck, which he located online.
Plan A was to take a bus the nearly 300 miles, but a visit to the La Grande Bus Station revealed that Greyhound services in Eastern Oregon had been discontinued eight months earlier.
Faced with little choice, Buckley took the local Kayak bus 90 miles to Pendleton before catching the essential air service flight to Portland.
Boutique Air, the carrier for Pendleton, offers three daily round trips to Portland and is the only EAS activity in the Pacific Northwest.
According to Dan Bandel, manager of the Eastern Oregon Regional Airport, EAS funding is crucial for remote communities, allowing residents access to family, jobs, and vital medical services—which are increasingly scarce in rural areas.
A one-way ticket for the Pendleton-Portland flight costs around $59, but the federal subsidy covers nearly 80% of the fare.
This flight receives approximately $4.2 million annually to serve just under 8,000 passengers each year, making it vital for the community.
Bandel noted that without federal backing, ticket prices would be prohibitive, costing around $250 per person, which would discourage families from using the service.
Travelers on the eight-seater aircraft have a simplified experience: they are weighed before boarding, pilots assist with bag handling, and there are no TSA checkpoints.
“This is a community service and should remain accessible,” Bandel emphasized, explaining the importance of the flight beyond just convenience.
Without the Greyhound service, public transportation options become more complicated.
The remaining bus route from Pendleton to Portland takes over nine hours, involves four transfers, and the fare is comparable to the flight’s subsidized cost.
Experts in transportation and urban development, like Joseph Schwieterman, argue that with appropriate subsidies, rural intercity buses could outperform essential air services in efficiency and environmental impact.
Schwieterman articulated that the current landscape is mismatched, where some areas receive air service while lacking adequate bus services.
He expressed concern that, without renewed investment and support, rural bus services will continue to disappear, exacerbating the transportation crisis in less populated areas.
“Transit agencies working in rural areas face considerable challenges,” Schwieterman concluded, “and when commercial services vanish, it leads to gaps in connectivity that further isolate communities.”
Debate over EAS funding continues, with advocates for bus subsidies highlighting their potential to serve more residents for lower costs.
“Buses are a bargain,” Schwieterman stated, emphasizing the cost-effectiveness of bus services compared to existing air travel options.
Currently, Pendleton’s air service continues to operate, preserved by federal funding but facing underlying challenges in rural transportation infrastructure.
Transportation advocates are hopeful that federal investment could also rejuvenate bus services, enabling broader connections across towns instead of just linking one airport.
In Oregon, the Department of Transportation is already exploring this avenue, proposing a subsidized bus service to replace Greyhound routes, with plans to launch by the year’s end, dependent on securing federal funds.
The aim is to create a sustainable bus service that could provide reliable travel for residents, something that the current air service is unable to achieve on its own.
image source from：opb
