COTTAGE GROVE – After 44 years serving rural communities as a nonprofit transportation provider, South Lane Wheels announced it will cease operations effective Friday, August 7.
Founded in 1982, SLW aimed to provide safe, reliable, and economical transportation for folks in South Lane and North Douglas Counties, including Cottage Grove, Creswell, Drain, Dorena, Culp Creek, Saginaw, London, and Lorane, traveling to destinations around town and to Eugene and Springfield. These services get riders to and from employment, education, shopping, recreation, and community activities.
Over the years, the organization developed a reliable staff of drivers that provided thousands of rides for seniors, veterans, individuals with disabilities, and other community members traveling to medical appointments, dialysis treatments, grocery stores, pharmacies, workplaces, and other essential destinations.
On March 2, a new pilot in rural South Lane County from Lane Transit District (LTD) launched. LTD’s new pilot program is funded through June 2027 with Oregon’s Statewide Transportation Improvement Funds (STIF) and includes stops at Mapleton, Mohawk Valley, and the Highway 36 Corridor. STIF funds previously supported SLW operations.
South Lane Wheels is funded by grants and supported by local and in-kind donations. It is operated by a dedicated staff and a volunteer board of directors that meets regularly to provide oversight.
Despite continuing to operate after LTD’s new program launched, SLW’s funding and time were running out. According to a press release from SLW, the closure of the organization follows the loss of recent funding contracts.
The president of the SLW board of directors, Tim Steck, said options to continue service were explored, including community fundraising, grants, business sponsorships, advertising, and fee-for-service models.
“While community support was clearly there for us, we could not secure the resources needed to continue operating,” Steck said. “We are deeply grateful to every employee, volunteer, donor, community partner, and rider who has been part of this journey.”
During 2025, SLW provided approximately 17,753 one-way rides to destinations where people wanted to go and drove over 97,783 miles.
Steck said the need for affordable, steady, rural transportation in South Lane County remains.
“The Board hopes the partnerships we’ve built over the years will inspire future solutions to keep our community connected to essential services,” he said. “We extend our deepest gratitude to our employees, volunteers, donors, partners, and the thousands of riders who trusted us over the past 44 years. Your support created a legacy of neighbor helping neighbor that will always be remembered.”
LTD’s Rural Shuttle Pilot will continue to operate through June 2027, providing prescheduled origin-to-destination transportation for residents of Cottage Grove, Mohawk Valley, and Highway 36 between Mapleton and Deadwood.
