Kayak Public Transit
Transportation for all
Tribal Planning Office
Director/Manager
Nixyaawii Governance Center
46411 Timíne Way
Transit Policies & Procedures
Other Transportation Agencies
Transit Bus Schedules
Also in Tribal Planning Office
Current Planning & Building
Long-Range Planning
Kayak Public Transit provides community and economic support by managing a rural regional transportation system reaching into southeastern Washington and northeastern Oregon. We currently operate 3 fixed routes with the HART, Tripper, and Metro and 4 commuter bus services with the Arrow, Rocket, Hopper, and Whistler. Our transit program is funded through a combination of Federal grants, State grants, and CTUIR general funds. All bus services are currently free to the general public.
Our ridership has continued to increase with expanded routes and services since our inception in 2001. We had approximately 46,916 rides provided by our transportation services in 2008, approximately 96, 073 rides in 2013, and we celebrated our millionth rider in 2018.
A new Transit Center, including a bus barn and maintenance shop was completed by the end of 2013 and it was fully operational by January 1, 2014. In the same year of 2014, the CTUIR developed a Public Transit Program within the Tribal Planning Office and hired a Public Transit Program Manager, a Fleet and Safety Manager, and Public Transit Clerk to keep up with the growing transit services. A new Transit Hub with benches and cooling/heating was built adjacent to the Transit Center and has been used since April 30, 2018.
On September 16, 2019 we were awarded the Tribal Transit System Award by the National Rural Transit Assistance Program (RTAP). From the National RTAP website, "The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation created a vision for regional mobility for Tribal members throughout the historic Tribal lands. The partnerships they forged with the State DOT, adjacent counties, and small towns, have enabled the building of a regional system and engaged non-tribal stakeholders to implement the vision." "The Tribal Transit System Award recognizes challenges overcome and best practices that raise the bar for tribal transit systems. The recognition of an agency will distinguish them as a champion in the tribal transit industry."
You can access our bus schedules here: Bus Schedules
Kayak Public Transit Observes the Following Holidays:
Day After Thanksgiving
**We do not operate on Sundays**