A4 THE SPOKESMAN • TUESDAY, JULY 26, 2022
Bus
Continued from A1
Dial-a-ride provided more
than 27,000 trips to the Red-
mond community in 2018 and
2019, with riders most com-
monly using the service to get to
work, medical appointments and
shopping. But those numbers
dropped to roughly 10,000 trips
each year in 2020 and 2021 when
COVID-19 hit.
A survey found that more than
75% of respondents — a group
composed of the general public,
transit stakeholders and city staff
and officials — supported mov-
ing away from dial-a-ride service
to semi-fixed bus routes.
To do so, Hofbauer said the
plan is to “start slow, start small,
go incremental and build it up.”
But to even start slow, CET
needs to have enough drivers
to staff the routes — a problem
that has already pushed back the
plan’s initial timeline. CET has
been facing a driver shortage for
the past year, said Hofbauer.
New routes
City staff worked with CET
to identify the best locations for
stops along the two pilot routes.
They held community workshops
to solicit feedback, looked at ac-
tivity and employment centers
and worked to identify areas that
would be most ADA accessible,
according to deputy city manager
John Roberts. CET also tried to
prioritize access to affordable and
family housing, education, child-
care and airport needs.
Pete Maxwell, who took a CET
bus from Redmond to Bend on
July 11 and has ridden buses
across the country, said he looks
for bus systems that are estab-
lished and convenient to access.
That CET currently isn’t charging
riders who use their commuter
services due to COVID-19 is a
bonus, he said, but he doesn’t
mind paying a small fee if that’s
what he has to do to have reliable
service.
Hofbauer said he expects CET
to reinstate fares at some point in
2023.
If the pilot routes work, CET
is slated to expand the program,
phasing in additional transporta-
tion and building up to five fixed
bus routes and a microtransit
zone over the next several years.
The microtransit zone functions
similarly to a shared ride version
of an Uber or Lyft service: pas-
sengers can request door-to-door
service within the designated area
without the 24-hour notice that
dial-a-ride requires.
The flex buses will be allowed to
deviate up to half a mile from their
set routes to pick up passengers,
though Hofbauer said the exact
distance is not yet set in stone.
With half-mile deviation, the
two pilot buses will serve 47% of
the Redmond population, 84% of
job sites and hit 37 of the city’s 47
current activity centers, accord-
ing to the feasibility study. The fi-
nal route system — with five bus
routes and a microtransit zone —
is projected to serve 87% of Red-
mond residents, 97% of job sites
and 46 activity centers.
CET presented its feasibility
study at a 2021 city council work-
shop. At the meeting, city coun-
cilor Clifford Evelyn said he liked
that CET and Redmond were
thinking ahead and building in-
frastructure to support Redmond
population growth, rather than
being caught off-guard without
adequate transportation down
the line.
Mayor George Endicott voiced
his concern that the initial plans
did not serve Ridgeview High
School — or any of the develop-
ments in downtown Redmond. If
the Ridgeview area were included
in the pilot Southeast route, the
entire loop would take about
an hour and a half to complete,
which Hofbauer said could deter
people from using it.
Hofbauer said that full service
will likely come two or five years
after the pilot program is finished
and CET crews have studied the
results.
The pilot program will pri-
marily draw funding from the
Statewide Transportation Im-
provement Fund, a payroll tax
dedicated to public transporta-
tion. CET estimates it will need
an additional $400,000 per year
to implement its full flex route
system further down the line —
and $900,000 for its end goal of
a fully operational fixed transit
system.
Hofbauer said CET’s funding
for the later stages of the project
are still up in the air.
█
Reporter: lbaudhuin@
redmondspokesman.com
Expion360
Continued from A1
Last month, Expion360 stated in
a press release that it had signed a
non-binding letter of intent with a
company in Asia to purchase lithium
battery manufacturing equipment in
connection with its plans to build a
large-scale lithium cell manufacturing
facility in Redmond. The statement did
not specify which company is selling
the equipment.
For now, Expion360 operates out of
a 17,000-square-foot facility in Red-
mond. A 32,000 square foot plant is
under construction and is expected to
open by the end of the year. It also re-
cently set up a 10,000-square-foot dis-
tribution center in Elkhart, Indiana,
where most RVs in the United States
are manufactured.
Yozamp is eyeing a piece of land
in Redmond’s enterprise zone, which
contains more than 750 acres of unde-
veloped land.
Steve Curley, director of the Red-
mond Economic Development Inc.,
says talks over the land have started
but nothing is contracted. Still, he likes
the idea of bringing a technology firm
to Redmond that is connected to re-
newable energy, one that will “generate
living wage jobs and expand industrial
diversity.”
“On a number of fronts it would be
a win-win-win,” said Curley. “You have
the property taxes and the job growth.
From an environmental standpoint, it’s
positive, and it would be one of few fa-
cilities in the U.S. that would be manu-
facturing those types of batteries.”
In addition to boosting the tax base,
Business
Continued from A1
The bar now has about 15 employ-
ees, most of whom work part time. As
more customers hear about the space,
Olson said it’s starting to fill up.
“People are excited to get back out,
congregating,” Olson said. “This town’s
really built on a community feel.”
Arome
Wine bar manager Lydia DeR-
oss said the community reception at
Arome has also been positive, despite
the shop having to push back its open-
ing date due to flooding.
With its first location established
in Hood River five years ago, Arome
opened its Redmond storefront at 432
the facility would offer Redmond
more manufacturing jobs — around
300 people could be employed at the
lithium cell plant. They would be join-
ing a growing company. Yozamp said
Expion360 has experienced “double
to triple” year-over-year growth, but
declined to elaborate on specific num-
bers.
If the company manages to buy the
land it needs in Redmond, ground-
breaking could occur as soon as 2024,
and construction of the facility will
take another 48 months.
Funding for the project hasn’t started
but Expion360 went public in April,
giving the company greater access to
capital. It raised around $15 million.
The company also raises cash through
the sale of products outside its battery
line — it also sells solar panels, invert-
ers, and chargers.
Expion360’s lithium batteries are
used mainly in recreation vehicles but
also have found their way into boats,
homes, and businesses. The batteries
are used to power many features of the
recreational vehicle, including air-con-
ditioning, DC furnaces, lights, TVs,
and all of the vehicle’s jacks.
The typical Expion360 battery pack
contains 120 cells welded together in
a single pack that is about the size of a
car battery.
Lithium batteries cost around four
times more than lead-acid batteries
that power most RVs today. But lith-
ium packs tend to last longer with less
maintenance. They are also lighter and
have a higher capacity compared to
traditional lead-acid batteries.
China currently leads the world
in the lithium battery supply chain,
“People are excited to get back
out, congregating,. This town’s
really built on a community feel.”
— Nick Olson, owner of Otto’s Landing
SW Sixth St. this May.
The space features a retail section —
complete with cooking supplies, spice
blends and flavor-infused oils and vin-
egars — and a wine bar.
Janice Bell, the store’s owner, said
she’d been looking to open a second
location, and Redmond fit the bill per-
fectly. After some discussion with the
city, she and her husband purchased
the spot in May 2021.
It was mid-pandemic, but Bell
controlling more than 70% of the to-
tal global lithium-ion battery manu-
facturing capacity. Expion360’s plant
could put a dent in that percentage, po-
tentially reducing reliance on foreign
manufacturers.
Shifting production and the sourc-
ing of materials to the U.S. does not
necessarily mean an increase in the
costs for consumers. Yozamp says he
expects prices will remain competitive
due to automation and the use of ro-
bots to reduce labor costs.
“We anticipate it will be roughly the
same costs because we will have more
automation than they do in China,” he
said.
In addition to gaining better control
over the company’s supply chain, Yo-
zamp also wants to head off competi-
tion for lithium as car manufacturers
like Tesla and General Motors try to
lock up lithium supplies for their bat-
teries.
“The EV market is going to drive
lithium (supplies). The focus of our
company is to alleviate constraints,” he
said.
Yozamp says by bringing the pro-
duction of the cells to the U.S., quality
control can be monitored right down
to the source of the lithium, something
that cannot be done when the cell
manufacturer is overseas. Nevada is
one possible source of raw lithium for
Expion360’s cells, he said.
“We will be seeking a U.S. supply
chain when we onshore and build out
the large-scale lithium plant,” said Yo-
zamp. “We will win long term if we can
control our supply chain.”
█
Reporter: 541-617-7818, mkohn@bendbulletin.
com
said COVID-19 actually benefited
the store after an initial business
slowdown. She credited expand-
ing Arome’s online presence and
the number of people who turned
to cooking at home as restaurants
closed.
Now with the store open and a
grand opening ceremony set for Aug.
5, during the art walk in Redmond.
Bell said the new location has been
great.
“I’ve actually had people come in
and thank me for bringing the store
to Redmond, which is amazing,” she
said. “It’s a great thing to hear from
your customers because it feels like
it should be going in the other direc-
tion.”
█
Reporter: lbaudhuin@redmondspokesman.com
Plan your 2023 Getaway!
GREAT TRAINS 6 & DAYS
GRAND CANYONS
MARCH 19-24, 2023
DAY 1: PHOENIX, SEDONA
DAY 2: SEDONA
DAY 3: GRAND CANYON
DAY 4: MONTEZUMA CASTLE, JEROME, VERDE
CANYON RAILROAD
DAY 5: DAY AT LEISURE, BLAZIN’ M RANCH
DAY 6: SEDONA, SCOTTSDALE, FLIGHT HOME
HIGHLIGHTS:
Two Rail Journeys
Grand Canyon Railway
Verde Canyon Railroad
Grand Canyon Nat’l Park
Oak Creek Canyon
Sedona Trolley Tour
Chapel of the Holy Cross
Tlaquepaque & Uptown Sedona
Montezuma Castle
Jerome
Chuckwagon Supper & Show
INCLUSIONS:
Roundtrip Airfare
- PDX or RDM (+ $250)
5 Nights Hotel Accommodations
8 Meals (5 Breakfast, 3 Dinners)
Professional Tour Director
Motorcoach Transportation
Sightseeing per Itinerary
Admissions per Itinerary
Hotel Transfers
Baggage Handling at Hotels
ACCOMMODATIONS:
5 Nights - Hilton Sedona Resort,
Sedona Courtyard by Marriott or
Poco Diablo Resort, Sedona
On some dates alternate hotels may
be used
Visit www.bendbulletin.com/offers/travel
for a more detailed look at all trip itineraries.
For more information or to book, call (877) 953-8687 x 276