Pacific Transit Clarifies Dialysis Transportation Set to Continue, Dispelling Rumors of Service Cuts
RAYMOND, Wash. — Pacific Transit has formally pushed back against rumors circulating in the community regarding the potential termination of transportation services for local dialysis patients traveling across the river to Astoria, Oregon.
In response to an inquiry from Veritas Coastal, Pacific Transit Clerk of the Board Mike Williams clarified that the agency has no intention of discontinuing transit options for patients relying on rides to life-sustaining medical treatments across state lines.
Addressing Community Concerns
The anxiety within the community surfaced following a published letter by a clinical hemodialysis technician in Astoria. The worker highlighted profound fears expressed by Pacific County patients—many of whom reside in communities such as Long Beach, Ocean Park, and Surfside—who depend on public transit three times a week to reach necessary hemodialysis sessions.
With the previous closure of a local dialysis clinic on the peninsula, patients have been forced to travel long distances for care. Combined with prior news regarding budgetary pressures at Pacific Transit, patients grew fearful that their transit lifeline was in jeopardy.
However, Pacific Transit officials state those fears stem from a misunderstanding of operational changes implemented by the agency in August.
Understanding the Services: Pacific Go vs. Pacific Paratransit
According to Pacific Transit's Director of Operations Joey Zurfluh, the confusion appears to be rooted in the distinction between two newly launched transit offerings.
Pacific Go is a general-public, demand-response service available to everyone without requiring ADA eligibility certification. Operating on a space-available basis, its service area explicitly includes major medical facilities in Astoria. Pacific Transit confirmed that this is the active program utilized by local dialysis customers.
The Pacific Paratransit program serves as the agency's ADA complementary paratransit program, which is application-based for eligible individuals with disabilities and strictly bound by federal regulations to operate within three-quarters of a mile of fixed routes. Because medical facilities in Astoria sit outside the fixed-route service footprint, they fall outside the geographic scope of Pacific Paratransit.
Ongoing Communication
Pacific Transit emphasized that its team has spoken directly with staff at the Astoria dialysis center and affected customers to clear up misconceptions and provide accurate scheduling information.
Williams noted that patients seeking to schedule trips or verify service details can utilize the Pacific Go service information available on the Pacific Transit website or reach out directly to customer service lines at 360-875-9418 for the Raymond and South Bend area, or 360-642-9418 for the Peninsula.