Eugene Essentials
- Pay with Umo. $3.50 day pass.
- Get the app and enter payment details ahead of time.
- Limited realtime bus info. Transit app is accurate for what there is.
- One very fast bus, EmX. The rest is pretty standard.
- When walking, press the button to cross.
Setting Up Umo
I paid with the Umo app. It’s a bit of a headache to set up. Here’s the gist:
- Get the Umo app
- Choose LTD (Lane Transit District)
- Add a credit card
- Buy a daily pass
- When you board a bus, tap Code or Show Code in the app and scan it on the reader.
For simplicity, I recommend a daily pass. It’s only $3.50. Maybe you get the full value, maybe not, but it’s not much money and takes away the worry.
Apple Pay didn’t work for me (it also didn’t work when I tried to use Umo in Milwaukee). You’ll probably have to enter your entire credit card billing information, including security code and billing address. I recommend setting this up before your trip. I tried doing it while I waited for a bus, and it took so long that I missed a bus.
Regular Buses
Scan the Umo app to get on a regular bus:
Tap Code on the Umo app and it will show a QR code. Scan the QR code on the screen near the driver. The readers are finicky. You’ll probably have to try for a bit, it took me about 10 seconds. Use your hand to block external light to get it to scan better.
There is a pretty extensive bus network. However, aside from the EmX, there is no real-time tracking. If you’re taking a bus from the transit center, this isn’t a problem, but if you’re trying to catch a bus in the middle of its route, it’s anyone’s guess when it will come.
The buses are clean, easy to ride, and efficient.
The EmX
Pronounced “M-X”, this is the jewel of Eugene’s transit system. It’s a rapid bus with mostly dedicated lanes, and it HAULS ASS.
It runs from far to the west, to far to the east, and is a really efficient way to get across town. I love this bus.
For the EmX, you don’t need to scan to get on. If a fare inspector boards the bus, they’ll scan the code on your app.
EmX stations are a few inches higher than the curb, which let you board without going up steps. There does tend to be a gap, so they still lower a ramp for wheelchairs.
NOTE: If you only ride EmX, and don’t encounter any fare inspectors, your code will not be scanned, and thus your daily pass won’t be activated. In this case, you end up riding for free. I visited customer service at the transit center, and they confirmed this was the case.
General Impression
Eugene is a town of contrasts.
Downtown is very pedestrian friendly. There’s a walkable core with narrow streets, occasional protected bike lanes, and pedestrian plazas. Cars are very mindful of pedestrians, sometimes too much so… they’ll stop in the middle of an intersection to let you walk.
Outside of downtown, Eugene is very car-dominant, with wide roads, fast car traffic, lots of parking lots, and occasional missing sidewalks.
You may feel like you’re walking next to a highway.
Eugene also still uses beg buttons: you’ll need to push a button to get a walk signal, which leads to that “run to push it before it turns green” hassle. Also, the fast-moving one-way avenues can catch seasoned pedestrians off-guard. Look in ALL directions before crossing.
