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Frequently Asked Questions

Who can ride? Everyone!

South Lane Wheels is a private, nonprofit transit agency with no eligibility requirements to ride. This means that you can ride with us on any service we offer.

Quick Answers / Getting Started

What is the easiest way to get started with South Lane Wheels?

Give us a call during office hours! Our friendly dispatchers will answer any questions and walk you through setting up your scheduled trip, same day if there is capacity, or in advance.

Why choose South Lane Wheels over other transportation options?
  • South Lane Wheels has 44 years of experience providing safe, respectful, and reliable transportation that cares about the needs of all riders, from the scheduling of the ride to the attention given by our professional driver to get you to your destination on time.
  • Our service area has been increased to include North Douglas County, and a trip can be scheduled to destinations in the Eugene/Springfield areas.
  • A vehicle and driver can be hired like a dedicated charter, so call to learn what your group can do and the cost.
How can I help and support South Lane Wheels?

Our nonprofit needs your donations and sponsorships. You can donate by mail or through the donation button on our website that takes a
credit card or PayPal payment. Word of mouth is the best form of  advertisement, so please tell others about the South Lane Wheels’ services.

Service Area & Availability

South Lane Wheels provides transportation throughout South Lane and North Douglas Counties, including Cottage Grove, Creswell, Drain, Dorena, Culp Creek, Saginaw, London, and Lorane. We also offer rides to Eugene and Springfield for medical appointments, shopping, and essential services. 

South Lane Wheels provides scheduled transportation between Cottage Grove and Eugene. Advanced booking is required.

Our services are available to anyone in our service area, including seniors, individuals without access to a vehicle, and those needing assistance getting to appointments or errands. No qualification is required.

Booking & Scheduling

Rides can be scheduled by calling our office in advance. We recommend
booking as early as possible to ensure availability, especially for medical
appointments or longer-distance trips.

We recommend booking at least 24–48 hours in advance. For recurring or critical trips, earlier scheduling is encouraged.

Yes. We can help schedule recurring rides for ongoing needs such as medical
treatments, work commutes, or regular errands.

Please contact us as soon as possible if (by 4:45 PM the day before) your plans
change so we can adjust your ride and accommodate other passengers.

Office hours 8 am -5 pm Mon-Fri

Hours of operations are 7 am – 6 pm Mon-Fri. Requests outside of these hours require approval.

Booking in advance is always recommended, but we occasionally have the same-day spots available.

Pricing & Payments

Pricing is based on distance. One-way trip rates typically range from $7 to $80, depending on mileage. Please contact us for an exact quote based on your trip.
Yes. If a driver is required to wait during your trip, a wait time fee may apply. Please ask when scheduling for details.
At this time, cash, checks, and PayPal are accepted. A credit card option will be added soon.

Types of Rides & Services

Yes. South Lane Wheels provides reliable transportation for non-emergency medical appointments, including trips to Eugene and Springfield for specialized care.
Yes. We provide scheduled door-to-door transportation to make travel easier and more accessible for our riders.
Yes, we can take you wherever you need to go, and our helpful drivers will assist with getting the package onto the vehicle and up to your home.
These trips will be offered on a per-trip basis if we can fit within our schedule.

Accessibility & Rider Support

Yes, in most cases, a companion may ride with you. Please mention this when scheduling so we can plan accordingly.
Yes. The vehicle fleet has two vehicles with a power lift with a weight limit to assist riders who find stairs difficult to climb or use a walker, and those who use a mobility device. There is room for up to 4 mobility devices at a time.
Drivers are trained in passenger assistance and have extensive training in mobility devices and how to best assist mobility device users.

Safety & Reliability

Yes. All drivers are trained, and South Lane Wheels operates as a fully insured transportation provider.

A vehicle that is put into service to perform rides is inspected by the driver before leaving to begin the shift. The results of the inspection are reported to the dispatcher. If any safety features are not working properly, that feature must be fixed before operating the vehicle in service.

At the end of the driver’s shift, the vehicle is inspected again to log the vehicle’s condition. Additional inspections are conducted periodically at a certified mechanic shop.

All personnel must pass a background check and pre-employment drug screening. Drivers that pass these tests are then trained in passenger assistance, first aid & CPR, defensive driving, vehicle inspection, and ethical standards before being released to drive.

Preparing for your ride

All of our services have a schedule to maintain with the riders’ needs in mind.

  • Riders need to be at their pick up location before the scheduled pick up time.
  • Unscheduled return trip is considered a “Will Call” ride which may have a 60-minute wait after pick up call is made.
  • We accept cash or check. Drivers do not make or carry change.
  • Coming soon – we will accept credit and debit card payments.
  • Riders must pay the fare upon boarding and have ready any carry on items.
  • Tips are allowed.

Cancellation Policy

Please be considerate and respectful of other riders and our drivers by calling the dispatcher by 5pm the day before your ride to cancel a reservation or it is considered a “No–Show.”

The “5-MINUTE RULE” allows the driver to wait up to 5-minutes after the scheduled pick up time for a rider to board the vehicle. If a rider does not board within the 5-minutes, the driver will leave, and report this trip as a “No–Show.”

A pattern of “No–Shows” may affect future ride requests.