When shuttle service began between Portland and Multnomah Falls in 2016, the big question was whether or not anybody would actually ride it.

The answer? A resounding "yes," to the tune of more than 30,000 riders between Memorial Day weekend and the end of September - enough to warrant not only an extension of the pilot program of the Columbia Gorge Express, but a possible expansion come 2018.

"We had such a good, unexpected response last year, it went really, really well," Oregon Department of Transportation spokesman Don Hamilton said. "It was far and away bigger than we thought."

The popularity will result in some changes for the 2017 service, with even bigger things planned for the future.

The big change this year will be the buses themselves, which will carry 30 to 40 people each, an improvement from the 20-person shuttles used for the pilot program. An additional 56-person bus will still be used to transport riders between Rooster Rock State Park and Multnomah Falls. Each transit stop will also get temporary improvements, like benches and in-person staff members, aimed at making a better experience for riders.

Like last year, the buses will run 12 times daily between the Gateway Transit Center in Portland and Multnomah Falls, stopping at Rooster Rock on the way. The fare is $5 for a round-trip ride.

The Columbia Gorge Express bus, in its first year of operation.

The service is expected to start on Memorial Day weekend, but that hasn't been nailed down yet, officials said. Details should be released by the end of April.

The goal of the shuttle is to reduce congestion in the Columbia River Gorge, starting with the Multnomah Falls parking lot, which often closes in summer months due to overcrowding. It's not clear what kind of impact the new bus service has had on reducing crowds - or whether it simply brought more people to the attraction - but officials are confident it's a step in the right direction.

"We can just imagine those people, if they didn't have the shuttle they'd be driving around looking for parking at Multnomah Falls," said Kristen Stallman, the Department of Transportation coordinator for the Columbia River Gorge. "At least it gave people options of getting there."

In the future, the shuttle could help people get to other parts of the gorge as well. While nothing is solid, the department's plan is to expand the bus service to Hood River in 2018, possibly adding stops along the way at places like Cascade Locks and Eagle Creek. Even more ambitious is a plan to add a shuttle from Hood River to Timberline Lodge, connecting to the Mount Hood Express bus that runs to Sandy.

It's all part of a "car-free vision for the gorge," Stallman said, in which public transportation becomes the natural way for Portland tourists to visit the scenic area.

For now, the shuttle will continue the same service it offered in its pilot year - but if the 30,000 riders are any indication, there's plenty of appetite for more.

--Jamie Hale | jhale@oregonian.com | @HaleJamesB