With support from Opportunity Oregon, Dallas found a rewarding career as a bus operator at Lane Transit District and a new sense of confidence in his future.

For Dallas Tedford, returning to the community after incarceration meant confronting an important question: how could he build a different life from the one he had known?

While incarcerated at Snake River Correctional Institution, Dallas attended an Opportunity Oregon presentation led by Nancy Pance, a reentry services representative. He was struck by her dedication to helping people prepare for life after prison.

What made the biggest impression was the personal attention she gave him.

“I know she’s writing a lot of letters, but to have her personal letter mailed back to me, it made me feel like I was important,” Dallas recalls.

Through that connection, Dallas learned about an employment opportunity at Lane Transit District (LTD). Although he had his driver’s license and was interested in the position, he wasn’t confident he would be selected.

“I honestly didn’t think I was going to get the job,” he says.

But Dallas got the opportunity.

A Career with a Future

After his release in December 2024, Dallas began building a new life as a bus operator at LTD.

The position offered something he had never experienced in a job before: long-term career stability, retirement benefits, a pension, and affordable medical coverage.

For Dallas, those benefits represent more than financial security. They have given him the confidence to look ahead instead of returning to the circumstances of his past.

“It’s easy to be a success story when you got people believing in you,” he says. “My confidence comes strictly from people that have pushed me along the way.”

Now, Dallas hopes to help others discover similar opportunities.

“I am just one of many that have to keep the string going,” he explains. “It’s my responsibility to get the next guy in.”

His story demonstrates how pre-release connections, employer partnerships, and personal encouragement can help people returning from incarceration find meaningful employment and build lasting stability.

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