About Salem-Keizer Transit

Strategic Business Plan

Click here to access the Salem-Keizer Transit Strategic Business Plan, which establishes principles to guide future decision making on services and allocation of public transportation resources and develops an action plan that focuses on improving mobility for Salem/Keizer residents. (This is a large file and may take a while to download.)

Cherriots Subdistrict Boundaries

Cherriots is governed by a seven member Board of Directors. These Directors are elected by the residents of their Subdistrict.

For contact information for Board Members click here.

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Ordinances

Part of making everyone's visit a pleasant one is providing a clean, safe and comfortable environment in which to use the bus system. A "code of conduct," similar to rules and customs that guide civic behavior in other public places within our community, has been developed by the transit district. Its purpose is to describe the intended uses of our facilities, and inform the public of what types of activities and behaviors are not allowed in Cherriots facilities.

Unacceptable Conduct

For the safety of all of the public, State of Oregon Statutes prohibit certain types of conduct. The District ordinance is consistent with the State statutes. It is a violation of this Ordinance for any person to engage in conduct in violation of any of the following laws if such conduct occurs within or in any way affects any District Facility:

Initiating a false report.
Giving false information
Assault in any degree
Menacing
Reckless endangering
Public indecency
Trespass
Disorderly conduct
Interfering with public transportation
Unlawful use of a weapon
Concealed weapon
Possession or delivery of controlled substances
Littering
Posting Notices
Damaging District Property
Possession of dangerous weapon in a public building

For the complete Courthouse Square Rules of conduct and Ordinances, please click here: Link to Cherriots Ordinances

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History of Salem-Keizer Transit District

The Salem-Keizer Transit District—better known as the Cherriots—was formed by a vote of the Salem/Keizer area electorate in 1979, with the purpose of consolidating transit services within the urban growth boundary and securing an ongoing funding base for the operation of the system. In 2003, the organization changed its name to better reflect the population it serves. The District is now known as "Salem-Keizer Transit".

A nine-member, elected Board of Directors was called for in the enabling legislation (later changed to the present-day’s seven-member Board), and the new Board took over the staffing and operation of the Cherriots system from the City of Salem, in July 1981. Several serial levies were passed by voters to support the transit system until May of 1986, when the District passed its first tax base measure to provide permanent funding support for transit in the Salem and Keizer area. That funding base, intended to maintain service for 5 years, provided the resources to maintain service and provide very modest growth into the early 1990’s.

By 1994, however, the District needed new revenue if it was to grow and meet an increasing public need and expectation for more transit service. Following an unsuccessful payroll tax measure, in May 1996 the voters of the District approved a new property tax base for a significant increase in services, which included later evening service, several new routes, and the implementation of park & ride services. The implementation of these services over the past four years has resulted in a 50% increase in ridership on the Cherriots.

Today’s seven-member Board provides the policy direction for a 70-bus transit operation serving nearly 200,000 residents in the Salem and Keizer urban areas. The District is developing a new strategic plan and 10-year financial plan which will maintain the services now offered by Cherriots, as well as plan for and provide the resources for the continued improvement of public transit services in the future.

Cherriots ridership grew from 2.7 million trips in 1990 to over 4.3 million in 2000...a 60% increase during the decade. An increase in fares led to a modest drop in ridership in 1994-95, but Cherriots quickly rebounded and by 1999 broke the 4 million rider mark for the first time in District history. In 2001, we experienced another 7% growth, pushing us over the 4.6 million mark. Cherriots carried over 5 million riders in 2003, new ridership record!

Ridership comparison 1996 - 2005

Ridership got a boost most recently from the opening of the District’s new transit mall and customer service facilities at Courthouse Square. Several hundred new daily riders have been added to the Cherriots system since the opening of Courthouse Square in October of 2000. West Salem Service Improvements The Cherriots most recent improvements in service just took place on January 2, 2001. Two new routes were added to the west area, existing routes were modified to better serve the neighborhoods and business community, and frequency of bus service was improved to 30 minutes on all West Salem routes. The five neighborhood routes in West Salem now meet at the Glen Creek Transit Station, near Wallace Rd. and Glen Creek Rd. At that point, the West Salem/Downtown shuttle bus picks up riders heading across the bridge and proceeds directly to the Capital Mall area and to the Courthouse Square transit mall.

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Cherriots Buses

The Cherriots bus fleet is as clean and well-maintained as any fleet in the country. The quality of vehicle maintenance translates directly to service reliability and a high level of customer satisfaction. The District is in the process of replacing its fleet of older diesel buses with Clean Diesel Buses. These buses not only meet the 2007 EPA emission standards, but are as clean or cleaner than their CNG counterparts. The first 10 of these new buses will be arriving in March of 2008.

Customers tour CNG buses.

Courthouse Square The District’s offstreet transit mall and customer service facilities are located in the heart of the downtown area, at 220 High St. NE, between Chemeketa and Court Sts. Up to 22 buses can meet at the mall, with covered pedestrian walkways connecting all buses to the Cherriots’ comfortable waiting room and customer service counter. Salem Transit’s administrative office are located on the 5th floor of the Courthouse Square building, in Suite 5230.

The general manager, finance, planning, operations, and human resource functions are all headquartered in the Courthouse Square location. Cherriots buses also connect at the Mall to "SMART" buses operating commuter schedules to and from Wilsonville, as well as to CARTS buses which provide service to rural Marion and Polk County locations.

Buses departing from Courthouse Square

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