Frequently Asked Questions Click on a Question to see the answer... 1.How do I get bus information? 2. What do I need to know when riding the bus? 3. How do I know when there are changes to a route, bus stop, schedule, etc. 4. On what days of the week and Holiday do the buses operate?

5. I was across the street and the bus pulled away before I was able to get to the stop. Shouldn't the driver have waited for me? 6. If I call to compliment a bus operator, will the coach operator be informed of my compliment? 7. Why do I have to give my name, address and phone number when I make a complaint or suggestion to Cherriots? 8. Why won't a bus operator force someone to move from the reserved seating in the front of the bus when someone who is disabled needs that seat? 9. Will all sizes of wheelchairs fit on all Cherriots buses? 10. What is the procedure for boarding my bike on the bus and being sure I get my bike off the bus when I disembark? 11. How do I get an item back that I left on the bus? 12. What happens to my suggestion for expanding bus service/adding additional service/new service? (top of page) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- How do I get bus information? Bus route information can be obtained via this web site at www.cherriots.org, by email at info@cherriots.org, by telephone at 503-588-2877 (Monday to Friday 6:15am to 9:30pm and Saturdays 7:45am to 9:30pm.) If you would like more specific information about an individual route, just click on the route number on the system map, or use the "select a route" box and select the appropriate number from the list, then click on the "go" button. Printable schedules are available by clicking on the "Click here for pdf version"button. (top of page) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- What do I need to know when riding the bus? Arrive at the bus stop several minutes early. Be standing at the stop, ready to board, when the bus arrives. Have exact fare ready. Fare boxes accept coins and dollar bills but do not make change. You may also show your monthly pass or day pass which are easier to use and save you money. Be prepared to show proper identification if using a Senior & Disabled Pass. Board the bus through the front doors. Please keep front seats available for disabled persons and senior citizens. Please move from a front seat to allow a disabled person or senior citizen to sit there if requested by the bus operator. As your stop approaches, ring the chime or pull the signal cord located along the inside windows. This signals the driver to stop at the next bus stop. Be sure to ring in sufficient time to allow driver to stop safely. Please be aware of the following while on the bus: No smoking. No eating. Drinks in hard sided, lidded containers are allowed. Service animals are allowed to accompany persons with disabilities; however, the animal must be secured. All radios, cassettes and compact disc players must be used with earphones. (top of page) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- How do I know when there are changes to a route, bus stop, schedule, etc. Changes to bus stops are posted directly at affected stops along the routes. Permanent route changes are publicized by flyers and/or posters on the buses, in the Customer Serivce Lobby, and on this web site. Temporary changes, or detours, may be put on flyers on the buses (if it is a long term detour). Otherwise, a current detour list is available on this web site by clicking on the "Rider Alerts" button, or by calling Customer Service at 503-588-2877. Schedule changes take place four times a year; at the beginning of June, September, December, and March. These changes are always posted on our web site, and in the Customer Service Lobby, and are frequently advertized on flyers on the buses also. (top of page) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- On what days of the week and Holidays do the buses operate? Cherriots buses operate Monday through Saturday. Buses will run regular service on Martin Luther King Day. There is no service on New Year's Day, President's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veteran's Day, Thanksgiving or Christmas. (top of page) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I was across the street and the bus pulled away before I was able to get to the stop. Shouldn't the driver have waited for me? Cherriots stresses the importance of customers being at bus stops, ready to board the bus before it arrives. This way, the bus operator can remain on schedule, and customers will be delivered to their destinations on time. There are several reasons why a driver may not wait for a customer before leaving a bus stop. Oftentimes, the operator is not aware that a person on the other side of the street wishes to board his/her bus. Additionally, there is a safety issue involved in customers running across streets to catch a bus. Once a driver pulls away from a bus stop, he/she is not permitted to stop again to board passengers. (top of page -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If I call to compliment an operator, will the operator be informed of my compliment? If you call, write or email us concerning a positive experience you have had with a bus operator, that operator will be acknowledged by a Supervisor for providing excellent customer service. (top of page) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Why do I have to give my name, address and phone number when I make a complaint or suggestion to Customer Service? In order for Customer Service to get back in touch with you should you request a response, your name and address or telephone number is needed.Your contact information is kept confidential. Providing this information also lends credibility to your communication. Cherriots does not formalize complaints without contact information. (top of page) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Why won't an operator force someone to move from the reserved seating in the front of the bus when someone who is disabled needs that seat? Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), coach operators must "request" that a passenger move from the front seats designated for the disabled, but the District does not feel is reasonable to ask operators to "force" passengers to move. If you are elderly or disabled and need to sit in the front seats, and those seats are occupied, please talk to the bus operator who will then request the occupants of those seats to move to other seats. Keep in mind that the individual(s) already occupying those seats may be elderly or disabled as well. (top of page) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Will all sizes of wheelchairs fit on all Cherriots buses with lifts? Most Cherriots buses are accessible to persons with disabilities. However, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has set guidelines for the size and weight of mobility devices which can be transported on public transit vehicles. Cherriots cannot transport devices which exceed these guidelines because the bus lifts are not designed to hold additional weight, and also because of the physical problems which could be sustained by bus operators accommodating devices in excess of the guidelines. ADA guidelines define a "common wheelchair" as a device no larger than 30 inches wide and 48 inches long when measured two inches above the ground. Additionally, the combined weight of the wheelchair and occupant cannot exceed 600 pounds. (top of page) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- What is the procedure for boarding my bike on the bus and being sure I get my bike off the bus when I disembark? Have your bike ready to go when the bus approaches. Be certain you have already removed water bottles, air pumps, and other loose items that might fall off. For your safety and convenience, when you exit the bus, please tell the bus operator that you will be removing your bike from the bike rack. If your bike is the only one on the rack when you remove it, please put the bike rack in the upright position. (top of page) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- How do I get an item back that I left on the bus? Please check with Lost and Found the following business day to see if your item has been turned in. The phone number for Lost and Found is 503-588-2877, or check in person at the Customer Service Desk. You will need to provide a detailed description of the item that was lost, when it was lost, the bus route number, direction you were traveling and time you boarded the bus. (top of page) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- What happens to my suggestion for expanding bus service/adding additional service/new service? These suggestions are forwarded to the Cherriots Transit Development Division for review. Service changes occur four times per year – in December, March, June, and September. Changes are made based on the operational feasibility of the request and available resources impliment it. 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