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A Better Cherriots

Cherriots is working to provide better bus service in Salem-Keizer and the region

 

It’s time for A Better Cherriots. As the project name suggests, Cherriots is working to provide better bus service in Salem-Keizer and the surrounding region. With the passage of Oregon House Bill 2017 (HB 2017), Cherriots received more resources in 2019 to provide a major expansion in service and address other longstanding needs. This page outlines our progress on this project since 2017. Follow a link below to learn more or visit the Service Changes page for an update on changes that were scheduled for May 2020, but have now been postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

September 2019 service enhancements

Cherriots Local enhancements

NOTE: most of the changes described below are not in effect during the coronavirus pandemic. Visit the Health page for udpates.

Most Cherriots Local routes started operating later on weekdays starting September 3. The last trips of the evening now leave the transit centers at 11 p.m. Almost all of the Cherriots Local routes also operate on Saturdays as of September 7, generally at reduced levels of service from weekday service. 

The chart below shows the later weekday evening and Saturday service levels. Click or tap the route number to view the specific route schedule for details.

Route

Later Weekday Evenings
(9 p.m. - 11 p.m.)

 Saturdays
(6:30 a.m. - 9 p.m.)
Route 2 schedule 60 min. service 30 min. (60 min. 7 p.m. - 9 p.m.)
Route 3 schedule 60 min. service 60 min. service
Route 4 schedule 60 min. service 60 min. service
Route 5 schedule 60 min. service 30 min. (60 min. 7 p.m. - 9 p.m.)
Route 6 schedule No Late Service 60 min. service
Route 7 schedule 30 min. service 30 min. service
Route 8 schedule 60 min. service 60 min. service
Route 9 schedule No Late Service 60 min. service
Route 11 schedule 30 min. service 30 min. service
Route 12 schedule No Late Service No Saturday Service
Route 13 schedule 60 min. service 60 min. (7:30 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.)
Route 14 schedule No Late Service No Saturday Service
Route 16 schedule No Late Service 60 min. (7:25 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.)
Route 17 schedule 60 min. service 30 min. (60 min. 7 p.m. - 9 p.m.)
Route 18 schedule 60 min. service 60 min. (7:30 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.)
Route 19 schedule 60 min. service 30 min. (60 min. 7 p.m. - 9 p.m.)
Route 21 schedule 60 min. service 30 min. (60 min. 7 p.m. - 9 p.m.)
Route 22 schedule No Late Service No Saturday Service
Route 23 schedule No Late Service No Saturday Service
Route 26 schedule No Late Service No Saturday Service
Route 27 schedule No Late Service No Saturday Service

 

 

Changes to the Downtown Transit Center lobby and Customer Service hours

Since we changed all of the route schedules, we also updated the hours for the Downtown Transit Center lobby as of Sept. 3:

Monday - Friday: 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Saturday: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Sunday: closed 

NOTE: the lobby is closed during the coronavirus pandemic.

Customer Service staff will be available during the following hours:

Monday - Friday: 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Saturday: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Sunday: closed 

NOTE: during the coronavirus pandemic, hours will vary. Visit the Health page for updates.

Additional changes at Keizer Transit Center

The lobby at Keizer Transit Center (KTC) is now open longer hours:

Monday - Friday: 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Saturday: 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Sunday: closed 

NOTE: the lobby is closed during the coronavirus pandemic.

We also installed a traffic signal at KTC to enable buses and cars to exit left onto Keizer Station Blvd. This affects the following routes:

  • On Saturdays, only Routes 11 and 19 are in service from KTC. Therefore, both routes will serve stops in Keizer Station (Stadium @ Ulali and Ulali @ Keizer Station Blvd). Route 19 follows the same path as it did in the past now on Saturdays.
  • Route 19 no longer serves stops in Keizer Station on weekdays. 
  • Route 14 serves stops in Keizer Station at the end of the route before entering KTC instead of at the beginning. 
  • Routes 11 and 12 continue to serve stops in Keizer Station as they have in the past.

 

 

Cherriots Regional enhancements

Most Cherriots Regional routes now operate later on weekdays as of September 3. Most of the Cherriots Regional routes also operate on Saturdays at reduced levels of service from weekday service. 

The chart shows the additional weekday trips and Saturday service levels. Click or tap the route number to view the specific route schedule for details.

 

 

Route Weekday Service Saturday Service
Route 1X Schedule 3 additional round trips for a total of 13 No Saturday Service
Route 10X Schedule 2 additional round trips for a total of 8 3.5 round trips
Route 20X Schedule No Change 3.5 round trips
Route 30X Schedule No Change 2 round trips
Route 40X Schedule 2 additional round trips for a total of 8 4 round trips
Route 50X Schedule 2 additional round trips for a total of 4 No Saturday Service
Polk County Flex Schedule No Change No Saturday Service

 

 

 

Cherriots Regional additional weekday trips

Cherriots Regional Saturday service levels

 

STIF application for enhanced service - October and November 2018

Over the past few months, Cherriots has refined the plan to enhance service using the funds that we'll receive from the Statewide Transportation Improvement Fund. This plan was recommended for approval by the Statewide Transportation Improvement Advisory Committee to the Cherriots Board of Directors on October 15, 2018. The plan was approved by the Board on October 25, 2018 and was submitted to the Oregon Department of Transportation on November 1, 2018.   

The first phase of the plan for enhanced service will start in September 2019 and continue into future years. The first enhancement to Cherriots Local will be Saturday service and later weekday evenings starting in September 2019. For Cherriots Regional, we'll also add Saturday service and additional trips to some routes on weekdays. See below for maps outlining the proposal. The second phase of service enhancements will come in May of 2020. This will include some Sunday service and service on additional holidays for Cherriots Local routes.

Additionally, this plan includes a reduced youth fare for riders aged 6-18 which will be implemented in July 2019.

Fare proposal outreach - May and June 2018

Every two years, Cherriots staff are tasked by the Board of Directors to evaluate the current fare structure. Cherriots staff created a fare proposal and presented it to the public in May and June 2018 to gather rider input. The goals were to:

1. Help families and low-income riders
2.  Simplify fare structure
3.  Facilitate transfers between local and regional buses
4.  Encourage youth to ride
5.  Ensure fare structure is equitable

During the public engagement period, we hosted a number of events to give people more details about our proposal, give them a chance to ask questions of the staff, and offer their feedback in person. These events were held at the Downtown Transit Center, Keizer Transit Center, and Chemeketa Community College.

We brought the public feedback to the Statewide Transportation Improvement Fund Advisory Committee for them to read and discuss. Their recommendations were included in the application we submitted on November 1, 2018 for STIF dollars. The last draft of the plan will go to the Cherriots Board of Directors in the coming months for final approval. We'll post that plan as soon as it's complete.

Service proposal 2018-2019

Based on the results of the November 2017 needs assessment, staff have developed a service proposal with proposed changes in September 2018 and September 2019. You can read the full proposal, which includes maps of routes running on the weekends, by clicking below:

A Better Cherriots Service Proposal
 

Public engagement - February and March 2018

We reached out to the public in February and March for input on our proposal and received a great response. We held open houses and information events at locations like the Downtown Transit Center, Broadway Coffeehouse, Chemeketa Community College, Center 50+, and many others. Staff walked through the proposal with attendees, answered questions, and received feedback. We'll use that feedback to make adjustments to the proposal. Read the report on our findings by clicking below:

2018 Public Engagement Report

Needs assessment - November 2017

In November 2017, Cherriots staff conducted a needs assessment. In addition to analyzing shifts in population and travel demand, staff conducted a rider and community survey and a survey of Cherriots frontline employees—those who interact directly with riders on a daily basis. This report can be found by clicking below:

2017 Needs Assessment Report

We will be posting more updates on our plans for enhanced service here, so check back often. We'll also post updates on Facebook and Twitter.