Winter Bus Travel

To find out if your route is currently on snow or ice detour, visit the Service Alerts page.

In the event of snow or ice, Cherriots Local and Cherriots Regional buses may be on snow detours. When a snow detour is in effect, buses will not be able to serve some stops on the route. 

During severe weather, including heavy rain and wind, conditions can change rapidly, and buses may run late or make unexpected detours. Although extreme weather can affect any route, the routes that are usually affected by snow and ice are Routes  6, 8, 16, 18, 20X, 26, 27, and 30X due to the hilly streets these routes serve.

Bus stops that will most likely go out of service due to bad weather are:

Route 6
All bus stops along Barnes, Baxter, Battle Creek and Reed Lane, as well as Commercial @ Baxter and Commercial @ Fabry.

Routes 8 and 18
All bus stops along Davis, Red Leaf, and Summercrest, as well as on Skyline south of Kuebler.

Route 16
All bus stops along Orchard View, Linwood, Riverbend, Wintergreen, Brush College, Doaks Ferry, and Orchard Heights.

Route 20X
Center @ Fairview (Silverton Hospital): if buses are not able to travel the Center Street hill in Silverton, a temporary stop will usually be placed at Rite Aid on the corner of McClaine Street and West C Street.

Route 26
All bus stops along Glen Creek, Titan, and Orchard Heights.

Route 27
All bus stops along Glen Creek, Burley Hill, Eola, and Gehlar.

Route 30X
All bus stops east of Stayton. (The bus will wait at the Stayton Park and Ride after serving the other Stayton stops during the time it would have traveled to Gates and back.)

If you use these bus stops, it’s especially important to make a plan in advance: walk to the next closest bus stop, arrange other transportation options on snow days, or if possible, arrange to work remotely.

Partner Service Advisories

Cherriots Local and Cherriots Regional both partner with area transit agencies to offer connections throughout the Mid-Willamette Valley. During inclement weather, please check our partner websites for service advisories affecting their routes:

• Yamhill County Transit travels from the West Salem Transit Center to Amity and McMinnville.
• Canby Area Transit (CAT) connects with Cherriots Regional Route 10X and 20X at Bi-Mart in Woodburn. CAT Route 99X goes to Canby (where you can connect with SMART) and Oregon City (where you can connect with TriMet).
• South Metro Area Regional Transit (SMART) serves the Salem Downtown Transit Center and travels to Wilsonville where you can also connect with TriMet to Portland.
• Tillamook County Transportation District also serves the Salem Downtown Transit Center and travels to both Grand Ronde and Lincoln City.

Other Helpful Tips

• Check the Service Alerts page for the most up-to-date information before heading to your bus stop.
• Cherriots snow detour information will be broadcast on KBZY 1490 AM.
• When the bus is approaching, be sure to stand near the bus stop. A blinking light, flashlight, or the glow from your cell phone screen can help the bus driver see you in bad weather or at night.
• Dress for the weather in case your bus is running late. Due to slower travel speeds, your bus may be behind schedule.  
• Buses will not stop where standing water, ice, or snow drifts make a stop unsafe or inaccessible. If you encounter these conditions at your stop, plan to use the next available stop on the route.
• Cherriots LIFT and Cherriots Shop and Ride will run during snowy and icy conditions, but some areas, particularly hilly or hazardous portions of south and west Salem, simply can't be reached. Service updates for Cherriots LIFT and Cherriots Shop and Ride will be posted on the Service Alerts page if weather is affecting service. You can also call the Cherriots call center at 503-315-5544 to see if your trip will be affected by the weather, but please be aware you may be on hold longer than usual due to high call volume during weather events.