Facts and Figures
Operator SAMTD
System Type Bus
Year Opened
# of Lines 22
# of Cars
Mileage
Stations 2 transit centers
Gauge N/A
Power N/A
Fare Media Cash
Website Cherriots
Data Date 2016
1st Visit 8/1990
Last Visit 2015
% Rode 10%

US > Pacific NW Transit
Salem, OR

Salem Transit

I live in Salem. So even though Salem does not have a rail system, it does operate a small but good bus system. The bus system has been growing steadily in the last few years.

The system is slowly converting to low-floor CNG busses. 24 new busses from Orion should be in service by Spring 2003. This should retire many of the old RTS busses that were built in the early 1980's but are the backbone of the fleet.

The name Cherriots comes from a contest held in the 19060/70's. Salem is known as the Cherry City from all the Cherry Trees, and chariots is a conveyance, so it is a unique marketing logo. 

Transit Mall
salem-mall02.jpg (162708 bytes)View of Salem's new Transit mall during "bus time" All but Route 11 and the 3 West Salem routes meet here every hour to 30 minutes (X:15 and X:45) (2002) salem-mall03.jpg (176757 bytes)The other lane at the mall. To the left is the new Courthouse Square building housing the transit district and county offices. (2002)

Orion VII Lo-Floor CNG
sle-or-loflr-020703-01.jpg (89997 bytes)Salem's newest bus, the Orion VII fresh from its journey from NY. It is low floor CNG bus. (2/7/03) sle-bs-orionVII-040903-04.jpg (327688 bytes)Bus leaving the Transit Mall. (4/09/03)
sle-bs-orionVII-050603-01.jpg (182773 bytes)This Orion is on the very popular Route 2-Jan Ree on D St. (5/06/03)

El Dorado, Lo-Floor CNG
sle-bs-cng-070102-01.jpg (358605 bytes)Here is Salem's first low floor CNG fleet. A small El Dorado Coach leaving the Transit Mall (7/1/02)

Tri-Met RTS
sle-bs-rts-trimet-060502-01.jpg (552526 bytes)This RTS bus was purchased second hand from Portland's Tri-Met system in 2001/02. These "new" busses were needed to support route expansion and serve Salem's heavier routes. (6/5/02)
Orion IV
sle-bs-orion-070102-02.jpg (388475 bytes)Here is an older Orion, purchased during a small fleet expansion in the mid-1990's (7/01/02) sle-bs-orion-082402-01.jpg (169008 bytes)An Orion on the State Fair Shuttle passing an older RTS bus. (8/24/02)

RTS Fleet
sle-bs-rts-020902-03.jpg (585724 bytes)RTS on Salem's busiest route, 2-Jan Ree. It is only one of two routes that operate every 15 minutes. The other is the combo 5/5A. (2/9/02) sle-bs-rts-010202-01.jpg (236487 bytes)Salem does get an occasional "Wrap" bus. This one is for Cricket. This RTS is one of the older short RTS's. (1/2/02)
sle-bs-rts-070102-01.jpg (320605 bytes)This RTS has a bike on its front rack. Salem was the first Oregon Transit district to equip 100% of its fleet with bike racks in the mid-1990's. (7/1/02)

Other
sle-bs-trolley-060502-04.jpg (462710 bytes)On First Wednesday's downtown has promotions. Salem borrows this "Trolley Bus" from Corvallis to act as a downtown circulator. (6/5/02)
 

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