From the Program Administrator
Ridership
Ridership is still down from pre-pandemic ridership but continues to remain steady with some slight fluctuations. Overall ridership decreased by 8.3% compared with March of 2023. SAM-Gresham provided 5,390 rides, a decrease of 10.47%. SAM-Estacada provided 237 rides, declining by 54.68%. The Shopper Shuttle provided 595 rides, a 5.1% decrease. The Clackamas Town Center route ridership continues to double in growth. In the month of March we provided 278 rides!
SAM rides provided 796 ride, a 0.13% increase. ED provided 66 rides, a 4.76% increase from March 2023. This continues to be a valuable transportation resource for the residents of Sandy.
The decrease is due in part to the workforce continuing to telecommute. In addition, as families vacation during spring break they may suspend their normal commuting patterns.
New Marketing Materials
The Clackamas Town Center route has been added to the new schedules (see below). The result is a cleaner, streamlined route map that provides easy to understand SAM routes and times as well as the regional connectivity for the community!
Staff also created eye-catching channel cards that will be featured inside both SAM and MHX buses, showcasing the routes for easy reference.
Keep an eye out for the new new “Making Connections” banner at the Sandy Transit Center! SAM is committed to ensuring that citizens are fully aware of the transportation options available, making travel more convenient and accessible for everyone.
The New Buses are Ready to Roll
SAM has two new buses serving the City of Sandy! Through the STIF Regional Coordination we received $250,000 in funding to secure the buses. They were purchased so that SAM could launch the Clackamas Town Center route with a Gillig without compromising other routes. We now have two additional buses that are large enough to serve all SAM routes but the cost is half the price of purchasing one new Gillig!
Sandy-Clackamas County Partnership
In March 2024, SAM brought in $4,422.34 from the oversight of Mt. Hood Express. The revenue from medical rides was $6, 716.13. Total earnings from the Clackamas County partnership were $11,138.47.