Overall June 2024 ridership increased by 2.82% compared to June of 2023. Total ridership for the month of June was 7,825. SAM-Gresham increased 3.59%, providing 6,033 rides. SAM-Estacada provided 270 rides, a decrease of 36.47% compared to June of 2023. The Shopper Shuttle had 484 passengers, a decrease of 14.64%. The CTC route provided 263 rides, growing 20.64% from the previous month.
SAM rides has a slight decrease of 4.61%, providing 683 rides in June. ED provided 86 rides, a 8.86% increase.
Sandy-Clackamas County Partnership
In June, SAM brought in $4,422.34 in revenue from the oversight of Mt. Hood Express. SAM provided 88 ED rides to County residents and the revenue generated was $7,522.06. SAM’s total June revenue was $11,944.40.
Special Funding
SAM is very excited about a recent funding opportunity to provide increased service to the community! The state has funded a special $500,000 award to the County and SAM to cover FLAP funding that has been awarded but is not scheduled for distribution until October 2025. The funds will cover the existing SAM-Gresham Saturday mornings, SAM Sundays and a new pilot interlined Estacada-Villages Shuttle route. The interlining of the services creates efficiencies and will add two additional runs (for a total of seven daily runs) and Sunday service to the existing SAM-Estacada route. During the pilot program the service will be fareless. These enhancements provide more convenient travel options and improved connectivity for our community.
Overall ridership for May 2024 was 8,167, a 2.96% increase over May 2023. SAM-Gresham provided 6,195 rides, a 1.64% increase. SAM-Estacada decreased by 24.23% compared to May 2023. The Shopper shuttle increased by 1.66% providing 612 rides. SAM CTC provided 218 rides.
SAM rides experienced a decrease of 3.1%, transporting 751 passengers. ED continues to experience a dramatic increase providing 97 rides, a 34.72% compared to May 2023.
Sandy-Clackamas County Partnership
In May 2024, SAM brought in $4,472.34 from the oversight of Mt. Hood Express. The revenue from medical rides was $7,728.71. Total earnings from the Clackamas County partnership were $12,201.05.
Overall ridership for April 2024 was 7,865, a 8.27% increase from April of 2023. SAM-Gresham provided 5,887 rides, an increase of 8.84%. SAM-Estacada had 338 rides, a decrease of 22.65%. SAM-Clackamas provided 303 rides, a 326.76% increase from the initial ridership in January. The Shopper Shuttle had 512 passengers, a decrease of 5.71%.
SAM rides saw a slight decrease of 6.08% providing 512 rides compared with 543 rides in April of 2023. ED also saw a slight decrease of 2.35% providing 83 rides in April.
Sandy Drivers Receive National Company Recognition for Safety
Charles Lowe and Chrysler Collins both received national recognition for their dedication to safety and service. Charles was recognized in MV Transportation’s quarterly national newsletter for his awareness and safety practices. During a routine stop Charles demonstrated remarkable vigilance by performing a “Rock and Roll” maneuver – pausing for three seconds and looking right, left, right before proceeding forward through a green light. This proactive pause can prevent accidents such as drivers running red lights or pedestrians still crossing the street. The YouTube video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJE97LbaExY illustrates how Charles’s quick thinking and adherence to safety protocol prevented a severe accident with a semi-truck.
Chrysler Collins recently received the prestigious Katherine McClary Award for quarter four of 2023, MV’s highest safety and service honor recognizing the nation’s top transit drivers. Out of over 15,000 drivers, only one is selected quarterly for this award based on their safety, positive work attitude, customer service, dress code, attendance, initiative, quality of work and overall job performance. Chrysler’s accomplishment is remarkable, but for those who know her, it is no surprise that she rose to the challenge!
SAM is one of the smaller MV divisions, but we have been recognized 4 times in 4 years for our safe practices and friendly customer service. We take immense pride in our drivers and are thrilled to showcase their dedication to excellence.
Sandy-Clackamas County Partnership
In April 2024, SAM brought in $4,422.34 from the oversight of Mt. Hood Express. The revenue from medical rides was $5,476.24. Total earnings from the Clackamas County partnership were $9,898.58.
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.
Ridership is on the rise!! In February, SAM provided a total of 7,173 rides a 15.43% increase over February 2023. SAM-Gresham increased by 15.23%, providing 5,394 rides. SAM-Estacada did see a decline of 39.11% with 246 riders. The Clackamas Town Center route continues to grow with 126 riders. The shopper Shuttle grew by 27.21%, transporting 561 passengers.
SAM rides grew by 17.4% providing 749 rides in February of 2024. The Ed program provided 97 rides, almost doubling ridership with a 94% increase!
Clackamas County Partnership
In February 2024, SAM brought in $4,422.34 from the oversight of Mt. Hood Express. The revenue from medical rides was $6,240.83. Total revenue for February was $10,663.17.
The ice storms in January impacted ridership, with many individuals unable to leave their homes due to hazardous conditions. Consequently, there was a decrease in the number of people utilizing public transportation services. Additionally, the adverse weather conditions resulted in operational challenges that lead to limited service availability during that period.
Despite the challenges, overall ridership only declined by 18.7% compared to January 2023, providing 5,846 rides. SAM-Gresham had 4,406 passengers in January, a decrease of 16.7%. Estacada experienced a 52.6% decrease and the Shopper Shuttle decreased by 26.81%. Despite the inclement weather the new SAM CTC route provided 71 rides!
SAM rides provided 648 rides, a decrease of 17.14%. The ED program however, increased by 27.42%. This is likely due to the fact that much of the limited service was outside of the ED program hours.
The Clackamas Town Center Route Launch
While the inclement weather postponed the Clackamas Town Center Launch party it didn’t deter drivers from beginning the route. Despite the midmonth start and some limited service we provided 71 rides to passengers!
As a bonus, the first 50 riders were entered into a raffle to win a year-long SAM pass and a gift card to a local business. Billy P., a regular SAM rider, was one of our lucky winners! He is a regular SAM rider and having a direct route to his work significantly improves his commute, saving him both time and money. This is just one of the many ways this regional connection is a vital part of the Sandy community.
Clackamas County Partnership
In January 2024, SAM brought in $4,422.34 from the oversight of Mt. Hood Express. The revenue from medical rides was $5,069.54. Total earnings from the Clackamas County partnership were $9,491.88.
Ridership continues to move in a positive direction. Overall ridership for December of 2023 increased by 4.79% compared with December 2022. SAM-Gresham provided 4,937 rides, an increase of 8.58% over December 2022. Estacada declined by 45.68% bus still provided 239 rides. The Shopper Shuttle also experienced a slight decline of 6.57%. The decline may be due to lower gas prices, the holiday season and winter break at school.
SAM rides provided transportation for 779 individual rides. That is an increase of 11.76% over December 2022. ED increased by 140.82%, providing 118 rides.
Winterfest and the Jolly Trolley
The Winterfest and Jolly Trolley ridership was 221 rides! Due to demand, we added 4 extra runs to the Jolly Trolley! The program was so popular we intend to expand the service next year. We will provide two Jolly Trolleys on December 13th, 20th, 22nd and 23rd! We also plan to simplify the sign-up process by calling our dispatch office directly.
SAM provided rides to Pictures with the Grinch, The Snow Queen, Estampa y Santa and the Holiday Happy Hour! This accounted for 45 of the 221 rides.
Clackamas County Partnership
In December 2023, SAM brought in $4,422.34 from the oversight of Mt. Hood Express. The revenue from medical rides was $6,819.45. Total earnings from the Clackamas County partnership were $11,241.79.
Building Design
The City Committee, comprised of Public Works (Jenny Coker and Ryan Wood), Parks (Tiana Rundell), IT (Greg Brewster) and Transit (Andi Howell and Muna Rustam) met with MWA to discuss the needs for the Operations Center. The Committee expressed the need for more office space and storage space that would not be department specific but versatile to fit the changing needs of all the departments. A city wide maintenance facility was also discussed. MWA returned with three proposals that will be cost effective, energy conscious and maximize potential growth. The Committee will meet to further discuss and refine the designs to meet the needs of this multi-departmental project.
We are pleased to see that SAM’s overall ridership in November 2023 increased by 6.64% compared with November 2022. SAM-Gresham provided 4,770 rides an increase of 6.95% from November 2022. Estacada ridership declined by 38.41%. The Shopper Shuttle increased by 44.23% in November 2023.
Dial-a-ride had a slight increase of 0.43%. ED experienced tremendous growth in November. Rides increased by 319.35%. The increase in ED ridership is due, in part, to driver availability.
Clackamas Town Center Route
SAM is excited to begin the new route to the Clackamas Town Center. This will provide Sandy, Boring and Damascus residents with regional connectivity, access to necessary health care and job opportunities. Boring and Damascus residents will also have the ability to come to Sandy for necessary goods and services. This route will run 6 times a day, Monday through Saturday, beginning January 12, 2024. We plan to a kick-off celebration at the Transit Center, January 11, 2024, at 2:00 pm. We hope to see you there!
Clackamas County Partnership
The partnership with the County continues to prove itself as a great partnership. In November 2023, SAM brought in $4,422.34 from the oversight of Mt. Hood Express. The revenue from medical rides was $7,542.73. Total earnings were $11,965.07.
Overall ridership only experienced a slight decrease of 0.15%, providing 7,315 rides in October 2023 compared to 7,424 rides in October 2022. SAM-Gresham experienced a 4.4% drop in ridership, serving 5,472 passengers. SAM-Estacada provided 320 rides, a 29.82% decrease. The Shopper Shuttle provided 643 rides compared with 509 rides rides in October 2022, an increase of 26.33%. While we have experienced some decline, SAM service continues to provide autonomy and opportunity for many in the Sandy community. The survey results below highlight the importance of public transportation.
SAM rides provided 731 rides, an increase of 7.66% increase from last year. ED also experienced ridership growth. SAM provided 149 medical rides in October 2023 compared with 56 rides in October 2022, an increase of 166.07%.
Annual Survey
In October, SAM conducted annual surveys. This communication allows us to hear what riders need and what level of service SAM provides. We received 99 onboard responses across all SAM services.
Of those 99 respondents, 50.5% began their journey in Sandy and 69.89% will end their journey in Sandy. Over half were frequent users, 38.54% utilizing it daily and 30.21% using it at least 3-4 times a week. Commuters comprise 46.34% of the surveyed ridership. The bulk of the ridership consists of 20-30 year old (23.71%) and 31-44 year old (37.11%). The majority of riders, 59.34%, live in Sandy.
While our ridership has incomes from every walk of life, 40.23% earn less than $10,000 and 20.69% earn between $20,000-$39,000. 69.15% do not own a vehicle and 52.05% would not have made the trip if SAM was not available.
Although we typically highlight the need for service it is also important to recognize that SAM also serves a discretionary riders within the community. 30.85% of riders have access to a car and 26.03% the respondents owned a vehicle.
The most important needs focused mainly on additional service. 56.32% of riders would like more frequent service, 52.5% would like later service and 67.47% would like more service on Sundays. 47.5% requested more benches/shelters.
Although it is hard to pick from the many compliments, below are a few comments from respondents. All the credit goes to our driving staff who make the service what it is!
“Excellent public transportation in the state of Oregon. Very impressed with safe driving, organization and citizen safety. I’m grateful for efficient system. And think many other places in the world can learn from this service to apply to their communities. Again, thank you!”
“SAM between Portland and Sandy has been so helpful now that family lives out there and I choose to not have a car in PDX.”
“SAM has been a literal lifesaver in that I was able to travel to Sandy to acquire my medication.”
“You guys have the most friendly bus drivers I have ever seen!”
“I am pleased & grateful today to be on such a nice, clean, safe, friendly atmosphere bus. The driver was just the right kind of right for a restful, beautiful Sunday trip.”
“The drivers have always gone above and beyond with helping. They make sure we are safe and will be able to get home. Just amazing people.”
“Love, love, love your people.”
“We <3 SAM (goes straight to Grandma’s house :))”
Clackamas County Partnership
The partnership with Clackamas County continues to prove itself as a practical and financial benefit. While partnering with the County on equipment and resources we continue to save money. This includes equipment such as tablets and radios, contracted staff and maintenance. October financials include 80 medical rides on their behalf earning SAM $5,600.22. Earnings for operating the Mt. Hood Express service were $4,422.34. Total earnings $10,022.56.
Overall September 2023 ridership is up 2.6% compared with September 2022. Historically, ridership has always declined during September. Although overall service has gained, there are some small dips in certain routes. This temporary dip can be attributed to the return of school and schedule changes.
SAM-Gresham provided 5,361 rides in September, a slight decline of 0.48%. SAM-Estacada experienced a 3.8% decrease in ridership with 354 rides. Conversely, the Shopper Shuttle experienced a 20.94% increase when compared to September 2022. Typically, when a route changes times and/or path, as the Shopper Shuttle recently did, ridership declines. However, this route remains a very popular one for Sandy residents.
SAM rides provided 655 rides in September 2023, an increase of 4.97%. ED ridership increased dramatically with a 330.77% increase. The increase in drivers has allowed SAM to increase service to those needing to get to their medical appointments.
Annual Bus Surveys
SAM has begun our annual surveys. They are available online as well as on the bus. All community members are encouraged to fill them out! If you would like to share your thoughts please click here. Surveys provide a wealth of information on ridership and rider needs. SAM also receives important feedback on what we do well and where we can improve.
