Sandy Area Metro bus at Gresham TC in 2011

Sandy Area Metro (called SAM) is a

public transit Public transport (also known as public transportation, public transit, mass transit, or simply transit) is a system of transport for passengers by group travel systems available for use by the general public unlike private transport, typic ...

system operated by the

city government Local government is a generic term for the lowest tiers of public administration within a particular sovereign state. This particular usage of the word government refers specifically to a level of administration that is both geographically-l ...

Sandy, Oregon Sandy is a city located in Clackamas County, Oregon, United States, settled 1853 and named after the nearby Sandy River. Located in the foothills of the Cascade Mountain Range, the city serves as the western gateway to the Mount Hood Corridor, ...

. SAM was created after the city successfully petitioned to be removed from the

TriMet TriMet, formally known as the Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon, is a public agency that operates public transport, mass transit in a Transportation in Portland, Oregon, region that spans most of the Portland metropolit ...

district in the late 1990s.Briggs, Kara (December 29, 1998). "Sandy gets Tri-Met OK for own transit system". ''

The Oregonian ''The Oregonian'' is a daily newspaper based in Portland, Oregon, United States, owned by Advance Publications. It is the oldest continuously published newspaper on the U.S. west coast, founded as a weekly by Thomas J. Dryer on December 4, 18 ...

''. The name was chosen in July 1999,"City names bus system SAM, but it won't roll until Jan. 3" (July 8, 1999). ''The Oregonian''. and service began operating on January 4, 2000."Riders express happiness as free bus service starts" (January 5, 2000). ''The Oregonian'' (Washington County editions). The local transit provider gave its one-millionth ride on November 21, 2006 and began its twentieth year in January 2019. SAM maintains three routes, a dial-a-ride service called Sandy Transit Area Rides (STAR), and an Elderly and Disabled (ED) medical rides program. The SAM-Gresham route provides service seven days a week, to the

Gresham Transit Center The Gresham Central Transit Center, also known as Gresham Transit Center, is a TriMet transit center and MAX light rail station in Gresham, Oregon, United States. The center is a connection point for several bus routes and the MAX Blue Line. ...

, where riders can use

to travel to the

Portland metropolitan area The Portland metropolitan area is a metro area in the U.S. states of Oregon and Washington centered on the principal city of Portland, Oregon. The U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) identifies it as the Portland–Vancouver–Hillsboro ...

. SAM-Estacada, a Monday-Saturday service, runs four times a day to and from

Estacada Estacada is a city in Clackamas County, Oregon, United States, about southeast of Portland. The 2020 population is estimated to be 3,700. According to the 2010 census, the population in 2010 was 2,695. It is the 89th largest city in Oregon and t ...

. These routes also connect to the

Mount Hood Express The Mount Hood Express (formerly Mountain Express Bus) is a transit system serving Mount Hood Corridor communities in Clackamas County, Oregon, U.S. The Mount Hood Express travels along Highway 26 from Sandy east to Timberline Lodge, serving ...

bus service from Sandy to

Government Camp Government Camp is an unincorporated community and census-designated place located in Clackamas County, Oregon, United States, on the base of Mount Hood and north of Tom Dick and Harry Mountain. It is the only town within of Mount Hood and therefo ...

and Timberline. The in-town Shopping Shuttle operates Monday-Friday circulating the business corridor enabling citizens greater access to goods and services. STAR operates Monday-Saturday and ED is available weekdays. To reduce congestion and increase access to city events special routes are occasionally added. All vehicles are ADA accessible with low floors, ramps and wheelchair lifts. All SAM service within the city limits is free and out of town rides are $1.00 each way. Rides on the STAR on-demand route are $1.00 each way. ED rides are $2.00 each way and one caregiver may ride free. 24-Trip passes may be purchased for $20.00 and monthly passes, providing unlimited rides, can be purchased for $30.00. SAM and Mt. Hood Express have a combination all day pass for $5.00. SAM bus services are funded by state and federal grants as well as a modest business tax.
HB217
has provided an additional source of revenue that will allow for expansion of service. SAM has a Transit Advisory Board that meets quarterly and is open to the public. Residents of Sandy are encouraged to attend meetings as participate as members of the board. The board directs staff on the plans and goals to ensure accountability and transparency. Information on becoming a board member is available on th
website
along with historical minutes. As of September 2019 all meetings will be broadcast vi
YouTube.

Routes

*Sandy–Gresham Express *Sandy–Estacada *Shopper Shuttle

References

External links

City of Sandy - Sandy Transit
{{Portland Transit Bus transportation in Oregon 1999 establishments in Oregon Transportation in Clackamas County, Oregon Transportation in Multnomah County, Oregon

Routes

See also

References

External links