Sandy Area Metro
Encyclopedia
Sandy Area Metro is a small public transit system operated by the city government of Sandy, Oregon
.
One SAM route provides service between Sandy and the Portland
suburb of Gresham
, where riders can use TriMet
to travel to most of the Portland metropolitan area
. A new route between Sandy and Eagle Creek
, where riders can also connect with TriMet to go to Estacada
, started on July 2, 2003. Now, the route continues on to the city.
Rides on the Sandy–Gresham and Sandy–Estacada routes are free, which is completely funded by a payroll tax
. Rides on the STAR on-demand route, which runs through the side streets of Sandy cost $0.50, and that route is partially funded by a federal grant. Riders wishing to view Mount Hood can ride the Mountain Express, which stops at various places along Highway 26 going towards the mountain. That fare is $1.00 for a one-way ticket.
SAM was created after the city successfully petitioned TriMet
to be removed from the TriMet district in the late 1990s. The name was chosen in July 1999, and service began operating on January 4, 2000. The local transit provider gave its one-millionth ride on Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2006.
Sandy, Oregon
Sandy is a city located in Clackamas County, Oregon, United States, and named after the nearby Sandy River. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 5,385, however the 2006 estimate shows 7,070 people....
.
One SAM route provides service between Sandy and the Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
suburb of Gresham
Gresham, Oregon
- Demographics :As of the census of 2000, there were 90,205 people, 33,327 households, and 22,695 families residing in the city. The population density was 4,071.6 people per square mile . There were 35,309 housing units at an average density of 1,593.8 per square mile...
, where riders can use TriMet
TriMet
TriMet, more formally known as the Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon, is a public agency that operates mass transit in a region that spans most of the Portland metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Oregon...
to travel to most of the Portland metropolitan area
Portland metropolitan area
The Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA Metropolitan Statistical Area , also known as the Portland metropolitan area or Greater Portland, is an urban area in the U.S. states of Oregon and Washington centered around the city of Portland, Oregon. The U.S...
. A new route between Sandy and Eagle Creek
Eagle Creek, Oregon
Eagle Creek is an unincorporated community in Clackamas County, Oregon, United States. It is located seven miles southwest of Sandy, seven miles north of Estacada, and five miles southeast of Carver, at the junction of Oregon Routes 224 and 211, on the Clackamas River.-Background and history:The...
, where riders can also connect with TriMet to go to Estacada
Estacada, Oregon
Estacada is a city in Clackamas County, Oregon, United States, about 30 miles southeast of Portland. The population was 2,695 at the 2010 census. -History:The Estacada post office opened in February 1904 and the city was incorporated in May 1905...
, started on July 2, 2003. Now, the route continues on to the city.
Rides on the Sandy–Gresham and Sandy–Estacada routes are free, which is completely funded by a payroll tax
Payroll tax
Payroll tax generally refers to two different kinds of similar taxes. The first kind is a tax that employers are required to withhold from employees' wages, also known as withholding tax, pay-as-you-earn tax , or pay-as-you-go tax...
. Rides on the STAR on-demand route, which runs through the side streets of Sandy cost $0.50, and that route is partially funded by a federal grant. Riders wishing to view Mount Hood can ride the Mountain Express, which stops at various places along Highway 26 going towards the mountain. That fare is $1.00 for a one-way ticket.
SAM was created after the city successfully petitioned TriMet
TriMet
TriMet, more formally known as the Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon, is a public agency that operates mass transit in a region that spans most of the Portland metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Oregon...
to be removed from the TriMet district in the late 1990s. The name was chosen in July 1999, and service began operating on January 4, 2000. The local transit provider gave its one-millionth ride on Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2006.