The Salem Area Mass Transit District, better known as the Cherriots, was formed by a vote of the Salem and Keizer area electorate in 1979, with the purpose of consolidating transit services within the urban growth boundary and securing an ongoing funding base for the operation of the system. In May 1996, the voters of the district approved a new property tax base for a significant increase in services, which included later evening service, several new routes and the implementation of park and ride services. In 2003, the organization changed its name to Salem-Keizer Transit. A seven-member board provides policy direction for the nearly 70-bus transit operation that serves nearly 200,000 residents in the Salem and Keizer urban areas. Salem-Keizer carries more than 5 million riders annually.