Wilsonville's SMART Transit Service Scores Among Nation's Best in Community Survey

Oct. 30, 2018 – Wilsonville’s South Metro Area Regional Transit (SMART), which provides fare-free transit to passengers within city limits, scored exceptionally high marks with residents in the City’s 2018 National Citizen Survey.

SMART earned the fifth-highest favorability rating in the nation among more than 200 communities in which residents were surveyed about their satisfaction with local transit services. Additionally, SMART rated 10th among 200+ communities in which residents were asked about the “ease of travel by public transportation” in their city.

The statistically-valid National Citizen Survey, administered by the National Research Center in Boulder, Colo., is a tool used by cities nationwide to assess resident perspectives on many facets of community and local governance.  While Wilsonville scored above national benchmarks in many facets, the two transit questions were the only responses that registered ‘much higher’ scores than the benchmark, and among the highest in the nation.

SMART Transit Director Dwight Brashear attributes Wilsonville’s satisfaction with SMART services to a staff that emphasizes friendly customer service and drivers who excel at reaching destinations safely and on schedule.

“On our buses and behind the scenes, we are fortunate to have employees who are passionate about providing exemplary service. I could not be more proud of their efforts to provide a great experience for SMART passengers,” Brashear said.

Brashear said SMART is aiming for even higher scores in 2020, when the Community Survey is next scheduled to be administered. Independently, SMART periodically conducts satisfaction surveys to gauge customer expectations and address service deficiencies.

“We thrive when the community believes public transit is a better alternative than travel by car,” Brashear said. “We want to take good care of every passenger who steps on to one of our buses, so they’re encouraged to keep riding.”

About SMART

Operated by the City of Wilsonville, SMART has served the community for nearly 30 years. SMART provides local fixed-route transit service with inter-city connections to Salem, Portland, Tualatin, and Canby as well as on-demand service for qualified residents traveling to medical appointments. More than two-thirds of SMART services are provided at no cost to passengers.  Wilsonville (pop. 24,000) is located about 20 miles south of Portland, Ore.