Ian Davidson named Board Member of the Year
The Oregon Transit Association recognized Ian Davidson, former President of the Cherriots Board of Directors, and current vice-president, as the Board Member of the Year for his contributions to the public transportation industry. One of his instrumental roles was spearheading the community-sponsored Youth Zero Pass Program. He was interested in our agency offering a “no-cost to students” bus pass program. As a public servant and a parent, fostering the next generation of public transit users is one of his primary objectives. While agency leadership supported the idea, there was no dedicated funding available. Undaunted by this challenge, Ian approached the mayors of Salem and Keizer and the local school district. He secured the money within a week. In less than a month, following board approval, youth ages 0 to 18 were on the bus. The result was an 89 percent increase in youth ridership.