To qualify, an employee must commute to work by public transit, rail, vanpool, commuter bus, bicycle or walk from home or from a park and ride lot more than half of their workdays each month. Permanent, temporary and contracted state employees may participate in the program.
Employees who lease parking in a private or public lot or who are participants in a carpool or participate in a carpool with assigned parking in a city of Salem carpool area are not eligible for the smart commuter program.
Program benefits:
- Occasional parking permits - Participants who work in the Salem capitol mall parking area or at the Portland state office building receive parking permits valid for two days each month. The permits allow all day parking in Salem at the capitol mall parking structure two-hour parking meters; unreserved spaces in the Green lot, Red lot, Yellow lot, and Ferry Street structure rooftop; and at the Portland state office building park-and-pay spaces. Smart commuter permit valid location maps
- Emergency ride home: Any employees in Polk, Marion, or Yamhill counties who use a transportation option other than driving to work alone are eligible for this program. You can register at Drive Less Connect or contact Cherriots Trip Choice for more information.