Allan Pollock, the general manager who steered Salem's public transit system through a rebrand, the return of weekend bus service and a push toward electric buses, retired in July after 19 years leading the agency.

The Cherriots Board of Directors appointed Deputy General Manager David Trimble as interim general manager effective July 22 and is now recruiting nationally for Pollock's permanent replacement, the agency announced in a press release Thursday, Aug. 6.

Pollock took the helm of the Salem Area Mass Transit District in 2007. He told Salem Reporter in January that his decision was straightforward: "It's time. I'm ready to move on to the next chapter."

His tenure reshaped how Salem residents get around. Cherriots added Sunday bus service for the first time in the district's history, restored late-night routes, rebranded from SAMTD to Cherriots and launched a zero-emissions corridor on Route 11 along Lancaster Drive using battery electric buses. In February, the agency activated transit signal priority technology at 22 intersections on that corridor, cutting late arrivals by as much as 20%.

The district's board approved the purchase of 10 additional electric buses in January 2024 at a cost of up to $12.8 million, funded largely by federal and state grants, as part of a goal to run an all-electric fleet by 2040.

Trimble brings 30 years of public and private transportation experience, including stints at TriMet in Portland, Golden Empire Transit, First Transit and Kern County Regional Transit in California. He said in the agency's announcement that he would focus on maintaining stability and delivering reliable service during the transition.

Board President Maria Hinojos Pressey said the board's priority is a transition that "keeps Cherriots moving forward for the Salem-Keizer region."

The system operates 124 transit vehicles and provides roughly 3.3 million passenger trips a year, connecting workers to state government offices, Salem Health and downtown businesses across 78 square miles in Marion and Polk counties.

The board has not announced a timeline or search firm for the national recruitment. The next general manager will inherit ongoing questions about the agency's long-term funding, including a proposed 0.7% employer-paid payroll tax that drew opposition from the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce in 2025 and whose current status is unclear.