Salem: Public Transportation and Commute to Portland (for rent, luxury)

[Odalis]

I may be moving to Salem, Oregon soon and would like to get some information on the public transportation system. What are the options within the city (bus only?), what is the coverage like, and how frequent/reliable are the schedules?

I may end up moving to Portland, but I will need to stay in Salem initially. If I got a job in Portland instead so that I will be local to work when I change cities, what are the public transportation options for commuting between these two cities? I realize that driving between Portland and Salem can take an hour or more by car so I'm prepared for an even longer commute via public transportation but I'd like to know if this is even a realistic possibility. Would it be better to get a temporary job in Salem then change jobs if I move?

I am already looking at the city's public transportation websites but would like to get some opinions from people who have had experience with the system.

A bit of background about this move: I suddenly had to move out of my old residence in California for personal reasons so I will not be a state resident and this is not a move I had the luxury of planning a long time in advance. I have visited Portland once before for a couple weeks. I have a friend who has a room for rent in Salem which is my primary reason for choosing this city instead of Portland. I do own a car but will not be able to have it with me when I first get there so I need to get around by public transportation.

[Silverfall]

There is the HUT shuttle which runs to the airport from Salem to Portland. There is also the amtrack which runs from Salem to Portland. There are some carpools, but no real organized bus runs (except for maybe greyhound) between the two cities.

We do have buses here that run on schedules. If you have a bike, we have a lot of bike lanes here so that may be a good way to go.

Most people that commute to Portland either drive or have a carpool of some sort. I don't think it is realistic to commute to Portland from Salem via public transportation.