TriMet’s enhanced cleaning efforts score big for riders and the community following yearlong push 

If cleaning were a sport, TriMet’s Clean Team would be winning gold. 

More than a year after elevating our cleaning game with the introduction of the Clean Team, more stations are being power washed, more surfaces are being scrubbed and more litter is being removed than ever before. 

Spearheaded in 2023 with a focus on sprucing up and deep cleaning MAX stations, transit centers and park and rides, the Clean Team–along with TriMet’s other daily deep cleaning efforts–has established itself as a daily force, tackling grime, grit and graffiti. The 15-member Clean Team is part of a larger effort, with employees made up primarily of TriMet’s maintenance teams and on-call contractors. While they are responsible for cleaning the transit system, their efforts extend to the areas around the system as well.

Since July, these combined efforts have helped to remove nearly as much graffiti as in the previous 12 months combined. Altogether, TriMet’s cleaners spend about 80 hours per week removing graffiti–everything from large, spray-painted displays to small Sharpie markings and etchings. They’re also on track to pressure wash MAX stations more than 2,000 times in 2024, a feat never before accomplished. 

When it started last year, the Clean Team focused on some of our oldest and most heavily used stations along Interstate 84. Since then, they have expanded to cover the entire MAX system and key transfer points. This is an important part of our ongoing focus on improving stations, as well as identifying and addressing safety and security issues and ramping up our overall maintenance efforts.

Customer experience in mind

TriMet is working to make it cleaner throughout the system, both on board and off. End-of-line cleaners are stationed at key transit centers and MAX stations, where operators take their scheduled breaks. These dedicated cleaning teams work seven days a week to address spills, remove trash and ensure buses and trains are tidy and ready for service throughout the day. This initiative reflects TriMet’s commitment to providing a cleaner and more comfortable experience for everyone.

“We really want to provide the cleanest, safest system for our riders,” TriMet’s Facilities  Management Director Jeremy Rehfeldt said. “We heard that cleanliness and security were the two top priorities, so we want people to know: we’ve been listening, and this is for them.”

What elevated cleaning does

Over one weekend this past summer,  TriMet’s maintenance staff, along with other TriMet contractors, removed 4,500 pounds of trash, cleaned 20,000 square feet of surfaces and used 355 gallons of paint to freshen up areas of the MAX system next to I-84. This major project, requiring the partial closure of I-84, came under the direction of Gov. Tina Kotek and in partnership with other local agencies, including the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) and Metro.  

It was just one significant and visible example of our elevated cleaning efforts. Littering, tagging and property damage are unacceptable and violate TriMet’s Rules for Riding. We address these issues swiftly to contribute to cleaner and safer rides. 

Listening to our riders

TriMet is listening to our riders who tell us their top issues are cleanliness, along with safety and security, according to our 2024 Attitude & Awareness Survey, conducted last spring

The survey showed our ongoing focus on safety, security and cleanliness making a difference in how our riders view the system. It found that 77% percent of riders either strongly approved or somewhat approved of the job that TriMet is doing. That uptick in approval is an indication we’re on the right track, as it followed the introduction and expansion of the Clean Team and our other enhanced cleaning efforts.

We believe that cleanliness and safety go hand-in-hand. Our riders thrive with a transit system that feels comfortable and inviting. The Clean Team helps TriMet improve the riding experience, and it comes as we continue building out our comprehensive series of safety and security initiatives, such as the introduction of TriMet’s Security Operations Center. 

You can help

TriMet’s Clean Team is nimble, moving from one location to another. But they can’t be everywhere at once. That’s where our riders can help. 

• Report graffiti: You can help us keep TriMet clean, inviting and safe by reporting graffiti. Make a report by using the security reporting feature on the top right of our homepage or texting 503-238-7433 (RIDE).
• Don’t feed the wildlife: Pigeons and other birds can spread diseases and create waste for our cleaners to wash off. Please do not encourage them with food. 
• Use trash cans: Litter is a nuisance, bad for the environment and it can also attract pests. Always use trash receptacles at or near stations or onboard TriMet’s buses and trains. 

If you want to help the Clean Team win, you can do your part. Remember, TriMet’s 24-hour security hotline, 503-238-7433 (RIDE), is the number to call or text to report non-urgent concerns. Dispatchers in our Security Operations Center then alert TriMet’s safety or security team members who are near the issue. Emergencies will always be handled by the police, so for urgent matters, we urge riders to contact 911 and alert the operator.