Austin Brague brings ‘passion for public transit’ to his job helping people with disabilities get around Portland metro area

A couple years ago, a local artist at North Pole Studio worked with TriMet to create a captivating design for one of our LIFT paratransit vehicles.

Austin Brague always wanted to drive for TriMet someday, he says. After collaborating with TriMet on that art project, he began to seriously look into what it would take.

Now, Brague is living his dream. He applied this year for a job with Transdev, TriMet’s LIFT operations contractor, and was accepted into training for the paratransit service. After successfully completing that training, he’s now one of our newest LIFT operators!

An artist’s perspective

Brague, 26, is a master at pen-and-ink art. Like many North Pole Artists, he’s also on the autism spectrum. He says it gives him a unique perspective on the world, and he credits it for what he calls his “obsessions and passions.” One of them is public transit.

“As an artist, I used my art as a form of advocacy for transit,” says Brague, adding: “I’m able to see things that people would otherwise miss or choose not to care about.”

When Brague created “A City for All,” his pen-and-ink design that adorns a TriMet LIFT bus, he was inspired by the spirit of inclusivity — and his own experience as a person who is neurodivergent, grew up in Portland and rides TriMet regularly.

“It’s a city for everyone, and that’s why I entitled it ‘A City for All,’” Brague says, “because regardless of race, gender, ethnicity and disability, you’re all welcome here.”

Behind the wheel

As a LIFT operator-in-training, it didn’t take long for Brague to impress his instructors with his wit, positive attitude and driving skills.

“Every trainer that’s been with him while he’s been driving out in the world has said he’s fantastic,” says Rusty Walton, a TriMet LIFT safety training supervisor.

And there’s a lot to learn, Walton points out. Unlike TriMet’s regular bus service, LIFT operates as a door-to-door service. Instead of driving a fixed route, operators are trained to drive through neighborhoods, business parks and apartment complexes. They also learn to work with riders. Providing door-to-door service, LIFT operators assist their riders to and from the bus. Once on board, they safely secure wheelchairs and other mobility devices — and make sure they have a safe,  comfortable ride.

It takes a lot of patience, Walton says, and it also takes a passion for the job. Brague has both.

“Austin’s a great kid,” Walton says, with obvious fondness. “He’s positive, he’s very social, easy to talk to. He makes us all laugh. He’s very smart, says a lot of things that make you go, ‘Oh. Huh. Wow. I’d never thought of it that way before.’”

Walton adds, “He’s very determined, too. He wants to do it. He’s excited to do it.”

The road ahead

So far, Brague says, he’s loving his job. And he is staying involved with North Pole Studio, too — in a way, that’s where his TriMet journey started.

Wherever he goes, he has a lot of fans cheering him on.

“Everybody’s just wanting me to be a LIFT operator and supporting my artistic endeavors as well,” Brague says.

Walton is one of them.

“People are going to love riding with Austin,” Walton says. “He’s a real social guy, you know. He’s got a sense of humor. And he wants to make people happy. That’s kind of what the job is all about.”