More staff means more cleaning power and a commitment to safety, helping riders feel welcomed and comfortable across TriMet’s transit system
TriMet’s commitment to a clean, safe and welcoming transit system has never been stronger, and the numbers prove it.
Crews have exceeded last year’s cleaning pace, with efforts approaching historic levels in 2025. So far this year, our Facilities Management crews have cleaned the system more than 100,000 times! This includes everything from responding to rider reports – trash on a platform, for example – to proactively addressing spills, pressure-washing platforms and cleaning MAX trains throughout the day at the end of the line.
This enhanced presence isn’t just about cleanliness. It supports TriMet’s broader approach to rider comfort and public safety. Our cleaning crews provide extra eyes on the system to ensure spaces feel safer, look better and remain inviting for riders.
“We’re focusing more on detail work. Everything looks better now than in the entire five years I’ve worked for TriMet,” said Service Aide Matthew Sunshine, who cleans trains after the reach the end of the line, where they have a short layover period. “We are here for the riders. We serve them and they are our primary concern.”
Cleaning highlights for 2025 include*:
- Track cleaning: 5,594 times
- Pressure washing: 3,802 times
- End-of-line vehicle cleaning: 42,567 times
- Overall daytime cleaning for all categories: More than 110,000 times!
*Through November 2025
Overnight ‘Fleet Readiness’
While our Facilities Management cleaners keep the system looking its best during the day, other TriMet workers handle the cleaning while most of the region sleeps. TriMet’s “fleet readiness” crews operate from 5 p.m. to the early morning hours at our bus and MAX facilities. These teams prepare TriMet’s fleet of vehicles for the next morning, ensuring vehicles are cleaned, fueled and inspected from the inside out.
Each night, crews prepare 555 buses and 149 MAX light rail vehicles for service, powering through a checklist to keep them looking their best. This overnight work includes:
- Clean sweeps: Service Workers gear up and head straight for the vehicles, clearing debris, flipping ADA seats and removing trash. For buses, they prepare vehicles for the “Cyclone,” a powerful vacuum system that pulls fine debris from deep inside. Afterward, they mop floors, wipe surfaces, clean windows and give dashboards and operator safety panels a shine.
- Washing up: Buses move through a massive wash rack, similar to a car wash but more powerful. For MAX trains, washing is a more intensive process. They roll through their wash bay about once a week.
- Deep cleaning: Every few weeks, vehicles undergo a top-to-bottom scrubbing. Interior cleaners spend up to three hours per vehicle, disinfecting seats, polishing steel, cleaning window frames and reaching nooks most riders will never see.
Cleanliness and safety
Cleaning is done in service of our riders. A sparkling MAX platform or a bus that feels new first thing in the morning helps achieve a comfortable, welcoming and safe transit system. TriMet’s daytime and nighttime cleaning crews, along with our public safety teams, all contribute to delivering a transit experience riders can count on.
When cleaning crews are out in force, they’re reinforcing safety through their presence. Clean spaces discourage vandalism, increase visibility and contribute to stronger safety outcomes. These are core priorities for TriMet’s public safety teams and our Transit Police Division.
Public safety remains a top priority for TriMet, with initiatives like our blue-light security phones and Security Operations Center adding to our overall efforts. Cleaning plays a significant role. Keeping the system clean is a partnership. If you see something that needs attention — trash, graffiti, spills or anything else — let us know. Call or text 503-238-7433 (RIDE) and our crews will take it from there.