TriMet will not collect fares on Wednesday, Feb 4, to highlight and honor the legacy of Rosa Parks
Take a seat to remember. Take time to reflect. You’re invited to ride TriMet for free on Wednesday, Feb. 4, to honor Civil Rights legend, Rosa Parks. No fares will be collected for the annual day of remembrance. This year marks TriMet’s sixth-straight observance of Rosa Parks Day. We thank our partners at Portland Streetcar and C-TRAN for joining in the tradition to not collect fares on Feb. 4, as we highlight and remember Parks’ courageous fight for fairness on board a public city bus.
A bus ride through American history
Almost everyone knows the story of Rosa Parks – the woman who bravely refused to give up her seat to a white person on a Montgomery, Alabama city bus back in 1955. Parks’ actions and her arrest for defying the racist segregation laws of the South led to the historic Montgomery Bus Boycott, a year-long protest in which Black people refused to ride city buses to protest segregated seating. At the time, about 75% of Montgomery’s bus riders were Black. Instead of riding the bus, they took to the streets, with some people walking 10, even 20 miles a day going to and from work.
On Nov. 13, 1956, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled bus segregation unconstitutional – a violation of the 14th Amendment. Just over a month later, the court ordered the city of Montgomery to integrate its buses. The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. encouraged those who had been boycotting to start riding the bus again. Historical accounts say Rosa Parks was one of the first people on board the next day.
Ride free, reflect, reconnect
This Feb. 4, 2026, it’s your turn to walk through history. Ride with us, to honor a woman who changed the way we all move. Try or return to TriMet – for free. Every seat taken is a tribute to Rosa Parks’ courage. For one day, there’s no need to tap your Hop card, pull out your badge or put cash in the fare box. Simply step on board, take a seat, ride, reflect and reconnect.
Go by TriMet
This day of fare-free service is also an opportunity to rediscover the ease and convenience of our transit system. TriMet provides bus, MAX light rail, WES commuter rail and LIFT paratransit services. Our service area includes 533-square miles across Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas counties. Visit trimet.org to plan your trip. Simply enter your starting point and destination into our trip planner, and you’ll see step-by-step instructions to help you get going. You can also contact TriMet Customer Service for trip planning assistance by calling 503-238-7433 (RIDE) between 7:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., daily. TriMet can help you connect with the community every day of the year. Check out our community events calendar and go by TriMet.
Rosa Parks Day
TriMet has been inviting riders to ride free and reflect on Rosa Parks for years. In August 2020, at the request of former Board Director Keith Edwards, the TriMet Board of Directors adopted Resolution 20-08-01, establishing Feb. 4 as Rosa Parks Transit Equity Day. Board members later adopted Ordinance 360, updating and permanently changing TriMet fare code to allow free rides every Feb. 4. Our first observation of Rosa Parks Day came in 2021, and it will continue for years to come.