With adjustments coming to the MAX Green Line and more than 33 bus lines, TriMet is encouraging all riders to prepare by planning a trip online and seeing what’s changing
As TriMet counts the days to one of our largest service changes in recent history, we’re spreading the word and helping our riders get ready. For several weeks, teams of TriMet employees have fanned out across our transit system, posting signs at thousands of bus stops and MAX stations. We’re trying to reach every rider, to prepare them for what’s ahead.
TriMet’s big service change for 2026 will take effect Sunday, Aug. 23. While many riders will experience new routes, schedules and bus line names in the first few days, those who work hybrid schedules and ride less frequently, may be caught by surprise.
That’s why our crews have been working since early August to post about 3,500 signs across our service area, to alert riders and direct them to our website, trimet.org, for more information. While there, we encourage every rider to plan a trip for Aug. 23 or later, to see how your travel with TriMet will change. Hint: Plan a trip for the day of the week you normally ride.
At a glance: TriMet’s Aug. 23 service change
Here’s what’s changing, starting in six days:
- The MAX Green Line will be shortened, running between Clackamas Town Center and Gateway Transit Center. Other MAX lines will continue serving the rest of the current Green Line route.
- Dozens of bus lines will be adjusted, including:
- Some lines changed to improve network efficiency
- Some lines moved or combined to serve more riders
- Some service reduced at times when fewer people are riding
- Two bus lines will be eliminated due to very low ridership, with no alternative service nearby. Lines 82-South Gresham and 153-Staffard/Salamo will be eliminated.
- Schedules will be updated, with some arrival times adjusted by 20 minutes or more.
Visit trimet.org/servicechanges for line-by-line descriptions and additional details of the service change. The new schedules reflecting the changes are also posted there, underneath maps showing the new and previous routes.
Our Trip Planner always shows the fastest, most efficient way to ride TriMet buses and trains from Point A to Point B. Even if you’ve been riding the same MAX or bus line for years, the planner will point you in the right direction when it’s time to make a change or TriMet makes a change. For every trip you plan, it provides three possible options, so you can choose the one that works best for you.
MAX Green Line options, alternatives
Today, when you plan a trip between Clackamas Town Center and Pioneer Courthouse Square, our Trip Planner will provide three options, including at least one, to ride the MAX Green Line the entire way. It’s typically a 44-minute, one-seat ride, meaning no transfers are needed.
But starting on Aug. 23, the MAX Green Line will run only between Clackamas Town Center and Gateway Transit Center, so riders who wish to continue to Downtown Portland will have to adjust their plans. For example, for a trip between Clackamas Town Center and Pioneer Courthouse Square, alternate travel itineraries might include:
- MAX Green Line to MAX Blue or Red lines: The most common option provided by the Trip Planner directs riders to use the MAX Green Line to travel to Gateway Transit Center and transfer to the MAX Blue or Red lines.
With this option, the travel time on board MAX remains the same, but the total trip time increases to about 59 minutes, including the transfer to another MAX line at Gateway Transit Center or Gateway North, where trains arrive every 7-8 minutes for most of the day, every day, between the two stations.
- Bus to MAX Orange Line: Another option provided by the Trip Planner directs riders to use the MAX Orange Line instead of using the Green Line. It suggests taking a bus, such as Line 33, from Clackamas Town Center to Milwaukie and riding the MAX Orange Line to Pioneer Courthouse Square.
Selecting this option would increase the total travel time to about 58 minutes, including about 5 minutes of additional ride time and a short walk from the bus to the MAX Orange Line in Milwaukie.
- Bus only: Bus is another option. With the Aug. 23 changes, bus lines will run between most Green Line stations and Downtown Portland and may provide a more direct route.
For instance, to travel between Clackamas Town Center and Downtown Portland, our Trip Planner may suggest a combination of two bus lines or a new one-seat ride on TriMet’s Line 40, which is being extended to serve Clackamas Town Center as part of the Aug. 23 service change. Although buses could be slowed by traffic, the new trip on Line 40 between the mall and Downtown Portland is scheduled to be 49 minutes, just 5 minutes longer than riding MAX alone. However, Line 40 will only run on weekdays after Aug. 23, with hourly service from Clackamas Town Center.
The decision is up to you. Just select the option that works best for your plans.
We’ve recently made improvements so our Trip Planner does a better job of walking you through your journey, step by step. Along with fare information, each itinerary also shows how many stops before your destination, wait times for transfers and which type of vehicle you’ll be boarding. If you’re taking a trip right away, it will give you real-time arrival information for the first vehicle in your journey.
Additional resources on our website include information on fares, maps and schedules, Rules for Riding and more.
Financial crisis requires spending cuts
We know our riders depend on TriMet’s service to reach some of the most important activities in their lives, including work, school and medical appointments. That’s why we are reducing spending internally and on the service we provide to address our significant long-term budget deficit. Cutting service is never something we want to do, but by taking these steps now, we will preserve the transit service our region relies on for generations to come.
Learn more about our budget challenges at trimet.org/budgetcuts.
Learn more about our service cuts at trimet.org/servicecuts.
TriMet must increase revenue to stop more service cuts. We are pursuing all possible opportunities to generate new or additional revenue. We encourage those who ride or support public transit to let their lawmakers know sustainable transit funding is important.