TriMet News

Mark Miller

  • More buses, better service: TriMet celebrates big transit improvements with local leaders

    Officials cut the ribbon in Oregon City on better bus service, part of TriMet’s major Aug. 25 service update

    TriMet General Manager Sam Desue Jr. speaks on a stage outside the Oregon City Transit Center behind a podium labeled "Forward Together."

    City and county leaders joined TriMet officials outside the Oregon City Transit Center on Friday morning, Aug. 23, to highlight upcoming bus service improvements.

    TriMet is adding several new bus lines and adjusting more to better meet riders’ needs, starting this Sunday, Aug. 25. We were proud to celebrate these improvements Friday with some of our key partners!

    Clackamas County Commissioner Paul Savas and Mayors Denyse McGriff of Oregon City, Rory Bialostosky of West Linn and Joe Buck of Lake Oswego were among those who attended the ribbon cutting.

    “Regional connections are vital to ensure that all our residents can move through our county, no matter where they live or work,” said Commissioner Savas. “I will continue working with TriMet and other partners to make transit in our area accessible, reliable, and convenient.”

    “Oregon City has been working with our partner Clackamas County to bring improved transit/bus service to Oregon City,” Mayor McGriff said. “The proposed upgrades to the Transit Center and the new improved lines 34 and 76 will help improve the connectivity for our residents to get where they need to go — for both work, appointments and leisure activities.”

    “The top of the hill in West Linn has not ever had TriMet service in the past, so this is increasing access to a whole new segment of West Linn and several of our neighborhoods,” Mayor Bialostosky said of the new improvements. “Any time we can increase connections and increase access to transit for folks, that’s awesome.”

    “We are thankful for the continued work with TriMet and regional partners as we work together for continued improvements to the transit system that better serve our suburban community and create more connected, accessible, safe and climate-friendly transportation options for residents,” said Mayor Buck. “We are moving Forward Together!”

    What’s new?

    Starting Sunday, Aug. 25, we’re adding several new bus lines, adjusting several more to better meet riders’ needs, and discontinuing a few lines that overlap with new and existing service. You can find the details at trimet.org/servicechange.

    In Clackamas County, TriMet is:

    • Creating Line 153-Stafford/Salamo, a brand-new community connector between Lake Oswego and West Linn.
    • Extending Line 34-Linwood/River Rd to serve the growing Clackamas Heights area of Oregon City
    • Adding midday service on Line 29-Lake/Webster Rd, so patients can take the bus to their appointments at the new Lake Road Health Center.
    • Extending hourly trips on Line 76-Hall/Greenburg to connect Washington County communities with West Linn and Oregon City.
    • Providing new northbound service on Line 291-Orange Bus to Portland City Center, running in place of some late-night MAX Orange Line trips.

    Among other notable improvements across our service area:

    • The extended MAX Red Line will serve 10 additional stations west of the Beaverton Transit Center, providing a one-seat ride from the Hillsboro Airport to the Portland Airport.
    • The extended Line 25-Glisan/Troutdale Rd will connect the Gateway/NE 99th Ave Transit Center with Troutdale and East Gresham, adding stops at Reynolds High School, Mt. Hood Community College and other destinations.
    • The new Line 40-Tacoma/Swan Island will link major job centers like Swan Island and Downtown Portland with residential areas like the South Waterfront and Sellwood neighborhoods, as well as all five MAX lines.

    Historic improvements

    This service update has a tremendous scope — it’s one of the single largest updates in TriMet’s history. To prepare for it, we’re working on about 550 bus stops across the tri-county area. That includes installing new stops, updating signs at existing stops and removing stops that are closing.

    We’re also installing new signage at about 100 MAX stations. Some of that signage is for the MAX Red Line extension. Other signage will direct late-night riders to buses running in place of the last few MAX trains of the night. This late-night service includes Line 291-Orange Bus, as well as new bus lines along the MAX Blue, Red and Yellow lines. Find more information at trimet.org/maxbus.

    Plan your trip now at trimet.org. Just select a date on or after Sunday, Aug. 25, and find the best way to reach your destination on transit.

    From left, West Linn Mayor Rory Bialostosky, Oregon City Mayor Denyse McGriff, Clackamas County Commissioner Paul Savas, Lake Oswego Mayor Joe Buck and TriMet General Manager Sam Desue Jr. cut an orange ribbon in front of a TriMet bus displaying the message "Forward Together."

    Forward Together

    Partnerships and public input are central to TriMet’s Forward Together service concept.

    Our goal with Forward Together is to increase ridership and improve service and connections for people, especially those who rely on transit to get where they need to go. We’re guided in this by the feedback we receive, from community members and leaders alike.

    Our partners specifically requested some of the improvements included in next week’s service update — for example, midday service on Line 29 to the Lake Road Health Center, which was a key priority for Clackamas County.

    We appreciate our partners! We count on their support and involvement as we provide high-quality transit service across the tri-county area, and we work closely with them to make that service even better. Like Mayor Buck said, we truly are moving Forward Together!

    We are excited to roll out the latest Forward Together bus improvements next week, including more community connections for Clackamas County and more service for workers, students and more throughout our region. Look out for additional improvements later this year, into 2025 and beyond.

  • TriMet bus riders save time in Southwest Portland, thanks to transit signal priority

    TriMet partners with PBOT to reduce red-light wait times along Capitol Highway, helping keep everyone moving

    TriMet bus serves Line 43-Taylors Ferry/Marquam Hill.

    Riders on eight TriMet bus lines are getting back a little extra time in their day.

    TriMet and the Portland Bureau of Transportation have teamed up to bring transit signal priority to three intersections along busy Southwest Capitol Highway, in the Hillsdale neighborhood of Southwest Portland.

    PBOT added a Rose Lane to Capitol Highway back in 2022, allowing buses to move around congestion and arrive on time more often even during peak commute times.

    Transit signal priority and Rose Lanes work together to reduce the amount of time buses spend sitting at red lights.

    How it works

    Signals at three Hillsdale-area intersections are newly equipped with transit signal priority:

    • Capitol Highway & Bertha Boulevard
    • Capitol Highway & Sunset Boulevard
    • Capitol Highway & Terwilliger Boulevard

    These signals are now part of a network that tracks bus locations, so they “know” when a bus is approaching and can sync up their timing to give that bus faster green lights.

    We’re harnessing the power of artificial intelligence to improve the transit signal priority network. Thanks to AI, these “smart signals” will actually get even smarter over time, as they “learn” traffic patterns and optimize their timing for more efficiency.

    Thanks to the Rose Lane, TriMet buses can move ahead of traffic on Capitol Highway. But with transit signal priority, they’re not the only vehicles on the road that benefit.

    On Capitol Highway, when the light turns green for a bus, it turns green for all other traffic, too. That means less time waiting, less pollution and less congestion. It helps pedestrians as well, with more frequent walk signs along Capitol Highway.

    Better Bus logo

    Do the math, see the benefits

    Eight TriMet bus lines travel along Capitol Highway through Hillsdale:

    This makes Capitol Highway one of the most heavily used roads by TriMet buses in our entire service area, making it a top priority for transit signal priority upgrades.

    These eight lines have a combined weekly ridership of more than 36,400 trips. Many of those are regular riders who take the bus in both directions on a typical day. They’re now saving time in both directions, thanks to transit signal priority. On some lines, regular riders are saving 5 to 10 minutes per week!

    TriMet buses on Capitol Highway also serve Ida B. Wells High School, in the heart of the Hillsdale neighborhood. Combined with PBOT’s Rose Lane, as well as schedule adjustments we’re making as part of our Aug. 25 service improvements, transit signal priority means students this fall will arrive on time more reliably, and they’ll spend less time in traffic on their way home from school.

    Keep an eye out for more transit signal priority upgrades coming in other parts of TriMet’s service area! We want to save more riders more time on more bus lines, and we’re working with local partners — including PBOT and others — to make it happen.

    Visit our website and plan your trip at trimet.org.

  • Welcome aboard! TriMet introduces new generation of battery-electric buses

    Our newest e-buses are now serving riders on Line 9, with more soon to follow

    TriMet Line 9-Powell bus serves Downtown Portland along the Transit Mall.

    TriMet’s new battery-electric buses are officially on the road!

    Twenty-four next-generation “e-buses” are entering service with TriMet this year. The first of those buses began welcoming riders aboard Line 9-Powell in July, offering a smooth, quiet and comfortable ride between Downtown Portland and the Gresham Central Transit Center. We’ll roll out more new e-buses on more lines in the coming weeks.

    Our e-buses are zero-emissions vehicles, powered by 100% renewable electricity. That means they generate no air pollution, reducing overall vehicle emissions and improving air quality in our region.

    They’re also American-made! We purchased these buses from GILLIG, a bus manufacturer headquartered in Livermore, California. GILLIG built the buses at its manufacturing facility in the San Francisco Bay Area and drove them about 650 miles up Interstate 5 to Portland earlier this year.

    The bus electric

    GILLIG outfits its state-of-the-art e-buses with six lithium-ion battery packs. TriMet recharges these batteries every time a bus returns to our Powell Operations Facility, so it’s ready to roll out again the next day.

    With support from the federal government and Portland General Electric, we’ve been installing charging stations for our e-buses. Most recently, we added 24 charging stations at our Powell Facility in outer Southeast Portland, so each of the new e-buses has a place to plug in.

    In place of an internal combustion engine, every e-bus has a powerful electric motor. This motor runs on battery power, with a range of well over 150 miles on a single charge in our latest generation of e-buses. We’ll keep track of how they perform over the next few months, tackling hilly terrain, varying temperatures, traffic conditions and more, as we evaluate how they can best serve our riders.

    These new e-buses have 33% more battery capacity than the previous generation of GILLIG e-buses we first introduced in 2021. They will also be able to charge on the go. Like our short-range New Flyer battery-electric buses, which we first introduced in 2019, they’re equipped with overhead charging rails for fast charging. This will give us additional flexibility in how and where we run these buses.

    As we roll out these e-buses, we’re replacing older diesel buses that have reached the end of the road with TriMet after many years of service. The 24 new e-buses are joining 10 e-buses that were already in service with TriMet, more than tripling the number of zero-emissions buses in our fleet.

    Catching the wave of the future

    TriMet has set a goal of a full transition to zero-emissions buses by 2040.

    The 24 e-buses from GILLIG are paid for with state and federal funding. We appreciate the support we’ve received from our partners!

    Reaching zero emissions requires more than a one-size-fits-all approach. The Federal Transit Administration awarded TriMet a $39 million grant this summer to help us continue moving toward a fully zero-emissions fleet. With this grant, we plan to purchase 14 hydrogen fuel-cell electric buses — a first for TriMet — before the end of this decade.

    The 60-foot articulated fuel-cell electric buses will run along 82nd Avenue, one of the busiest traffic corridors in our region. Together with our partners at Metro, our goal is to open a high-capacity rapid bus transit line, similar to FX2-Division, along 82nd Avenue sometime in 2029.

    The grant will also pay for the infrastructure and training we need to support these buses, including more upgrades for the Powell Operations Facility.

    We also received a $25 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation this summer for the development of our Columbia Operations Facility. This site supports our transition to zero-emissions buses, including fuel-cell electric buses.

  • Coming soon: More opportunities to access jobs, schools and services with TriMet

    Aug. 25 service improvements will get TriMet riders where they need to go, when they need to be there

    TriMet Line 29 bus serves Lake Road Health Center.

    TriMet is preparing to roll out our latest round of Forward Together service improvements on Sunday, Aug. 25, 2024.

    These improvements include upgrades both large and small that will help connect riders to vital opportunities: jobs, schools, health care and more. Riders will experience these benefits in all three counties we serve!

    Welcoming Line 40!

    Starting Aug. 25, catch the new Line 40-Tacoma/Swan Island, with service to Swan Island, Rose Quarter, Downtown Portland and Southeast Portland.

    This new line connects with the MAX Orange Line at the SE Tacoma St/Johnson Creek MAX Station, and with the MAX Blue, Green, Red and Yellow lines at the Rose Quarter Transit Center.

    We’ve designed this line with workers in mind. It will run on all days, with buses arriving twice every hour for much of the day.

    Our Forward Together service concept focuses on increasing ridership and making bus service more convenient and accessible for more people, especially those who rely on transit — including commuters. That means more direct bus connections between home and work.

    With Line 40, workers will have a one-seat ride from neighborhoods like South Waterfront and Sellwood to their jobs at Swan Island or elsewhere along the line, including in Portland City Center.

    With the new line providing service in place of lesser-used bus lines, TriMet will discontinue lines 85 and 99. Riders will still be served by other bus lines as well as Line 40.

    Extending Line 25!

    TriMet’s public outreach process is a crucial component of Forward Together. To make the most informed decisions about where to prioritize new bus service, and how to increase ridership, we need to hear from the communities we serve.

    For example, in Multnomah County, school communities at Reynolds High School and Mt. Hood Community College asked for more service, including a direct connection to MAX. And TriMet has answered!

    We are extending Line 25, which is getting a name update as well: Line 25-Glisan/Troutdale Rd. As its new name suggests, Line 25 will run farther east to serve Troutdale. Buses will also arrive about every 30 minutes, and they’ll run every day.

    Line 25 will have stops at Reynolds High School and Mt. Hood Community College. It will also take riders to other community destinations, including the Troutdale Library, the Troutdale Post Office, and retail and recreation areas.

    Riders will be able to take Line 25 from Troutdale and Gresham to the Gateway/NE 99th Ave Transit Center in Northeast Portland, where they can connect with the MAX Blue, Green and Red lines.

    Upgrading Line 29!

    TriMet is also working with community partners as we roll out more Forward Together service benefits. One of those partners is Clackamas County, which recently opened the Lake Road Health Center. Its campus on Southeast Lake Road is the new home of Clackamas County’s behavioral health clinics.

    Line 29-Lake/Webster Rd serves workers at the many businesses along Lake Road and nearby areas. We’re adding midday buses so Line 29 now runs throughout the day, Monday through Friday. Buses will arrive every hour.

    This schedule expansion benefits patients at the Lake Road Health Center, workers at local employers like Bob’s Red Mill and Unified Grocers, and students at Milwaukie High School, among others.

    Expanded service on Line 29 also improves connections with the MAX Green and Orange lines and more bus lines in North Clackamas County, including Line 34-Linwood/River Rd, which we’re extending to better serve the community.

    Adjusting bus schedules

    More than three-quarters of TriMet’s bus lines serve at least one high school, college or university campus. TriMet works with schools to get students where they need to go, when they need to be there.

    Across our service area, we’re adjusting bus schedules by up to 5 minutes to better serve morning school bell times, including:

    In addition, we’ve designed the new schedule for the extended Line 25-Glisan/Troutdale Rd to align with bell times at Reynolds High School in the Reynolds School District.

    Read more about the coming service improvements at trimet.org/servicechange.

  • TriMet is building better bus connections for Clackamas County communities

    We’re adding more service to, from and between Lake Oswego, Oregon City, Tualatin, West Linn and beyond

    A zero-emissions bus on Line 76-Hall/Greenburg serves the bus stop at the Tualatin WES Station.

    Circle Sunday, Aug. 25, on your calendar for TriMet’s next big service update.

    Included among many other transit upgrades: new bus service that will create better connections between Clackamas County communities like Lake Oswego, Oregon City, Tualatin and West Linn.

    We’re extending some trips on one popular bus line; adding a brand-new weekday line; and extending the route of another bus line to make it a better option for more people.

    Extending Line 76!

    Line 76-Hall/Greenburg runs between Beaverton, Tigard and Tualatin. It’s one of TriMet’s Frequent Service lines, with buses arriving every 15 minutes or better for much of the day, every day.

    As we’ve gathered community input for Forward Together, riders have asked for more direct service connecting communities in Washington County and Clackamas County. We’ve listened, and we’re answering the call.

    Starting Aug. 25, TriMet is extending certain trips on Line 76. On these trips, roughly once every hour for much of the day, Line 76 will run between the Oregon City Transit Center and the Beaverton Transit Center.

    Northbound buses serving the extended route of Line 76 will depart from the Oregon City Transit Center. They’ll serve stops in West Linn, Tualatin, Tigard and Beaverton before terminating at the Beaverton Transit Center. Southbound buses on the extended route will continue on from Tualatin to serve West Linn and Oregon City.

    Line 76 remains a Frequent Service bus line, and not all trips will be extended. If you catch the bus in Washington County and you’re traveling to West Linn or Oregon City, make sure to confirm it’s an extended trip! You can check schedules and track arriving vehicles at trimet.org. Additionally, the overhead display at the front of the bus will indicate whether its final stop is at Meridian Park Hospital or the Oregon City Transit Center.

    Welcoming Line 153!

    Line 153-Stafford/Salamo is a new line between Lake Oswego and West Linn. Its first day of service will be Monday, Aug. 26.

    Line 153 will run between Downtown West Linn and the Lake Oswego Transit Center. It provides a direct link between the two communities and connects people to government services, health care, shopping and more. Line 153 will provide hourly service on weekdays, for most of the day.

    Riders will be able to hop on Line 153 in Lake Oswego, then board Line 76 in West Linn, linking them with destinations in Tigard, Tualatin and beyond.

    Likewise, Line 153 provides a direct route from West Linn to make connections at the Lake Oswego Transit Center. Buses on three additional lines stop at the Lake Oswego Transit Center — lines 35, 37 and 68 — with continuing service to stops in Portland, Beaverton, Oregon City, Tigard and Tualatin.

    Improving Line 34!

    Line 34-Linwood/River Rd runs weekdays between Clackamas Town Center, Milwaukie and Oregon City. We’re extending Line 34 to serve the Clackamas Heights area of Oregon City, which is being developed with more affordable housing.

    This improvement makes Line 34 a true community connector for Oregon City. It links Clackamas Heights not only to Downtown Oregon City, but also to other communities throughout North Clackamas County.

    The extended Line 34 will also connect riders with the End of the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center and other destinations in Oregon City, as well as with the extended Line 76 — among other regional bus lines — at the Oregon City Transit Center.

    These extensions of Line 34 and Line 76 will replace service on Line 154-Willamette/Clackamas Heights. TriMet is discontinuing Line 154 due to low ridership and overlap with this new service.

    What else is new?

    TriMet’s Aug. 25 service update is one of our largest ever. We’re adding more MAX service, creating or extending bus lines, adjusting schedules, and more.

    These bus improvements are part of our Forward Together service concept. Our goal with Forward Together is to create connections, increase ridership, and provide more and better service for people who depend on transit.

    Read about all of the improvements throughout the tri-county region at trimet.org/servicechange.

  • TriMet awarded $25 million for future home of zero-emissions bus and training operations

    RAISE grant is vital for future Columbia Operations Facility to support TriMet’s goal of 100% clean energy buses by 2040

    A federal grant will help move TriMet closer to our goal of a zero-emissions bus fleet — a necessary step for not only our agency to meet climate action goals, but for achieving state and regional greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets as well.

    The U.S. Department of Transportation awarded $25 million from its Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant program to TriMet. The grant is dedicated for our future Columbia Operations Facility in Northeast Portland. TriMet purchased the industrial site at Northeast 42nd Avenue and Columbia Boulevard in 2018, for development as our fourth bus facility.

    This grant supports our goal of moving to a 100% zero-emissions bus fleet by 2040. The Columbia Operations Facility is key to reaching our goal.

    “This grant is more than just welcome news — it is vital to building a cleaner, brighter future for our region,” said TriMet General Manager Sam Desue Jr. “I thank Rep. Earl Blumenauer for championing our plans for zero-emissions bus fleet operations to better our community, as well as Sen. Ron Wyden, Sen. Jeff Merkley, Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, Rep. Andrea Salinas, and Rep. Lori Chavez DeRemer for their support in securing this award.”

    “This is important funding for the region and will improve TriMet’s efficiency,” Rep. Blumenauer said. “The Columbia Operations Facility may sound like a mundane project, but it is not. It’s an important element — part of the nuts and bolts that allow TriMet to function better. I deeply appreciate the Biden Administration’s support.”

    “I am proud to have supported this $25 million federal investment in TriMet because it means families, small businesses and workers in the metro area can count on greener and cleaner buses,” said Sen. Wyden. “Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law I worked to pass, Oregonians in and around Portland as well as the entire state can have the big-league infrastructure required to have a big-league economy.”

    “Reimagining transportation systems across our state — with sustainability front and center — will benefit Oregonians while creating good-paying, clean-energy jobs in communities that are in desperate need of 21st-century transportation routes,” Sen. Merkley added. “Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, TriMet is receiving a $25 million RAISE grant to house and maintain their zero-emissions bus fleet, which will support their mission to keep moving Oregonians forward on a safer, more accessible and cleaner transportation system for all.”

    Improving service

    The Columbia Operations Facility will one day house and maintain TriMet hydrogen fuel-cell electric buses.

    TriMet’s zero-emissions bus fleet is growing, with 24 new battery-electric buses set to go into service this year. Building a modern Columbia Operations Facility is essential so TriMet can expand our clean energy bus fleet and deploy more of these buses in our service district, especially to areas with poor air quality.

    This facility is also critical to our ongoing efforts to increase service in areas that rely on transit. Our Forward Together service concept is redrawing the map of TriMet bus lines to increase ridership and improve service for people with low and limited incomes. The Columbia Operations Facility will help us make that service concept into reality.

    Having a fourth facility for our buses will also allow us to make needed improvements at the TriMet Operations Headquarters at Southeast 17th Avenue and Center Street. With future plans to renovate the facility to support zero-emissions buses, we will need the space at the Columbia Operations Facility to house some of the 200-plus buses based out of the Center Street facility during that work.

    Benefits beyond buses

    While TriMet’s focus is on a better bus system, building the Columbia Operations Facility has many more positives as well.

    The project will improve safety in the surrounding community. TriMet is partnering with the City of Portland to make improvements along Northeast Columbia Boulevard, including new traffic signals and pedestrian crossings. These improvements will make the corridor more walkable and transit-friendly, while also helping traffic flow better and more safely. We greatly appreciate the City’s partnership and support of this grant.

    The Columbia Operations Facility will employ hundreds of union workers — including staff in our maintenance, cleaning and training divisions, as well as bus operators. It will house TriMet’s largest dedicated training facility, allowing us to expand our workforce development and training efforts to hire even more people. TriMet provides family-wage jobs and outstanding benefits for our more than 3,300 employees, as well as pathways for advancement. Learn more at trimet.org/careers.

  • TriMet is ready for summer season

    When temperatures reach 100 degrees Fahrenheit, expect delays on MAX and WES

    MAX Red Line train on a warm, sunny day in Downtown Portland.

    Summer is officially here!

    With warm, dry weather prevailing throughout the season, it’s the best time of the year to get out and see all our region has to offer. TriMet connects people to opportunities every day. Whether you’re going to work, traveling to an appointment or seeking fun in the sun, why not ride with TriMet this summer?

    We’ve made improvements in recent years to better weather the summer heat. On the vast majority of summer days, you can expect TriMet to provide regular service, including air-conditioned comfort on our buses and trains.

    Extreme heat, however, can affect operations and our riders. Here’s what you need to know about TriMet in hot weather.

    Triple digits means delays

    If temperatures rise to 100 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, we will restrict the speed of MAX trains in certain areas for safety.

    MAX draws power from a system of overhead wires that are sensitive to heat. We limit speeds on MAX to no more than 35 mph when it’s at least 100 degrees, to reduce the risk of damage and keep our system running smoothly. Trains already run below 35 mph in areas where they run alongside or cross other traffic. But in restricted right-of-way areas, trains travel up to 55 mph. When the speed restriction is in place due to the heat, riders should expect up to 30-minute delays on MAX.

    WES commuter trains will also run no faster than 40 mph when temperatures soar above 100-degree temperatures. This may result in delays up to 10 minutes.

    Our buses are designed to operate in a wide range of weather conditions. There is no temperature threshold at which we’ll suspend or reduce bus service across our system. However, traffic and mechanical issues caused by extreme weather can sometimes result in delays. We’ll share the latest service information online at trimet.org/alerts, as well as with riders directly via email and text updates.

    Adapting to summer heat

    We’ve been working to improve how our transit system performs in hot weather.

    MAX was originally designed to operate in the climate Portland enjoyed in the 20th century. But as our region sees more extreme weather and rising summer temperatures, we are making adaptations to keep MAX running more smoothly for more of the summer. Similarly, we’ve worked with Portland & Western Railroad to improve heat resiliency on WES.

    On the MAX system, we have re-engineered parts of our overhead wire system to reduce sagging caused by intense summer heat. Because metals like copper and steel expand when it’s hot, we have to use counterweights to keep the overhead lines taut. With the improvements we’ve made, those counterweights work better in hotter weather, so MAX can keep running at regular speeds in all but the most extreme heat.

    Since 2018, the MAX Blue and Red lines have been able to proceed at normal speeds up to 100 degrees. The MAX Yellow Line followed in 2019. Now, as of this summer, all of our MAX lines are able to run regularly up to 100 degrees.

    Operating when it’s safe

    The safety of our riders and employees during extreme weather is central in TriMet’s decision-making. Above 105 degrees, we may adjust or suspend service on MAX if conditions warrant. These decisions are made with care and will depend on the conditions we’re seeing throughout our system.

    When temperatures hit 105 degrees, we will suspend service on WES and replace trains with shuttle buses.

    While we’ve made big upgrades to keep our trains running more reliably when it’s hot, extreme weather does place an additional strain on our machinery and electronics. Be prepared for trips to take extra time.

    You can learn more about our thresholds for extreme heat by visiting trimet.org/heat.

    Line 4-Fessenden on the road on a sunny day.

    Keeping cool on transit

    TriMet buses, including LIFT paratransit vehicles, have air conditioning on board for the comfort and safety of our riders and employees. So do MAX trains, WES trains and Portland Streetcar vehicles.

    But summer heat can be dangerous! When it’s hot outside, we encourage riders to:

    • Wear sun protection.
    • Pack a water bottle or sports drink with electrolytes to stay hydrated.
    • Consider using a personal fan or mister to keep cool.
    • If possible, stay in the shade when waiting at our stops and stations. Shade may not be available at all stops and stations. Carrying an umbrella can also provide cover from harmful UV radiation and relief when it’s hot and sunny.

    You can track your bus or MAX train at trimet.org. Our real-time map shows where the vehicle is and how long before it will arrive at the stop or station. Be sure to check weather reports as well as our website, trimet.org/alerts, for service information before you head out.

  • Beat the traffic, celebrate Portland Rose Festival with TriMet

    Transit is the most convenient, cost-effective and environmentally friendly way to experience the annual festivities

    TriMet bus in service during the Starlight Parade.

    One of Portland’s biggest and most beloved annual celebrations kicks off this Friday, May 24.

    During the Rose Festival, traveling to, from and around Portland City Center can be, well, thorny. Roads may be closed off for parades and other special events, parking is at a premium, and the traffic alone can make you wish you’d stayed home.

    Thankfully, you can enjoy the Rose Festival with none of those driving worries. Leave your car at home, or at one of TriMet’s Park & Rides, and take transit!

    What’s on tap?

    The Portland Rose Festival celebrates the annual blooming of roses, Portland’s signature flower. You’ll see roses in red, white, pink, yellow, orange and more in late spring. With gorgeous weather, beautiful blooms and community celebrations, this is one of the best times of year to get out and explore Downtown Portland.

    The official first day of the Rose Festival is Friday, May 24. That’s the kickoff with the big fireworks show over the Willamette River. It’s also when CityFair opens at Tom McCall Waterfront Park. This fair with classic carnival attractions and family fun runs on three consecutive weekends: May 24-27, May 31-June 2 and June 7-9.

    This year, CityFair also features a Celebration of Oregon Brewers Festival, with a selection of beers on tap. Transit is always a great option if you’re knocking back some pints, or if you’re indulging in the Starry Night Wine Walk next Thursday, May 30. It’s the smart, safe and responsible way to get home. Please, never drink and drive.

    When to go

    One of the biggest days for travel in Downtown Portland is expected to be Saturday, June 1. That’s both the day of the Starlight Run, from 6:30-7:30 p.m., and the CareOregon Starlight Parade, from 8-10 p.m.; and of a big game at Providence Park as the Portland Timbers host the Houston Dynamo, kicking off at 7:30 p.m. Skip the hassle and save on parking by taking TriMet! We’ll have extra MAX trains in service for riders’ convenience.

    If you have a ticket for the Timbers game, that ticket serves as your fare on any TriMet bus or MAX. Just show your digital ticket to the bus operator or Customer Safety Supervisor. Match-day tickets for both the Timbers and Thorns are valid fare on TriMet from three hours before kickoff until three hours after the final whistle. Find more information at trimet.org/providencepark.

    Other major events that you won’t want to miss, and which you can enjoy by traveling with TriMet, include:

    Please keep in mind that there may be short delays on TriMet during parades as our vehicles share the right-of-way.

    Fleet Week is June 5-9 at Tom McCall Waterfront Park! U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard and Royal Canadian Navy ships will be visiting. The Steel Bridge will be lifted Wednesday afternoon, June 5, for the arrival of Fleet Week ships. Remember, MAX and TriMet buses are unable to cross the Steel Bridge while it is lifted. Trains and buses will hold at nearby stops and stations. Plan for trips to take extra time June 5 and check trimet.org/alerts before setting out.

    TriMet riders at the Goose Hollow/SW Jefferson MAX Station.

    Ways to ride

    TriMet’s bus and MAX service, as well as Portland Streetcar, will provide regular service during the Rose Festival.

    One fare is good for all three modes of transit, thanks to Hop Fastpass®. You can purchase 2½-Hour Fare for a one-way trip or a shorter outing, or a Day Pass to travel on TriMet and Portland Streetcar an unlimited number of times for the day.

    Payment is simple, too. Riders can skip the ticket machine — our green Hop Fastpass® readers accept contactless payments with credit and debit cards as well as smartphones. Just tap to pay with your preferred payment method, check the screen for confirmation, and you’re good to go! Plus, you earn toward Day and Month passes whenever you tap. That means you’ll never pay more than $5.60 per day or $100 per month to ride TriMet. Learn more at trimet.org/fares.

    Updated display screens, including e-paper displays, show arrival times and destinations for all our lines that serve a particular stop or station.

    You can also plan ahead by visiting trimet.org. Check out our Trip Planner, which shows you the best options for getting to your destination, including when you can expect to arrive. You can even customize your trip plan for how far you’re willing to walk and which modes of transit you want to use.

    Questions? Contact TriMet Customer Service via live chat with a representative at support.trimet.org, or call or text 503-238-7433, from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. any day of the week.

  • Adding more bus service where our riders say they need it

    At TriMet, we’re improving some of our most popular lines starting next month

    Line 8-Jackson Park/NE 15th bus in Downtown Portland.

    ***UPDATE (June 2025): Hiring bonuses for new operators have now closed.***

    TriMet riders say they want more service on our most popular, high-demand bus lines.

    We’re listening — and taking action! Four of our Frequent Service bus lines will soon see more buses arriving every 15 minutes or better earlier and later on weekdays, with more improvements on the way to make riding TriMet faster, easier and better.

    The improvements starting Sunday, June 2, are part of TriMet’s Forward Together service concept. Through Forward Together, we’re making bus service better for the riders who count on it every day — and a better option for more people throughout our service district. Forward Together is increasing ridership and connecting our region by taking what the community tells us they want and putting it into practice.

    Bolstering the bus

    We’re speeding up bus arrivals on the following lines on weekday mornings and evenings:

    These lines have among the highest ridership of all of TriMet’s more than 75 bus lines, with a combined average weekly ridership of about 102,000. All four number among our 18 Frequent Service bus lines. Buses on our Frequent Service lines arrive every 15 minutes or better for most of the day, every day.

    We’ll also add more service on weekday mornings along Line 21-Sandy Blvd/223rd. That improvement means workers on the early shift at the Amazon warehouse in Fairview can get to their jobs by bus.

    Several other bus lines will see schedule adjustments to keep buses running on time and help riders make their connections. Schedules could change by up to 12 minutes. Riders can always check their bus schedule and plan their trip at trimet.org. Make sure to set the date for June 2 or later!

    TriMet buses connect riders to jobs and school, as well as health care and other services. We know how important those opportunities are, and we are always working to improve the experience for commuters and other riders who depend on TriMet.

    Looking ahead

    With Forward Together, TriMet is taking the long view. We want to increase ridership and expand access to transit, especially for historically marginalized communities. We’re considering all of the resources at our disposal and deciding how to use them for the greatest benefit. We also know that we’re building a better bus system to serve people now, five years from now, 10 years from now, 20 years from now, and well beyond.

    We always envisioned Forward Together as a multiyear program. However, we haven’t yet been able to implement many of the service improvements we had hoped to make by now.

    To add service, we need the staff to support it. TriMet is offering a $7,500 hiring bonus for new operators, as well as a $2,500 hiring bonus for many maintenance positions. These are vital positions for us to fill so we can meet the needs of our community and continue to move Forward Together.

    Come join us! Visit trimet.org/careers to learn more about the opportunities at TriMet.

    We have many more improvements yet to come — some in the second half of this year, and others in the years ahead. They include adding more bus lines, upgrading popular bus lines to Frequent Service and extending the MAX Red Line to Hillsboro. We look forward to welcoming you aboard!

  • New bus-only signal saves time for TriMet riders

    Transit signal priority makes bus travel faster and more reliable by moving our riders around traffic

    Bus-only signal at SE Hawthorne/11th, part of TriMet and the City of Portland's transit signal priority (TSP) system.

    No one likes being stuck in traffic.

    For bus riders, however, TriMet has a workaround. In partnership with the Portland Bureau of Transportation, we’re making it easier for buses to move through intersections — and past heavy traffic. That means riders can reach their destination faster on the bus than they would by driving!

    A bus-only signal is now online at the intersection of Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard and 11th Avenue in Portland. That signal is part of a network of recent improvements on the Southeast Hawthorne and Madison Street couplet, benefiting four popular bus lines.

    This new system saves riders in this corridor nearly 30 seconds, on average, every time they go by bus. How is that possible? We use cutting-edge technology that reduces the amount of time buses have to wait at red lights. Powered by artificial intelligence, transit signal priority is changing the game for bus travel on Portland’s east side.

    The science behind the signal

    Just like every other vehicle on the road, TriMet buses have to contend with rush-hour jams and other traffic delays. Our buses share the road with passenger vehicles, semi-trucks, bicycles, motorcycles, school buses, motorized scooters and more.

    Our buses can’t avoid traffic altogether. With transit signal priority, however, traffic signals get an automated alert when a bus is approaching. This changes the timing of the light, giving the bus a green light to proceed. Seven signals along Hawthorne/Madison have now been improved with this technology. These signals communicate with buses and each other using a cloud-based network, and they harness the power of artificial intelligence to keep buses on the move.

    A bus-only signal, like the one at Hawthorne and 11th, can even allow buses to safely proceed after the light turns red for other vehicles, or give them the go-ahead before the light turns green for everyone else. Thanks to this bus-only signal, our buses can move ahead of the traffic flow and serve the stop at Southeast 12th Avenue.

    The signal is designed with safety in mind. Having two identical sets of lights, one for buses and one for everyone else, would be confusing. Instead, the bus-only signal displays simple icons. Whether the main light is green, yellow or red, our bus operators can see the icon displayed by that bus-only signal and know whether to stop or go.

    Altogether, transit signal priority means riders spend less time sitting in traffic, and it means buses arrive on time more often, too.

    Time savings

    Transit signal priority along Hawthorne/Madison, between 12th Avenue and Grand Avenue, builds on the success of the transit-only Rose Lanes that are painted on these major roads.

    Together, these innovations reduce the amount of time that buses on Line 6-Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Line 10-Harold St, Line 14-Hawthorne/Foster and Line 70-12th/NE 33rd Ave — lines with a combined weekly ridership of more than 68,500 — have to wait due to red lights and congestion, even when traffic is heavy.

    As we’ve implemented transit signal priority in this corridor, we’ve seen time savings upward of 20 seconds per trip. In some cases, it’s closer to 40 seconds. Those savings add up, helping to keep our buses on time and get riders to their destination faster throughout the day.

    We know transit signal priority works, because we’ve seen it in action on TriMet FX®. Our Frequent Express line, FX2-Division, saves up to six minutes in each direction thanks to a transit signal priority network, as well as Rose Lanes along Southeast Division Street. There are 57 traffic signals in this network, including 11 bus-only signals, along Division Street from Cleveland Avenue in Gresham to Southeast 11th Avenue in Portland.

    Working together with our local partners, we plan to add transit signal priority in other congestion-prone parts of our service area, making bus a better alternative to driving for more residents.