Transit signal priority makes bus travel faster and more reliable by moving our riders around traffic
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.
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.
Community turns out to thank those who drive buses, trains and streetcars
From our mini-run operators to our MAX operators, TriMet is driven — quite literally! — by the people who keep our region moving every day.
TriMet is all about connecting our riders to opportunities. Our buses, trains and LIFT vehicles serve as vital links to work, school, health care and other services. Many of our riders also take TriMet to shopping, dining and other recreation destinations. Tens of thousands of riders every day rely on TriMet to get them where they need to go. And wherever our riders are going, they count on our operators to get them there.
Driving for TriMet is more than a job for many of our operators. It’s a way for them to improve people’s lives. Some have been driving their routes for 10 years or more, and they look forward every day to greeting their regular riders. We also have many newer operators, both full-time and part-time, who bring enthusiasm and passion to the driver’s seat. From our transit veterans to our newest hires, our operators care about the people on their bus or train, and they take pride in getting them to their destination safely and on time.
Monday, March 18, is Transit Driver Appreciation Day. We’re celebrating our operators all throughout the TriMet service district today!
Meet the operators
This year, for Transit Driver Appreciation Day, we’re featuring four operators who go above and beyond for their riders. They exemplify the very best of TriMet.
These operators love what they do, and that love shines through in their work. As TriMet is hiring for more operators and other positions, they’re happy to share their perspective with anyone who is curious about the opportunities at TriMet — and to encourage them to apply for a job at trimet.org/careers.
Joe Wiggins
You might remember Joe Wiggins as the bus operator who drove one of his riders to the hospital on New Year’s Eve. When the rider experienced a medical emergency and asked Joe to call 911, he sprang into action, alerting our Operations Command Center and bringing in first responders. Since there were no ambulances available, Joe took the rider to the hospital in his bus, with a Portland Fire & Rescue escort.
The TriMet Board recently honored Joe and fellow TriMet employees who responded to this emergency. But Joe says any other TriMet operator would have done the same thing in his position. “It’s what we do,” he explains.
What you might not know about Joe is that he has his own business in Gresham, where he sells livestock equipment. He’s been in the business since the 1970s. Difficult economic conditions had Joe looking elsewhere for a new source of income, though, in 2018. He started driving for TriMet as a way to earn some money on the side. While he certainly appreciates TriMet’s competitive pay and excellent benefits, Joe has also fallen in love with the job, and he’s glad to be part of our team — just as we’re glad to have him!
Shari Humphries
TriMet is always working to improve the service we provide. But what does that mean? For bus operator Shari Humphries, it was advocating for one of her riders. Shari makes a point of saying hello and goodbye to everyone on her bus, every day, even on busy Line 72-Killingsworth/82nd. One night last fall, she picked up a rider who was visually impaired, and in talking with him, she found out he’d had to walk almost a mile from his workplace, in an area with poor lighting and limited sidewalks, to get to the bus stop.
Shari wanted her rider to be safe, and she knew this wasn’t a one-off situation. Working with her supervisor, she successfully advocated for a service change that would allow her to better serve this rider and keep him from having to make that long trek to catch the bus. TriMet employees from multiple departments all worked together to make this improvement within weeks.
For nearly three decades, Shari was a school bus driver. She worked for several metro-area school districts before deciding it was time for a change in 2019. Shari applied for a job with TriMet and became a full-time bus operator. Although her passengers have changed, Shari’s commitment to service and spreading joy have not. She says she loves driving because of all the people she is able to help, each and every day.
Yulinda Highsmith
This isn’t Yulinda Highsmith’s first time in the spotlight. When she was still a relatively new part-time bus operator, Yulinda remembers being featured in a hiring campaign. Her face was splashed across the sides of buses and displayed at bus shelters, part of our effort to say: “Come work for TriMet!”
Yulinda has been driving for TriMet since 2005. She previously worked in retail, and as she tells it, she was ready for a career change. She saw TriMet as a place where she could have a real career pathway. The pay was better, the benefits were great and she loved the flexibility of the job.
Nineteen years later, and now working as a full-time operator, Yulinda is still passionate about TriMet. She loves getting to know her riders, and she says she gets to meet people from all over the world on her route. She also enjoys the view from the driver’s seat of the city where she grew up. Yulinda is proud to drive for one of the best transit systems around, and she stands by that message from the hiring campaign in which she was featured all those years ago: TriMet is a great place to work!
Jeff Flanagan
When Jeff Flanagan is in the MAX operator’s cabin, he says, “It feels like being a captain of a ship.” It’s an awesome responsibility, and it’s one that Jeff — like all of TriMet’s approximately 180 rail operators — has earned.
While Jeff is proud to be a rail operator, his career with TriMet has switched tracks a couple times. Originally from Alaska, Jeff first started working for TriMet as a contracted transit security officer in 2011. The following year, he was hired as a bus operator. In 2014, Jeff earned a promotion to rail operator. Many bus operators love their jobs and wouldn’t trade in their wheels for rails, but Jeff was drawn to MAX in part because of the challenge. Light rail vehicles are complicated to operate, but Jeff finds the job to be immensely rewarding.
TriMet has featured Jeff in videos before about MAX. He’s a bona fide expert on operating MAX as he approaches 10 years in light rail, and it’s still a job that brings him great satisfaction. Serving some of the busiest parts of our region, MAX provides opportunities for riders to get to jobs, schools, shops, restaurants, parks, libraries and more every day. Wherever they’re headed, Jeff enjoys greeting his riders and getting them to their destination safely and on time.
Thanking every operator
TriMet is proud to support our transit operators and to celebrate them every year by observing Transit Driver Appreciation Day, an annual tradition since 2013.
TriMet employees and volunteers are turning out for our operators all day Monday, March 18. We’re cheering on buses and MAX trains on the Transit Mall in Downtown Portland; hanging banners at the Beaverton, Clackamas Town Center, Gresham and Rose Quarter transit centers; and serving snacks for operators at our bus garages and rail yards in Beaverton, Gresham and Portland.
Riders and other community members are welcome to join in the festivities! Writing a short message or simply adding their signature to one of our thank-you banners, or on our website at trimet.org/thankyou, can help to brighten our operators’ day. If you’re on the Transit Mall this sunny spring day, join us in raising a cheer for our hard-working operators. And on Transit Driver Appreciation Day, and every day, you can show your gratitude and support for our operators by giving them a wave and a smile, being a courteous rider by following TriMet’s rules for riding, and thanking them for the ride. Even small gestures of kindness and respect can go a long way!
We’re on the lookout for our operators of the future, too! These are good-paying union jobs with excellent benefits and employee resources. Other opportunities are available as well. Learn more at trimet.org/careers.
TriMet is celebrating our nearly 1,500 bus and rail operators on March 18; riders and community members are encouraged to show their support as well
Monday, March 18, is Transit Driver Appreciation Day!
Every year, TriMet takes this day to honor and celebrate the amazing operators who make our service possible. Some 1,463 people work for TriMet as bus or rail operators, including part-time and full-time employees. These dedicated public servants connect tens of thousands of people every day with jobs, schools, health care and other services, and recreation. Our operators demonstrate patience and grace as they exemplify TriMet’s commitment to safety.
TriMet was the first transit agency in North America to begin celebrating a day for operators in 2013. Transit Driver Appreciation Day, also known as National Transit Employee Appreciation Day, is now celebrated across the United States and Canada every March 18.
Show your support
Operating a bus is hard work! Even TriMet’s smallest fixed-route buses are about 30 feet long, and our largest, the green articulated buses you’ll see along FX2, are 60 feet long. That’s a lot of bus, and it takes a skilled operator to handle it. Bus and LIFT paratransit operators navigate city streets that can be narrow, hilly and bustling with traffic. They share the road with cars, trucks, motorcycles, light rail vehicles, scooters and bicycles, not to mention pedestrians. They do their job in rain or shine, sleet or snow.
And operating MAX and Portland Streetcar is no joke, either. Each of TriMet’s light rail operators have come up through the ranks of bus operators. Trains are complicated and can be technically challenging to operate. That’s especially true in urban environments when they’re running along the roadway and making stops every few city blocks. We also have hard-working conductors and engineers on our WES commuter rail line, who provide a quick, safe and reliable ride while making all feel welcome aboard.
So, on Transit Driver Appreciation Day, show your appreciation! Say hello, be a courteous rider and thank your transit operator for the ride. Many of our operators value their daily interactions with riders and enjoy getting to know the people on their route. They take pride in getting their riders where they need to go on time. Let our operators know you’re glad to be a part of their day and help them to have a great day, too. Just a wave or a smile can go a long way!
Celebrating our operators
On the Transit Mall, TriMet employees and volunteers will be greeting bus and rail operators from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, March 18, and sending them on their way with hoots, cheers and waves.
Catch the festivities on SW Fifth Avenue from Jefferson Street to Main Street and SW Sixth Avenue from Yamhill Street to Alder Street. Community members are welcome to join in! Sunshine and high temperatures near 70 degrees are in the forecast, and with the cherry blossoms coming into bloom, it should be a beautiful day in Downtown Portland.
Additionally, we’ll have banners celebrating our operators at the Beaverton, Clackamas Town Center, Gresham and Rose Quarter transit centers. Riders are invited to sign those banners and write a brief message if they wish. Hundreds of riders shared their appreciation on banners throughout our transit system last year.
Whether or not you’re riding with TriMet on Transit Driver Appreciation Day, you can still contribute! Leave a friendly word or encouraging message at trimet.org/thankyou. Along with our banner, we’ll be collecting comments on our website and social media platforms to share with bus and rail operators.
Latest generation of GILLIG battery-electric buses could welcome riders aboard as soon as spring, improving our region’s livability and sustainability
On a partly sunny February day, the first of a new generation of zero-emissions buses rolled into TriMet’s Columbia Operations Facility.
The long-range battery-electric buses had been driven up to Portland from GILLIG’s manufacturing center in Livermore, California. On the way to their new home, they had to contend with freeway traffic and mountain passes. All told, they traveled some 650 miles.
And with TriMet, they’ll be traveling many, many more.
TriMet is driving ahead with our ambitious goal to have a 100% zero-emissions bus fleet by 2040. Our latest arrivals bring us one step closer to achieving this goal.
What’s new?
The first four buses from the order of 24 third-generation battery-electric buses — sometimes called e-buses — arrived earlier this month, and a fifth is on the way. More are scheduled for delivery this spring and summer. Some of the new electric buses could be in service as soon as this spring.
We’re building upon the successes we’ve seen with battery-electric buses already in service. Our first-generation battery-electric buses, which we introduced in 2019, are short-range buses that charge mid-route. Our second-generation battery-electric buses, like the new ones, are longer-range electric buses brought on board in 2021.
TriMet’s e-buses are popular with riders, who enjoy the quiet, smooth ride they provide with their powerful electric motors, as well as their eco-friendly technology. The new e-buses incorporate that same comfort and cleanliness, but with boosted battery life and extended range.
These new buses can hold more of a charge than our existing long-range buses, with a 33% boost to energy storage compared to our second-generation buses. Our testing will determine the effective range of the buses, which we estimate to be at least 150 miles year-round.
They’re also equipped for flexible charging. Unlike our previous long-range buses, these new buses have overhead charge rails that will allow them to be easily hooked up to TriMet’s fast charging stations in Beaverton, as well as charging ports they’ll use at our Powell Operations Facility in Southeast Portland, where they initially will be housed. We’ve already installed 24 plug-in chargers in anticipation of their arrival.
This is the largest expansion yet of our electric bus fleet. With these new vehicles, we will more than triple the number of e-buses in service with TriMet this year. That means many more riders will benefit, and many more neighborhoods will see zero-emissions buses rolling down the street on a regular basis.
What’s next?
Over the coming weeks and months, we’ll be performing rigorous testing and inspections of the new e-buses for safety and efficiency.
Once we’ve completed our testing and inspections on each bus, we can begin welcoming riders aboard. Depending on how long this process takes, you could be riding on one of these new electric buses this spring, even before all 24 have arrived in Portland. Call it a “rolling start” for these new buses!
We hope to have the full two dozen in service by September.
In the meantime, we’ll be putting the buses through their paces. That includes determining exactly how far they’ll go on a single charge under normal conditions, getting a sense for the effects that city traffic, hilly terrain and weather have on battery life. We’ll also be making sure that the safety features on each bus, such as our on-board cameras, are working properly.
Our operators will also be getting comfortable with how the new buses handle, and our mechanics will be learning their (literal) ins and outs.
While we’re still determining when and where we’ll be rolling out each bus, our goal is to bring more zero-emissions buses to areas where improving air quality will benefit vulnerable populations. That goal is in keeping with our Green Corridors Plan, which guides us as we do our part to reduce air pollution and create a healthier, more livable region.
Switching to renewable diesel for our fixed-route diesel buses and WES trains has reduced TriMet’s emissions by nearly 70% since 2022. Reaching zero emissions by 2040, however, means investing in new emerging technologies like battery-electric buses. Our electric bus fleet runs off of 100% renewable electricity.
Jobseekers can learn more about opportunities — and maybe even land an offer — at our Feb. 29 hiring event at DoubleTree Lloyd Center
***UPDATE (June 2025): Hiring bonuses for new operators have now closed.***
What’s it like to work for TriMet?
Come find out at our next big hiring event Thursday, Feb. 29, at DoubleTree by Hilton in Northeast Portland.
TriMet is hiring for a whole range of positions, including maintenance service workers, mechanics, technicians and bus operators. New hires for some of these positions are eligible for a hiring bonus!
If you’re thinking about a career with TriMet, this is your chance to learn about the opportunities we offer and apply for a job! We may even extend conditional job offers at this hiring event to certain applicants.
TriMet is offering $2,500 hiring bonuses for many maintenance positions and $7,500 hiring bonuses for bus operators.
What to expect
The hiring event is from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. It includes hour-long information sessions:
11:15 a.m.: Maintenance Service Worker Job Presentation
12:15 p.m.: Q&A with TriMet Panel
1:15 p.m.: Bus Driver Job Presentation
If you’re interested in learning more about the available positions, you can hear from current TriMet employees about their experience, as well as ask questions of your own.
You might even leave this hiring event with a conditional job offer! We’ll be interviewing applicants for diesel mechanic and maintenance service positions at the event. If we identify one or more of our maintenance service workers of the future, we could make an offer on the spot!
Be savvy
If you want to apply for a position, you can save some time at the hiring event by filling out an application online before you go. Just visit trimet.org/careers.
You’re welcome to stay for the whole event or just show up for a session that interests you. Drop-ins welcome!
Applicants should plan on bringing a valid driver’s license. A resume is not required.
There’s no formal dress code for this hiring event. You’re welcome to wear casual attire or work clothes.
Getting there
The DoubleTree by Hilton is located in the Lloyd Center neighborhood in Northeast Portland, at 1000 NE Multnomah St. in Portland. It is accessible via transit.
Currently, the venue is served by MAX Blue Line trains and shuttle buses, as well as by Portland Streetcar’s A and B Loops, as well as TriMet bus lines 8, 70 and 77. Plan your trip at trimet.org.
For jobseekers driving to the event, free parking will be available on-site.
About TriMet
TriMet is the Portland metro area’s transit agency. We operate more than 75 bus lines; MAX light rail service between Portland and major suburbs like Beaverton, Clackamas, Gresham, Hillsboro and Milwaukie; and WES commuter rail and LIFT paratransit service as well.
We’ve been around since 1969. TriMet is a municipal corporation of the State of Oregon, and our more than 3,000 workers are public employees.
TriMet offers great benefits for employees, job stability and a welcoming, supportive work environment. Some of our operators have been driving for TriMet for more than 30 years! TriMet has generous retirement options, affordable medical, dental and vision plans, and other amenities for employees.
Check out trimet.org/careers to learn more, or drop by and meet us at the Feb. 29 hiring event.
Starting Feb. 25, riders will see increased service on several bus lines, schedule improvements to keep buses on time and a route extension to help workers reach jobs
Editor’s note: This news release has been updated with more information.
As we continue working to make TriMet bus service better, we’re listening to our riders who say they want to see more buses at more times!
Starting Sunday, Feb. 25, we’re rolling out improvements on several bus lines, including four in our Frequent Service network, to better serve riders.
That means more buses arriving in the mornings and evenings on several of our most-used lines. Another line in Troutdale will be extended, making it easier for riders to reach major employers like Amazon and FedEx.
What’s new?
We’re improving some of our bus routes and connections. These upgrades are outlined in our Forward Together service concept, developed with the community, which we began implementing last summer.
Frequent Service
Buses on Frequent Service lines arrive every 15 minutes or better for most of the day, every day.
Starting the week of Feb. 25, we’re expanding Frequent Service on the following lines:
Line 12-Barbur/Sandy Blvd
Line 57-TV Hwy/Forest Grove
Line 75-Cesar Chavez/Lombard
On weekdays, when more riders rely on TriMet, buses will arrive more often earlier in the morning and later in the evening on these lines. That effectively extends our Frequent Service hours on those lines, making them more convenient for more riders.
We’re also adding more morning and afternoon buses on a fourth Frequent Service line, Line 72-Killingsworth/82nd, to better serve McDaniel High School families on weekdays. Line 72 buses are often full around the time school opens and lets out. These additional buses mean more riders can take TriMet to their destination at peak times.
TriMet’s Frequent Service network includes 18 of our most-used bus lines — including our latest addition to the network, Line 48-Cornell, which was upgraded to Frequent Service in November 2023.
Route extension
Workers at the Troutdale Reynolds Industrial Park also have reason to rejoice.
We’re changing the route of Line 77-Broadway/Halsey and increasing service, extending some trips to the industrial park to better serve workers.
TRIP, as it’s sometimes called, has become a major job center in East Multnomah County, with companies like Amazon and FedEx employing thousands of workers there.
Extending Line 77 will make trips to TRIP faster and better for those workers who rely on TriMet. More buses will come around shift changes, dropping off arriving workers and picking up those heading home for the day, at stops conveniently located close to Amazon and FedEx’s facilities.
Schedule adjustments
Some TriMet riders will see their bus arrival time shift by as much as six minutes.
We’re adjusting our schedules on the following lines to improve connections and keep buses on time:
Line 1-Vermont
Line 10-Harold St
Line 11-Rivergate/Marine Dr
Line 16-Front Ave/St Helens Rd
Line 33-McLoughlin/King Rd
Line 39-Arnold Creek/Hillsdale
Line 291-Orange Night Bus
Some lines will see smaller adjustments to help riders make transfers and give operators breaks.
We encourage riders to use our online trip planner at trimet.org to plan their trips and see when their bus will arrive.
Moving Forward Together
Through our Forward Together service concept, we’re redrawing our map of bus lines in response to community feedback, ridership data and TriMet priorities.
This is a long-range project with equity at its heart. TriMet’s goal is to increase ridership and create better connections to jobs and services for people with low and limited incomes.
Making these service improvements is a years-long process. We started rolling out Forward Together service improvements last summer, and we have much more still to come.
All of our service improvements depend on staffing. We haven’t been able to roll out improvements as quickly as we’d like because we’re still dealing with an operator shortage.
We are working to add operators — applicants are eligible for a $7,500 bonus if hired — as well as maintenance workers, with a $2,500 hiring bonus for many of those positions, too.
Join the team! Visit trimet.org/careers to learn about opportunities at TriMet, including upcoming hiring events. You can also find directions on how to apply on our website.
Open houses will be held Jan. 25-Feb. 1, with public input welcomed
***UPDATE (June 2025): Hiring bonuses for new operators have now closed.***
At TriMet, we’re continuing to redraw our bus service map in 2024 — and we need your help.
This spring, we will be putting the finishing touches on a plan to run more frequent buses along routes where we see high demand, extend service hours and days on multiple bus lines, adjust schedules to keep buses on time, and more. You’ll start seeing some of those improvements on Aug. 25, 2024.
It’s the next piece in our Forward Together service concept, which will guide our bus service improvements over the coming years.
Our goal with Forward Together is to increase ridership and expand and improve service and connections for people with low and limited incomes.
To accomplish that goal, we’re counting on feedback from our riders. We’ve already made changes to our earlier proposals based on public input and available staffing. Once more, heading into Forward Together planning for 2024-25, we want to hear from you.
Open houses
Make your voice heard at one of TriMet’s upcoming open houses.
We’ll share the details of our proposed service changes for 2024 and 2025, and TriMet representatives will be on hand to answer questions. Attendees will be able to submit their input as well.
Open house dates
Thursday, Jan. 25, from 5-6 p.m. on Zoom. This virtual open house will be held in English and Spanish.
Tuesday, Jan. 30, from 4-6 p.m. in the Tualatin Public Library Community Room, 18878 SW Martinazzi Ave. in Tualatin. This in-person open house will include information in multiple languages.
Wednesday, Jan. 31, from 5-7 p.m. in the Portland Community College Rock Creek Event Center, Building 9, 17705 NW Springville Road in Bethany. This in-person open house will include information in multiple languages.
Thursday, Feb. 1, from noon-2 p.m. in the University of Oregon White Stag Block, Rooms 142/144, 70 NW Couch St. in Portland. This in-person open house will be held in English and Spanish.
After the open houses, we’ll gather up the feedback we’ve received and use it to help shape the final version of our service plan for the year.
Submit your comments
Can’t make it to an open house? Not to worry — we still want to hear from you.
Have your say in TriMet’s Forward Together planning process by submitting your comments at trimet.org/plan. You can also give us a call at 503-238-7433 (RIDE) and share your thoughts on our proposed bus service.
Our public comment period on this round of Forward Together service improvements ends Sunday, Feb. 11. If you’d like to provide feedback on the plan, be sure to do so by then, to ensure what you have to say is considered as we wrap up our service plan.
We’ll present the results of our public outreach to the TriMet Board of Directors in March. A vote on the final service changes will likely take place in May. That will clear the way for new and improved bus service to begin as soon as August this year, if operator staffing allows.
Improving service
TriMet is proposing changes to 24 bus lines in the next round of our Forward Together service improvements, as well as three new bus lines to better serve riders.
More frequent buses
Three of our most popular bus lines would be upgraded to Frequent Service, meaning buses will arrive every 15 minutes or better for most of the day, every day:
Line 52-Farmington/185th
Line 77-Broadway/Halsey
Line 87-Airport Way/181st
Those aren’t the only bus lines we plan to upgrade. Some lines would have their routes extended, so they serve significantly more stops. Additionally, some lines would see buses arrive more often. Lines to be upgraded include, but are not limited to:
Line 17-Holgate/Broadway
Line 24-Fremont/NW 18th
Line 29-Lake/Webster Rd
Line 67-Bethany/158th
Line 81-Kane/257th
Replacing bus lines
With Forward Together, we’re taking a look at our entire bus system and figuring out how to serve our riders in the most efficient, most equitable way we can. That means some riders will see new line numbers on their routes, either because we’re introducing a brand-new bus line or we’re changing which lines serve their stop.
Under our proposal, the following line numbers would be retired and replaced with new service:
Line 21-Sandy Blvd/223rd
Line 80-Kane/Troutdale Rd
Line 85-Swan Island
Line 99-Macadam/McLoughlin
Line 154-Willamette/Clackamas Heights
Skidmore Fountain MAX Station
Along with these bus service improvements slated to begin as soon as August 2024, TriMet is also considering a plan to close the Skidmore Fountain MAX Station in September 2025. Attendees can learn more about this proposal at the open houses and comment on it as well.
Public input has consistently helped to shape TriMet’s Forward Together service concept.
TriMet incorporated feedback we received after we first unveiled Forward Together in 2022, which was reflected in our first round of service improvements last year.
That feedback has also influenced our planned second round of improvements in 2024-25.
TriMet is hiring!
Forward Together is a years-long overhaul of TriMet’s bus service.
Over the course of this project, our goal is to increase ridership, improve connections and expand bus service throughout the region. We want to provide better service for communities of need, add service in emerging neighborhoods and employment areas, and increase the frequency of buses in areas where we see high demand.
To add bus service, however, we need to have operators to drive those buses, and maintenance workers to keep them on the road.
Limited staffing has forced us to slow the pace of our service improvements. We had hoped to roll out some of the upgrades we’ve proposed for August sooner, but we delayed them due to our operator shortage.
You can help! Visit trimet.org/careers to learn about opportunities at TriMet. We are offering $7,500 hiring bonuses for bus operators, including part-time positions, and $2,500 hiring bonuses for mechanics and maintainers, along with great benefits and competitive salaries. Together, we can keep the tri-county area moving.
Free rides are back from 8 p.m. Dec. 31 through 3 a.m. Jan. 1, and MAX hours will be extended
Planning to be out and about this New Year’s Eve? Ride for free with TriMet!
Hop on MAX and TriMet buses and ride for free Sunday, Dec. 31, starting at 8 p.m., through Monday, Jan. 1, at 3 a.m. Portland Streetcar and C-TRAN, TriMet’s transit partners, are also lifting fares on New Year’s Eve.
Traffic fatalities in Portland reached a record high in 2023, and we know the risk of crashes is higher on holidays like New Year’s Eve. TriMet is proud to continue our long-running tradition of free rides on the last night of the year. Don’t drink and drive — count on TriMet to get you to and from your destination.
Check trimet.org for the latest route information and to plan your trip.
Ride on MAX
Staying up late to ring in the New Year? So is MAX! We’re extending service hours on MAX light rail into the early morning of Jan. 1, 2024.
The MAX Blue Line will operate about three hours later than usual for Sunday service, with the last westbound train leaving the Cleveland Ave MAX Station at 1:57 a.m. and the last eastbound train leaving the Hatfield Government Center MAX Station at 1:31 a.m.
The MAX Green Line will operate about two hours later than usual, with the last westbound train leaving the Clackamas Town Center Transit Center at 2:12 a.m. and the last eastbound train leaving the Pioneer Courthouse/SW 6th Ave MAX Station at 2:18 a.m.
The MAX Orange Line will also operate about two hours later than usual, with the last northbound train leaving the SE Park Ave MAX Station at 1:56 a.m. and the last southbound train leaving the Pioneer Place/SW 5th Ave MAX Station at 2:02 a.m.
The MAX Yellow Line will also operate about two hours later than usual, with the last northbound train leaving the Pioneer Courthouse/SW 6th Ave MAX Station at 2:27 a.m. and the last southbound train leaving the Expo Center MAX Station at 1:32 a.m.
The MAX Red Line will operate about an hour and a half later than usual, with the last westbound train leaving the Portland International Airport MAX Station at 1:56 a.m. and the last eastbound train leaving the Beaverton Transit Center at 12:20 a.m.
Remember, you can always check trimet.org to find train arrival times at each station, plan your trip and track your train.
Go by bus
TriMet buses will follow Sunday schedules on New Year’s Eve. Bus lines that do not typically run on Sunday will not be operating.
Be sure to check trimet.org for your bus line’s schedule. You can also plan your trip, complete with connections to MAX, Portland Streetcar and other bus lines, and track your bus as it approaches your stop.
Stay safe
Our Customer Safety Supervisors will be working throughout the system to keep riders and operators safe on New Year’s Eve.
With more people expected to be traveling on New Year’s Eve, we encourage everyone to:
Be alert and pay attention around buses and trains.
Put away your devices and look both ways whenever crossing the street or tracks.
Be respectful of operators and other riders.
Check your surroundings for personal items before getting on or off a TriMet vehicle.
Report any unwanted behavior or disruptive conduct.
We’ve made it easier to report security concerns 24 hours a day. For non-urgent matters, text or call 503-238-7433 (RIDE) or submit a report through the “security” button on trimet.org.
If you see something suspicious or dangerous while traveling, say something to a TriMet employee or call 911.
Plan ahead
For decades, TriMet has offered free rides to support safe, responsible celebrations on New Year’s Eve. Our goal is to help everyone get around the Portland metro area safely and start 2024 right.
Plan ahead by visiting trimet.org. You can find multiple options for how to get where you’re going, identify the way you want to go, and even print or save a link to your trip plan so you can refer back to it later. We’ll highlight each step along the way, so you can be sure you’ll know how to get there. And if you’re traveling after midnight, remember to set the date for Jan. 1, 2024!
Our web app also lets you track your train or bus in real time.
New Year’s Day service
New Year’s Day falls on a Monday. However, due to the holiday, MAX and bus lines will be operating on their Sunday schedules Monday, Jan. 1. Bus lines that do not run Sunday will not be operating. WES commuter rail also won’t be in service.
TriMet’s Customer Support Center at Pioneer Courthouse Square and the Lost & Found at the TriMet Operations Headquarters on SE 17th Avenue will be closed on New Year’s Day. Both will reopen Tuesday, Jan. 2.
