TriMet’s new FX2-Division line uses special signals at key intersections that let buses bypass red lights to skip congestion

When our new FX2-Division bus line opened last month between Downtown Portland and Gresham along Division Street, a lot of people asked: “What makes it faster?”

Everything about FX is optimized for getting people to their destinations efficiently, from the high-capacity bus with multi-door boarding to the station platforms that we placed at key locations, to avoid unnecessary stops. These are the types of tools that are more likely to get noticed by our riders.

What drivers who share the road are starting to note is that FX buses use special lanes and signals that help keep them moving around traffic. The signals are new, and some look a lot different from your standard red/yellow/green traffic signals. That’s leading to claims that our buses are running red lights. The fact is they’re not. Our FX bus operators are following signals for buses only, that keep our riders moving and make FX the faster, better way to go.

Reports of green buses running the red

FX2-Division has the benefit of transit signal priority. In partnership with transportation teams at the cities of Portland and Gresham and ODOT, we’re using next-generation transit signal priority technology at 58 intersections along the route to keep FX buses moving. The technology can keep some green lights green longer or shorten red lights to keep the buses rolling. But at seven intersections between 117th and 162nd avenues, there’s a separate signal for our buses that many other drivers are overlooking.

Since FX service launched on Sept. 18, TriMet has received numerous claims that our big green buses are running red lights, among them:

“FX2… talked to him at light and said he is allowed to run them… I was in a dump truck at 122nd heading eastbound.” (Submitted Sept. 29)

“I am driving on 148th and Division … The bus operator had his blinker on, went up to the light and stayed in that lane, pulled up to the light and proceeded to go through the intersection at a RED LIGHT. Literally ran the RED light.” (Submitted Sept. 30)

Understanding the signals

“It’s likely that they can’t see the light that our operators are following,” said TriMet Bus Training Supervisor Jeff Muceus. “Therefore, it does appear that we’re running a red light.”

The intersections at Southeast 122nd and 148th on Division are among those with the special transit signals for FX buses. Instead of the traditional red, yellow and green globes, the bus signal shows a white horizontal bar, a flashing triangle and a white vertical bar. Our bus operators are trained to proceed through the intersection on a vertical, prepare to stop when they see a flashing triangle and come to a complete stop for a horizontal bar.

The signals on Division are designed to keep buses moving as part of the faster FX service. Even when an operator is signaled to stop, the bus won’t be delayed for long. 

“If a signal times out, the triangle will flash, then the horizontal bar will come on, and the bus will wait for another few seconds for the signal to come back on,” explained Jeff.

Speeding up buses and riders

While not all intersections along the FX2-Division route have dedicated signals for buses, they are all coordinated to move buses and riders faster. There is a constant stream of technology and communication taking place between the buses, signals, receptors and transmitters. Working together, these components can add up to big travel time savings for bus riders.

“FX means Frequent Express, so what we’re trying to do is keep our buses moving. Every one of those lights tries to help the buses keep moving,” said Jeff.

FX–Fast, frequent, efficient 

The $175 million Division Transit Project laid the foundation for TriMet FX®—Frequent Express—a faster, higher-tier, high-capacity bus service for the Division Street corridor between Gresham, East Portland, Southeast Portland and Downtown Portland. Service opened on Sunday, Sept. 18, with TriMet’s new, 60-foot, articulated buses serving dozens of newly constructed stations throughout the route. Learn more about our service and plan your next trip at trimet.org.

Nearly 4,600 responses collected over four weeks of outreach and engagement will help shape Forward Together plan, with additional public comment periods held as individual bus line changes roll out

Forward Together, TriMet’s reevaluation and redesign of our bus service, moves into a new phase this week. As part of Forward Together, we took the most in-depth and comprehensive look at our bus network ever. We developed a draft service concept that includes a sweeping re-envisioning of when and where our buses might run to better serve our community, given changes in travel caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. And then we took that concept to you–our riders, members of the community and the general public–and asked: What do you think? Are we on the right track? Will Forward Together allow more people, especially those with low and limited incomes, more access to our services to reach more jobs and places at more times? 

What we heard will now inform a revised Forward Together service plan that we will take to the TriMet Board of Directors for approval in December. If the overall plan is approved, the community will have more opportunities to provide feedback on any of the individual changes we plan to pursue in the future as part of our annual service improvements. Two rounds of outreach and public comment are held annually for our service improvements.

October outreach wraps up

We spent the month of October engaging the community around the ideas presented in the Forward Together draft concept. We hosted a series of more than half a dozen open houses, held in person and virtually, in English and Spanish, across our service area and in partnership with community-based organizations. We also posted details of the concept online and conducted a survey to gain a better understanding of how adjustments included in the concept might impact our riders. Nearly 4,600 people completed the survey, with about 125 responses submitted in languages other than English. In addition, we interacted with some 500 people during open house events, who were invited to speak with a TriMet Service Planner and leave hand-written comments on the concept.

What happens next?

Over the next several weeks, TriMet will review the feedback received with our Forward Together contractor, Jarrett Walker + Associates, and put together a plan based on what we heard. Then, we will present the findings from the survey, as well as a revised service concept, in a resolution to our Board of Directors at their December 14 business meeting. The resolution will request the Board’s approval on the direction of the Forward Together project to date and support for continued development. Additional outreach and public comment periods will come in the future when adjustments to individual bus lines or schedules are proposed as part of our annual service changes.

All meetings of the TriMet Board of Directors are open to the public, and business meetings include a public forum. During the public forum, members of the community can follow steps to offer testimony on any topic for the public record. Testimony can be made in person, virtually when possible and by email at boardtestimony@trimet.org. 

Moving Forward Together

If the Board approves the Forward Together resolution, TriMet will take the comprehensive plan that we are developing back to our Mobility Planning and Policy, Scheduling and Operations teams to start talking about implementation. The soonest our riders and the public could see any of the changes identified in the Forward Together plan roll out would be September 2023. That will occur as budgets and operator staffing levels allow, but not before the public has opportunities to provide more comment about the individual bus line proposals.

Our goal is for Forward Together to become a guide that shapes annual service improvement plans for years to come. The annual service improvement process includes at least two rounds of public engagement and feedback periods on every proposed bus line change. We will hold more open houses, accept comments online and by phone, as well as provide opportunities for testimony and discussion during regular meetings of the TriMet Board of Directors during those feedback periods. 

We are tentatively planning an open house in January 2023, which could include the first proposed Forward Together service adjustments that would go into effect in September 2023. Learn more and follow our process at trimet.org/forward.

TriMet begins online, in-person and virtual public outreach on a “Forward Together” concept that could move more people to more places they want to go

COVID-19 changed where people go and how they get there. At TriMet, we recognize that we may need to make big changes as a result. As we come out of the pandemic, we want to make sure that our transit service reflects the current needs of the community. We’re launching a new phase of community engagement around changes to TriMet bus service that we’re thinking about as part of a much bigger transit concept we call “Forward Together.”

As part of “Forward Together,” TriMet took the most in-depth and comprehensive look at our bus network ever. We’ve now developed a service concept that would be a sweeping re-envisioning of our bus network and would give more people access to our services, to reach more jobs and places.

TriMet conducted an initial survey in spring 2022. Based on feedback from 5,500 riders, stakeholders and community members, we’ve developed a draft concept that would change more than 80% of our bus service. It would also:

•       Bring bus service closer to 50,000 more residents.
•       Make weekend service available to 100,000 more people.
•       Provide Frequent Service to 50% more people and jobs.
•       Make it easier to reach more jobs in 45 minutes or less.

What do you think? Are we headed in the right direction? Let us know by weighing in at trimet.org/forward. Responses will be accepted through October 31. Along with the online survey, we’re hosting open houses in person and virtually.

Forward Together Open House Schedule

Tuesday, Oct. 18, 11:30am  – 1:30 p.m.

PCC Cascade – Lobby of Cascade Hall, 5625 North Albina Avenue, Portland

Wednesday, Oct. 19, 4 p.m. – 6 p.m.

Rosewood Initiative – 14127 Southeast Stark Street, Portland

Thursday, Oct. 20, 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Shute Park Library – 775 SE 10th Ave, Hillsboro

Saturday, Oct. 22, 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Zoom virtual open house in Spanish — Meeting Link

Wednesday, Oct. 26, 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.

CCC Harmony – Room 120/130, 7738 Southeast Harmony Road Milwaukie

Thursday, Oct. 27, 5:30 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Zoom virtual open house in English — Meeting Link

Why “Forward Together”?

TriMet would like to expand service by as much as 30% in the coming years, but what that could look like is much different today than before the COVID-19 pandemic. The “Forward Together” concept helps connect the dots. Early community engagement found broad support for two key goals: focusing on ridership and improving connections to destinations for people with low and limited incomes. The map (below) presents one idea of how these priorities could look, in terms of our service.

Do you agree?

This is big, and we want to know if you think we are on the right track. Feedback that we receive about the “Forward Together” concept now, could have a significant impact on how it looks in the future. That’s why public involvement is so important. Do you agree with the guiding principles and service priorities? 

• Improving access to opportunities.
• An expanded grid, with new routes serving new areas in all three counties, especially East Multnomah County.
• More Frequent Service bus lines.    
• More bus lines with service running every 30 minutes or better.
• More and better weekend service.
• New lines serving areas that are far from transit today.
• Reduced service to some low-demand, mostly higher-income areas.

Let us know. Based on what we hear from riders, the community and employees through October, we’ll update our Forward Together concept into a plan for the future.

Riders could see the first system and service changes as early as 2023. However, full implementation of “Forward Together” is dependent upon ending our operator shortage. While TriMet is making progress, we are unable to predict when that might happen. We hope to roll out new service changes around the Forward Together concept within the next five years. 

Learn more and follow the process as we move “Forward Together” at trimet.org/forward.

TriMet begins FX2-Division Frequent Express bus service, updates routes and improves schedules for fall, while implementing a temporary, 2% service-level reduction due to ongoing operator shortage

TriMet FX® is at your service, with a new type of transit for the 15-mile Division Street corridor, from Gresham to Downtown Portland. This morning, FX picked up its first riders, as our big, new, green buses rolled into service on Division Street. FX is a better, faster, higher-tier bus service, and it’s a first-of-its kind for TriMet and our region. What makes FX different? From its longer, articulated buses, to enhanced bus stop stations at key locations and transit signal priority technology that helps buses avoid traffic and reach their destination faster and on time, FX is optimized for speed and reliability in every way.

The FX difference: What to expect

• 15-miles of FX—Frequent Express—bus service on the Division Street corridor, between Gresham and Downtown Portland
• Buses arriving every 12 minutes most of the day, with daily service from about 4:30 a.m. – 1:00 a.m.
• New, 60-foot buses with space on board for 60% more people and time-saving features including all-door boarding, Hop Fastpass® electronic fare readers at every entry and on-board bike racks 
• 42 pairs of bus stop stations (more similar to MAX stations), with features like weather protection, seating, TransitTracker™ real-time displays and more
• New transit-only signals and Business Access & Transit (BAT) lanes in key locations to give buses more green lights and keep riders moving past traffic congestion
• An expanded route, with service to Cleveland Ave Park & Ride and use of the car-free Tilikum Crossing, Bridge of the People, to cross the Willamette River

FX2 launch brings additional adjustments

As part of our launch of the FX2-Division service, we’re making adjustments to Line 10-Harold and updating stops at Gresham Central Transit Center and the Portland Transit Mall. We’ve also retired Line 2-Division. Line 10 will move from Southeast Ladd Avenue to Southeast 7th, to cover some stops that Line 2 previously served. It also now has weekend and holiday service.

All riders are encouraged to visit trimet.org to plan your trip! We’ve also updated schedules across much of the TriMet system, for streamlined connections between FX2-Division, many other bus lines and MAX.

More moves for fall 2022

Our fall service brings minor service expansions and schedule improvements to 16 additional bus lines. At the same time, we are reducing service on 10 bus lines, including canceling service on two low-ridership lines due to our operator shortage. Here’s what you need to know:

• Schedule and route improvements: We’re adding buses to Line 17-Holgate to bring arrivals to every 30 minutes between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. We’re also adjusting the routes of Line 20-Burnside/Stark and Line 24-Fremont to improve transfers. In addition, we’re adjusting schedules on the following lines to help keep buses on time and make connections easier: 12, 16, 21, 44, 45, 70, 71, 73, 74, 75, 76, 78 and 94. 
• Temporary service-level reduction: As we announced in June, TriMet will implement a temporary 2% bus service level reduction to address our ongoing operator shortage. Starting today, service has been adjusted on the following eight bus lines: 1, 8, 9, 18, 26, 72, 81 and 82. We are canceling service due to very low ridership on lines 50 and 92. We also reduced service due to our historic operator shortage in January 2022.

Forward Together

With the COVID-19 pandemic changing the way people travel, TriMet has launched Forward Together, a comprehensive service analysis and community engagement effort to determine a better bus system. We’re taking a look at where buses are running now and where they should run. We’ll be sharing more about the effort in the weeks ahead and asking our community for help in shaping the future of our bus service.

With numerous adjustments occurring across the system on Sunday, Sept. 18, TriMet encourages all riders to plan ahead and visit trimet.org to prepare

Starting Sunday, Sept. 18, TriMet will launch of our first TriMet FX® — Frequent Express — bus line. Our fall service also brings minor service expansions and schedule improvements to 17 bus lines, plus updates to bus stops at Gresham Central Transit Center and the Portland Transit Mall. However, we’re also reducing service on 10 existing bus lines, including canceling service on two low-ridership lines, due to the current operator shortage. The 2% reduction in service levels is temporary to bring schedules in line with our current staffing while we bring on more operators. With more than 30 lines being adjusted for fall, we encourage all riders to visit trimet.org and plan a trip for Sept. 18 or later, to see how they could be affected by these updates.

Positive moves for fall 2022

FX2-Division: We’re launching our new TriMet FX® — Frequent Express — bus service, with FX2-Division starting on Sept. 18. FX2-Division will bring better, faster, higher-tier bus service to the 15-mile Division Street corridor, with buses arriving every 12 minutes and improved travel times between Gresham and Downtown Portland. New 60-foot, articulated bus can carry 60% more riders than a standard bus, and transit priority signals and lanes will move them around other traffic.

• Line 2-Division: TriMet will retire Line 2-Division and replace it with FX2-Division. FX2 follows much of the same route as Line 2; however, it extends farther to the east in Gresham, to the Cleveland Ave Park & Ride. On the west end of the route, FX2-Division will use the car-free Tilikum Crossing, Bridge of the People, instead of the Hawthorne Bridge, to provide new connections to OHSU and Portland State University.
• Gresham Central Transit Center: We are reorganizing stops to support the launch of FX2-Division service and make transfers easier for riders.
• Downtown Transit Mall: We are updating some bus stop locations for FX2-Division service, which will also improve connections for riders on other lines.

Line 10-Harold: We’re moving the route on Line 10-Harold from Southeast Ladd Avenue to Southeast 7th, to cover some stops that the retiring Line 2 had served. We are also adding weekend service.

Line 17-Holgate/Broadway: We’re increasing weekday service, so that buses run every 30 minutes between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m.

Line 20-Burnside/Stark: Buses are moving from Northeast Hood to Northeast Kelly, to improve transfers at Gresham Central Transit Center. 

Line 24-Fremont: We’re extending the route to Collins Circle to improve transfers in Southwest Portland.

Bus schedule improvements

We are adjusting schedules on 13 bus lines to help keep buses on time and improve transfers. Affected lines include the 12, 16, 21, 44, 45, 71, 73, 74, 75, 76, 78 and 94. The schedule for Line 70 will also be temporarily adjusted due to the closure of the Northeast 33rd Avenue bridge over Lombard Street.

Temporary service-level reduction 

As we announced in June, TriMet will implement a temporary 2% bus service level reduction on Sept. 18, to address our ongoing, historic operator shortage. Service will be adjusted on the following eight bus lines: 1, 8, 9, 18, 26, 72, 81 and 82. We are canceling service due to very low ridership on lines 50 and 92. TriMet also reduced service due to the operator shortage in January 2022.

Temporarily reducing service to match our staffing levels means that riders will experience far fewer canceled buses, as we continue to restore our workforce. We hope to begin adding back service hours in 2023. TriMet’s incentives of a $7,500 hiring bonus and increased starting pay of $25.24 continue to drive applications. Starting pay for operators will increase by 7.5% in December 2022 and 4% in December 2023, under an approved two-year contract extension between TriMet and the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) 757.

Forward Together

When TriMet starts adding back service, we want to make sure we are serving the needs of our community. With the COVID-19 pandemic changing the way people travel, TriMet has launched Forward Together, a comprehensive service analysis and community engagement effort to determine a better bus system. We’re taking a look at where buses are running now and where they should run. We’ll be sharing more about the effort in the weeks ahead and asking our community for help in shaping the future of our bus service.

Grand opening celebration on Saturday, Sept. 17 features multiple festival sites, food, live entertainment and free rides on FX buses

TriMet invites the community to join us Saturday, Sept. 17, to celebrate the launch of FX2-Division, the first TriMet FX—Frequent Express—bus line. FX will be better, faster, high-capacity bus service along the 15-mile Division Street corridor between Gresham and Downtown Portland. Before our big, green, bendy buses roll into service on Sunday, Sept. 18, we want to give you a ride and show you what all of the excitement is about! 

FX2-Division Grand Opening Celebration

Come See. Ride Free.

Saturday, Sept. 17, 12 p.m. – 5 p.m.

My People’s Market at OMSI/SE Water Station | PCC Festival Marketplace | Gresham Farmers’ Market

RSVP on Facebook

Learn more at trimet.org/fx/celebrate

Festivals, free rides and more!

To reflect and embrace the rich diversity of the Division Street corridor, TriMet will host festivals at three sites along the route: My People’s Market at OMSI/SE Water Station, PCC Festival Marketplace at PCC Southeast and Gresham Farmers’ Market from 12 p.m. through 5 p.m. Each family-friendly festival will feature food, arts, live music, multicultural presentations, special promotions and more. Admission is free.

Visitors will have a chance to participate in a paint-by-numbers mural activity at each festival site. Created by Portland artist Angelina Marino-Heidel, the mural is designed to unify the FX2-Division line with the community. Each of the panels will be joined together and installed this fall on the Cascadia Health building at Southeast 42nd and Division.

People will also have the opportunity to see and ride TriMet’s big, new FX buses that will serve the FX2-Division line. The buses, which are manufactured by Nova Bus, a division of Volvo, are 60-feet long, with an articulated or “bendy” center. The buses not only have room for more riders on board, they will help speed up service, with boarding at all three doors, Hop Fastpass™ fare readers at each entry, contactless, self-securement for a mobility device and bike racks on board. The 31 buses that TriMet purchased for the project are the first articulated buses we’ve had in our fleet in more than 20 years! Learn more at trimet.org/fx/celebrate.

Win prizes, collect FX memorabilia

Each festival site will have giveaways and incentives to encourage visitors to stop by multiple locations. Prizes include a one-of-a-kind FX bus LEGO® set sourced by Bricks & Minifigs Portland, a set of two limited-edition event posters, created by local artist Paul Lanquist and a 2-for-1 ice cream coupons from Salt & Straw. We’re also giving away lots of FX swag, including T-shirts, sunglasses, special-edition Hop cards loaded with fare, and more! 

FX Grand Opening Celebration festival sites

PCC Festival Marketplace (2305 Southeast 82nd Avenue, Portland): Open 12-5 p.m. The PCC Festival Marketplace at PCC Southeast will showcase 34 vendors of Asian-inspired food and entertainment along with other neighborhood businesses and non-profit organizations. Summit Wushu Martial Arts Academy and the White Lotus Dragon and Lion Dance group are among the performers featured throughout the day.

My People’s Market at OMSI/SE Water Station (2201 Southeast Water Avenue, Portland): Open 11 a.m.-5 p.m. This festival will feature My People’s Market — a reimagined marketplace that brings a diverse collection of the Portland area’s entrepreneurs, makers, and artists together. The market will have more than 120 BIPOC vendors, two stages and a beer garden. Entertainment includes live music by local soul band Bridge City Revival, DJ Ashe and numerous other performers.

Gresham Farmers’ Market (401 Northeast Second Street, Gresham): Open 12-5 p.m. FX buses will drop people at the Gresham Central Transit Center, where entertainers will greet them. A special trolley and vintage bus will transport them to the Gresham Farmers’ Market. One of the largest markets in the region, it features local produce, fruit, flowers, nursery stock, handcrafted food items, and more. Live music performances include sing-a-long group The Low Bare Chorale, accordion quartet Paper Bellows and the Americana sounds of JT and the Mudbugs. The market location is also a short 6-minute, 1/3-mile walk from the transit center.

 The festivals and FX2-Division Grand Opening Celebration are made possible due to the generous support of our sponsors, including Raimore Construction, the presenting sponsor and lead construction company for the Division Transit Project. The $175 million project laid the foundation for TriMet’s first FX bus line.

TriMet thanks Raimore and our other sponsors:

Supporting sponsors

• LYT
• Regence Blue Cross/Blue Shield
• Nova Bus
• PGE
• WSP Design

Community sponsors

• Metro
• Oregon Department of Transportation
• Landscape Forms
• Moda Health
• Kaiser Permanente
• Mission Square Retirement
• D-K-S Associates

Please see the full event lineup at trimet.org/fx/celebrate.

Getting there 

Parking at festival locations and along the Division Street corridor is limited. TriMet will be running regular Line 2-Division bus service throughout the celebration. Other buses and MAX run by festival sites. Check trimet.org to plan your trip. 

Division Midway Alliance Festival of Nations

In coordination with the FX2-Division Grand Opening Celebration, the Division Midway Alliance Festival of Nations will take place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Planned Parenthood parking lot at 14601 Southeast Division Street. This event is one of the longest running and largest multicultural festivals east of I-205. It celebrates the diversity of the Division Midway district, featuring cultural foods, performances, entertainment, vendors and community services.

Babblebuy Event Navigation and Business Promotion

We’ve partnered with local small-business app BabbleBuy to help navigate TriMet FX2-Division Grand Opening celebrations, including performers, activities, events and businesses involved.

Additionally, many businesses and restaurants along Division Street also will feature special promotions as part of the grand opening celebration.

FX2-Division launches Sunday, Sept. 18, bringing better, faster bus service to the Division Street corridor, between Gresham and Downtown Portland

You planned your trip. You have your fare. Are you ready to ride TriMet FX®? TriMet’s faster, new, higher-tier bus service launches Sunday, Sept. 18, and we can’t wait to see you on board! While there are many similarities between FX and the fixed-route bus service that TriMet has been providing for more than 50 years, there are also some key differences, when it comes to finding your stop, boarding the bus, paying your fare and how our big new green buses will move you faster. FX works best when everyone does their part to keep things moving. Here’s what you need to know before you go!

Plan your trip: We’ve updated our website, trimet.org, with new schedules for FX2-Division. Plan a trip for Sept. 18 or later to see where you’ll catch FX and how your trip will improve. FX2-Division buses will arrive every 12 minutes for most of the day, every day, with service from about 4:30 a.m. – 1:00 a.m. and easy transfers to MAX and many other bus lines.

Find your bus stop station: We placed 42 pairs of bus stop stations for FX2-Division in areas where ridership and demand are highest. That means many riders will be using a new bus stop station as of Sept. 18. The stations feature weather protection, lighting, TransitTracker™ real-time arrival displays and other amenities, such as garbage cans. 

Choose the best door for boarding: The longer, bendy buses that will serve riders on FX2-Division have three doors for faster boarding. Riders using a mobility device or needing the ramp deployed, as well as those paying fare with cash should always use the front door. Riders traveling with a bicycle must use the rear door. FX buses have bike storage on board rather than on the front of the bus, as another time-saving feature. Other riders   can use any of the three doors.

Pay your fare: With most of our riders now using Hop Fastpass® to pay their fare, we’ve placed Hop readers at all three doors for ease and convenience. Tap your phone, Hop card, or contactless credit or debit card to the reader as you enter the bus. Pay with cash at the first door only. Unlike MAX light rail, Hop readers are located on board the vehicle and not at the station. As all fare payment is processed on board, there are no ticket vending machines at FX bus stop stations.

Select your seat: FX buses have plenty of room, with space on board for more than 100 people. Priority seating for seniors and people with disabilities is located near the front of the bus, behind the operator. Riders using a mobility device have the option to choose a traditional or contactless self-securement system. FX has forward-facing and side-by-side parlor seats throughout the bus. Riders in the very back may appreciate the rear window, which is a unique feature for our FX buses!

Enjoy the ride! Trips on FX will be faster, likely reducing the amount of time that you spend on board. While you’re with us, enjoy 60% more space that’s available on FX. Read a book, scroll your phone or just relax! Remember to press the yellow cord or red stop button near the doors to request a stop. Thank you for riding!

FX2-Division Grand Opening

TriMet is inviting the community to celebrate the launch of the new FX2-Division line on Saturday, Sept. 17. We’re hosting a huge party, with three festival event sites at the OMSI Bridge Lot, Portland Community College (PCC) Southeast and the Gresham Farmers’ Market. In addition to local food and live entertainment at each site, we will also have free rides on our new big, green bendy buses! Come See. Ride Free. Learn more!

FX – Fast, frequent, efficient

The $175 million Division Transit Project laid the foundation for TriMet FX® — Frequent Express — a faster, higher-tier, high-capacity bus service for the 15-mile Division Street corridor between Gresham, East Portland, Southeast Portland and Downtown Portland.

Service opens on Sunday, Sept. 18, with TriMet’s new, 60-foot, articulated buses serving dozens of newly constructed stations throughout the route. The buses will travel faster, helped by special lanes that give buses priority and signals that give buses green lights as autos wait nearby.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) awarded TriMet $87.4 million in federal funding for the Division Transit Project, with local funding also being instrumental. The money didn’t just lay the foundation for better bus service, it helped increase safety across all modes of travel along Division Street, which is a high-crash corridor.

The project, along with coordinated infrastructure improvements planned by the cities of Portland and Gresham, including the City of Portland’s Outer Division Safety Project, will make Division Street safer, whether traveling by bus, car, foot and bike.

The Division Transit Project is also on track to achieve record-setting involvement by businesses owned by minorities, women and other historically disadvantaged groups. Led by prime contractor Raimore Construction, a certified disadvantaged business enterprise (DBE) and minority-owned business itself, the project to date has achieved 84 percent DBE participation, setting a TriMet record for major projects. 

Raimore Construction estimates total disadvantaged business enterprise (DBE) participation to date at more than 75%*, a new record for TriMet

*Data adjusted Sept. 15, 2022

TriMet’s Division Transit Project is on track to achieve another first: record-setting involvement by businesses owned by minorities, women and other historically disadvantaged groups. Led by prime contractor Raimore Construction, a certified disadvantaged business enterprise (DBE) and minority-owned business itself, the project to date has achieved more than 75% DBE participation. That sets a TriMet record for major projects.

DBEs are businesses owned by women or minorities at a level of at least 51%. Companies that are certified as DBEs can receive preference for contracts funded with transportation-related dollars, under programs administered by the U.S. Department of Transportation, the state of Oregon and TriMet. The Division Transit Project, which laid the foundation for TriMet FX® and our first Frequent Express line–FX2-Division–is one such project. FX2-Division service opens to the public on Sunday, Sept. 18.

Raimore built pathway to success 

Raimore Construction made history when TriMet awarded the Division Transit Project contract in 2018. It was the largest contract ever awarded in Oregon to a certified DBE. From the beginning, Raimore promised to bring more certified firms on board as subcontractors for the project. Now, with construction nearly complete and the opening of FX2-Division less than a month away, the Raimore Construction team has more to celebrate. To date, total DBE participation for the project reached more than 75%.

“With the support of government agencies like TriMet, Raimore and firms like ours gain opportunities to pursue meaningful work, which benefits communities in multiple ways,” said President and CEO of Raimore Construction, Jeff Moreland Sr. “Not only will this work improve travel and safety through a diverse transportation corridor, it also lifts up minority-owned businesses, the people who work for them and their families.”

“Raimore Construction has been a great partner — talented, determined, and dedicated to the community and helping others find a path to success,” said TriMet General Manager Sam Desue Jr. “I’m proud TriMet first partnered with them more than 20 years ago during the Interstate MAX project, and that decades later, we were able to award Raimore the largest DBE contract in Oregon history.”

A way forward for minority and woman-owned subcontractors

As the general contractor on the $175 million Division Transit Project, as well as the lead contractor on the City of Portland’s accompanying $13 million Outer Division Safety Project, Raimore and minority-owned businesses have helped transform Division Street. The projects have increased safety, with new sidewalks, pedestrian crossings with signals, pedestrian protection at intersections, protected bike lanes, raised center medians and more. 

For the Division Transit Project, Raimore utilized DBE subcontractors including: A2 Metals LLC, Advanced Tribal LLC, Affordable Electric Inc., Alarm Tracks Inc., Alcantar and Associates LLC, All About Flagging LLC, Alvin L. Hall/Rock & Road Construction LLC, Bailey’s Construction Unlimited, Bestrade Enterprises Inc, Brothers Concrete Cutting Inc., Champion Parking Lot Maintenance Co., C.O.A.T. Flagging, Egami Construction Inc., Fremont Forest Systems Inc., Gateway Trucking LLC, IML Services LLC, J & R Trucking LLC, Just Bucket Excavating, Lemus Construction LLC, Mainstream Landscape Maintenance LLC, McDonald Excavating Inc., Miller Factors LLC, Northwest Geotech Inc., Precision Landscape Services Inc., Pro Eagle Trucking, S & F Land Services LLC, Shadow Guard Security Group Corp, Thuy Tu Consulting LLC, and WB Family Construction Inc.

Support for disadvantaged businesses

TriMet has a demonstrated history of engaging diverse community members in our workforce and business practices. We adopted our first goals for engaging minority- and women-owned businesses in 1982. The Federal Transit Administration has looked to our program as a national model for improving diversity in transportation contracting. Learn how our Disadvantaged Business Enterprise program supports businesses owned by women and people of color.

The future of transit is FX

TriMet’s launch of FX2-Division will bring a new type of high-capacity bus service to the region. With its longer, 60-foot buses, FX will allow more people to ride—60% more per bus—at frequencies of 12 minutes throughout most of the day. FX2 will run daily, with service from about 4:30 a.m. – 1:00 a.m.

TriMet is inviting the community to celebrate the launch of the new FX2-Division line on Saturday, Sept. 17. We’re hosting a huge party, with three festival event sites at OMSI, Portland Community College (PCC) Southeast and the Gresham Farmers’ Market. In addition to local food and live entertainment at each site, we will also have free rides on our new big, green bendy buses! Come See. Ride Free. Learn more!

A first-of-its-kind for TriMet, FX2-Division begins service on Sunday, Sept. 18

On Sunday, Sept. 18, TriMet will start something new: FX or Frequent Express bus service. FX is better bus service, with longer, bendy buses with more room for riders and improvements that will help keep buses out of traffic, speed up travel times and get people to their destinations faster. Our first FX bus line, FX2-Division, brings higher tier bus service to the 15-mile Division Street corridor. It is expected to reduce ride times between Gresham and Downtown Portland by about 20%! 

The Division Transit Project laid the way for FX service. Construction began in early 2020 and is nearly complete. Here’s a look at the top five tasks that we’re working to check off our “to do” list ahead of the Sept. 18 launch:

1. Finalizing maps, schedules, trip planning tools

TriMet is finalizing maps, schedules and trip planning tools to help our riders hop on board when FX2-Division starts to roll. The new line follows the same route as our soon-to-be retired Line 2-Division, with two major exceptions: The route extends farther east, providing a new transit connection between Gresham Central Transit Center and Cleveland Park and Ride, though riders can still transfer to Line 20-Burnside/Stark for a quick connection to Mt Hood Community College. It also uses Tilikum Crossing, Bridge of the People, to cross the Willamette River to Downtown Portland, whereas the current Line 2 uses the Hawthorne Bridge. By moving to Tilikum Crossing, FX service will benefit from the use of exclusive transit lanes that keep riders out of traffic congestion and connect students and employees to OHSU and PCC.  

Our website, trimet.org, is your best source of information on new and existing service, and we’ve already made updates with the new FX2-Division schedule, so you can easily plan a trip. Visit trimet.org and enter a date of Sept. 18 or later to see where you’ll catch FX and how your trip will improve. FX2-Division buses will arrive every 12 minutes for most of the day, every day, with service from about 4:30 a.m. – 1:00 a.m. and easy transfers to MAX and many other bus lines.

2. Installing amenities and features at bus stop stations

FX2-Division has 42 pairs of newly constructed bus stop stations along the 15-mile route, between Gresham and Downtown Portland. The stations are built to reflect one of four different designs, each selected based on its location. TriMet placed stations in areas where rider demand is highest, to help minimize unnecessary stops and keep riders moving.

Over the next several weeks, we’ll be working closely with our contractors to put finishing touches on the stations, which look and feel a lot like MAX stations. They will be fully equipped with weather protection, seating, TransitTracker(™) real-time arrival digital displays and other amenities. Each station has special markings and signs to help direct riders and people passing through and keep everyone safe.

3. Training operators and frontline staff to help riders get used to bigger buses

It’s been more than 20 years since TriMet last had 60-foot-long, articulated buses in our fleet, and a lot has changed in the decades since! So, we’re getting our operators and other frontline staff ready to help riders use the big new bendy buses on FX2-Division. The buses are longer, with room for 60% more riders on board. They can carry more than 100 people, but many are surprised to learn that the bus is about the same width of a typical bus and can make tight turns with ease. 

The new buses have three doors, with electronic Hop Fastpass™ readers for contactless fare payment at every door, two internal bike racks and priority seating for seniors and people with disabilities. Riders using mobility devices must use the front door, where they can request a ramp to be deployed. People with bicycles enter through the rear door, which provides faster and easier access to onboard bike storage.

4. Testing transit priority technology

FX2-Division is expected to cut travel times for riders between Gresham and Downtown Portland by about 20%. TriMet and our transportation partners with the cities of Gresham and Portland worked to incorporate special transit priority features into the design, to help keep buses out of traffic and keep riders moving. 

During the final weeks before the new service launches, we’re taking time to test and sync special traffic signals that will give buses more green lights as they travel Division. We’re also excited to see new signs going in and lane striping nearing completion, including business access and transit (BAT) lanes at key locations. The new bus lane between 110th and 122nd avenues will speed up eastbound bus trips, especially during busy afternoon traffic.

5. Planning a big grand opening celebration

We’re throwing a party, and everyone’s invited. We’re planning a big celebration to welcome the community to our new FX service. On Saturday, Sept. 17, the day before service officially opens, the public is invited to join us for not one but three festivals along the route, at OMSI, Portland Community College (PCC) Southeast and the Gresham Farmers’ Market.

Each site, which will be open from Noon until 5 p.m., will feature local food, live entertainment and a paint-by-numbers mural that the whole family can enjoy. We’re also excited to debut a new type of attraction that honors the area’s rich cultural traditions: My People’s Market at OMSI, which opens early at 11 a.m.

Plus, there will be free rides on FX buses all afternoon! Come see! Ride free! 

Hiring operators to drive our future

If you’ve ever dreamed of sitting behind the wheel of an FX articulated bus, an electric bus or one of our 700 workhorse buses that serve our riders daily, join our team and put yourself in the driver’s seat!

New operators earn $25.24 an hour to start and are eligible for a $7,500 bonus, in addition to benefits like health, dental and vision plans with low- to no-cost, a 401a retirement plan with an 8% employer contribution and up to $25,000 in life insurance for full-time operators, provided by TriMet. 

And, you’ll gain the satisfaction and stability of working for TriMet, a public agency, which has been serving the greater Portland area for more than 50 years! Visit trimet.org/drive to learn more and apply today! 

With resources from Keep Oregon Moving, TriMet continues to find new ways to support low-income riders with a free pass for unlimited rides for the first month of enrollment

Relief is on the way for new and returning riders to TriMet’s income-based reduced fare program. You’re getting a month of unlimited rides on our buses and trains, for free! This year, as a result of COVID-19’s impact on ridership, we have access to an unexpected financial resource: unspent funds from the state of Oregon. These funds, which were distributed to TriMet under Keep Oregon Moving, must be used to help riders with low incomes access transit.

Starting in July and for the next two years, TriMet will give every new and re-enrolling participant in our reduced fare program based on income a free, one-month pass. This will offer continued support to the many riders and essential workers who have relied on our system throughout 2 ½ years of the pandemic’s unprecedented impact, while ensuring the funds serve the members of our community for whom they are intended.

A reduced fare for those who qualify based on income

TriMet’s reduced fare based on income is available to Oregon residents, ages 18 through 64, who qualify for our Honored Citizen Fare based solely on annual income. The discounted rate is available to people who participate in programs such as Oregon Health Plan (OHP) or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), or who earn up to 200% of the federal poverty rate. That’s currently about $27,180 per year for an individual and $55,500 for a household of four. Participation grants unlimited rides on TriMet’s fixed-route buses and trains for 50% off the cost of a 2 ½ hour or full-day ride. It caps monthly costs for riding at $28 per month, a $72 discount off the cost of Adult fare.

Since TriMet began offering income-based reduced fare in 2018, more than 42,000 Oregonians have signed up to ride for less. Participants are required to re-submit documents verifying qualification in the program every two years. See if you qualify and find easy steps for verifying income and getting your personalized Honored Citizen Hop card at trimet.org/save.

TriMet Transit Assistance Pass: How it works

Starting in July of 2022, TriMet will grant a one month pass to every new and renewing participant in the program. Identified as the “TriMet Transit Assistance” pass, it will provide a month of rides across the system. The pass will be loaded into the participant’s personalized Hop Fastpass® account once they complete the enrollment process. 

Riders must tap their Hop card to activate the pass. During the month-long period for which the pass can be used, riders should remember to tap with every ride to show proof of valid fare. The dates that the pass is valid will be displayed in account information that is available at myhopcard.com, the Hop app and by calling 1-844-MYHOPCARD.

Unexpected, one-time Keep Oregon Moving funds available for use

The Keep Oregon Moving Act created the state’s first-ever stable source of funding for public transportation and helped establish TriMet’s low-income fare program. However, with fewer people riding during the COVID-19 pandemic, less funds set aside for the program were used. TriMet is taking advantage of the available funding to provide additional support for people struggling financially.

Over the next two years, TriMet will pilot expanded programs with the funding, which will be managed within our current Access Transit Fare Program. The new programs will provide additional resources for individuals who are low income and also part of a vulnerable rider group, such as seniors, veterans, college students and people experiencing disabilities. 

The free month pass for current and re-enrolling participants in TriMet’s reduced fare program based on income, is the second program to roll out this year. In May, we announced that a portion of the redirected funding would go toward expanding access to transit during summer months for high school-aged students at the 18 school districts within our tri-county district, which also participate in our Access Transit High School Program. 

Although these programs are short-term in nature and meant to serve as pilots to help inform future approaches and efforts, TriMet staff will be working with members of the Committee for Accessible Transportation (CAT), the Transit Equity Advisory Committee (TEAC) and others to explore new and different funding strategies that could be used to sustain and grow these efforts in the future.

Committed to equity

TriMet believes access to public transportation is access to opportunity, and we are committed to transit equity. As a public transportation agency, we serve a broad and diverse community. Our values are rooted in ensuring all riders have fair and equal access to transit services, without regard to race, national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability or income level. Learn more at trimet.org/equity.