From June 16-21, nightly MAX service between PDX and Gateway will be disrupted beginning at 7:30 p.m.

A milestone approaches for TriMet’s newest trains before they enter regular service: testing on the MAX Red Line. It will happen this June over six consecutive nights. To provide dedicated space for testing, the Red Line will experience nightly disruptions from Sunday, June 16, through Friday, June 21, between the Gateway/NE 99th Ave Transit Center and Portland International Airport.

To lessen the impact on riders, we’re limiting the disruption to evenings and the overnight hours when ridership is lower. Shuttle buses will replace MAX Red Line trains starting at 7:30 p.m. and last until the end of service, stopping at all closed stations between the Gateway Transit Center and PDX. Red Line service will then resume each morning on its regular schedule.

MAX Red Line service will be fully restored after testing is completed on Saturday, June 22.

The disruption is necessary to give our newest light rail vehicles— our “Type 6” MAX trains — dedicated track space to conduct electromagnetic compatibility tests. Electromagnetic fields are common. It’s how radio, TV and cellular signals are transmitted. During testing, crews will need to clear an area to set up equipment to measure the train’s electromagnetic characteristics to ensure the trains do not create excessive emissions and that emissions don’t interfere with safe train operation. These tests are required before any new light rail vehicle enters regular service, ensuring that it’s compatible with industry standards as well as our existing rail system.

June 16-21: Know before you go

We’ll be moving riders around the nighttime disruptions using shuttle buses. Those shuttles will run between Gateway and PDX, arriving about every 10 minutes. They will continue until the end of service in the early morning hours. There will be no impacts on the MAX Blue, Green, Orange or Yellow lines.

You can sign up for alerts now by going to trimet.org/emailupdates and be reminded of the disruptions directly as they approach. We encourage riders to plan an extra 30 minutes for their trips for the times when shuttle buses are operating in place of MAX service. Shuttle buses at PDX will pick up and drop off riders outside the doors of the lower baggage claim area, near the MAX station. Look for signs directing the way.

Luggage is welcome aboard MAX Red Line shuttle buses, but please keep in mind that there will be less space on board. We will have extra staff available to assist riders and help them make their connections.

We want to thank riders in advance for their patience and understanding. Although introducing a new type of train is involved work, it’s something that’s worth the investment. Light rail vehicles are capable of serving riders for decades. Our oldest trains have been in continuous operation for 38 years!

Type 6 testing

We’re eager to get our newest MAX trains rolling for riders. And we’re getting close! In total, we’re introducing 30 new vehicles, and we’ve been putting them through a series of tests these past several months to prepare them for service. Two trains have already entered the final operational testing phase, what we call the “burn-in,” where we run them out of service for 5,000 miles. The rest of the trains will go through a 1,500-mile burn-in.

TriMet expects to start introducing the new vehicles beginning this summer. Similar to all but our oldest trains, which were introduced in 1986, these are manufactured by Siemens Mobility. They feature operator cabs on both ends and space on board for 168 riders.

Once the trains are in service, riders will be greeted by a top-of-the-line vehicle that’s comfortable and efficient, with improved technology, better lighting, updated digital displays and improved temperature controls. They will also feature upgraded diagnostics, making it easier to predict when maintenance is needed. For more information, visit trimet.org/max6.

$1.84 billion budget provides framework to grow ridership, improve the customer experience and add service, as operator staffing levels allow

During its May business meeting, the TriMet Board of Directors adopted the agency’s Fiscal Year 2025 budget. The $1.84 billion budget supports TriMet’s goals to restore ridership to pre-pandemic levels and beyond in an ambitious, agency-wide effort to bring more people on board our buses and trains than ever before. Our world-class transit system – which currently serves about 1.3 million trips each week – connects people with opportunities and improves our region’s livability. When the community supports transit, you not only help people who ride, but you also benefit the entire Portland region, bringing us closer to achieving climate goals, relieving traffic congestion, improving the movement of freight and other goods and fueling economic growth.

TriMet’s budget for the coming fiscal year that runs from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025 includes:

• $508 million for operations
• $229 million for general and administrative costs
• $200 million for capital and operating projects
• $903 million for contingency, debt service, fund balance, other non-operating requirements and other post-employment benefits.

When it approved TriMet’s FY2025 Budget in April, the Multnomah County Tax and Supervision Conservation Committee (TSCC) confirmed all estimates to be reasonable and in compliance with Oregon Local Budget Law. Following the TSCC’s certification, TriMet revised some budget totals based on updated financial performance and internal reports. Altogether, the changes increased expenditures by approximately $89 million, an amount which falls within limits allowed by state law.

Funding priorities

The budget provides for the continued operation and maintenance of our transit system, which covers 533 square miles across Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas counties. It accounts for plans to expand and improve bus service with our Forward Together service concept; continue expanding investments in safety, security and cleaning; invest in capital and operating projects that improve the rider experience; and, advance our transition to a 100% zero-emissions bus fleet. In addition, the budget provides a framework for TriMet’s reorganization and strategic planning, including the creation of two new divisions to align agency initiatives and priorities to grow ridership. TriMet is working to address operator and mechanic shortages, but we expect staffing challenges to continue through the next fiscal year.

Funding resources

TriMet’s primary funding resources include $83 million in operating revenue; $540 million in tax revenues and $170 million in federal funding. Additional resources include the Statewide Transportation Investment Fund (STIF), which is a vital resource for service and fare programs. 

The fiscal year 2025 budget incorporates the first full year of the fare increase that began in January 2024. The base fare increase was our first in more than a decade, but TriMet minimized the impact, especially for frequent riders, by choosing not to increase monthly rates for Adult, Honored Citizen and Youth riders. One hundred percent of the funds that TriMet receives from fares go toward our transit service. 

Fiscal Year 2025 Budget

The adopted budget reflects TriMet’s Business Plan, which provides critical guidance to TriMet’s operating and capital investments. Review the final, adopted version at trimet.org/budget.

Non-TriMet employees are now eligible to apply directly for MAX operator jobs and enter training pipeline

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

TriMet is offering a fast track to a career in light rail operations. For the first time ever, we are seeking candidates from outside TriMet who are interested in becoming MAX operators. This comes as TriMet continues our biggest hiring push in the agency’s history.

Positions come with a starting wage of $29.18 per hour and a $7,500 hiring bonus, with regular pay increases as part of the Working and Wage Agreement between TriMet and the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) 757. In addition to representation by the ATU, MAX operators receive great benefits, access to overtime, generous retirement accounts, paid time off and career development opportunities. 

Beginning Friday, April 26, people with no prior TriMet experience can apply to become MAX operators at trimet.org/careers. This gives you the chance to join an exclusive team of dedicated, highly-trained light rail professionals who keep the region moving every day. No bus training is required!

After the hiring process, candidates will bypass the seven-week bus operator training and instead be slotted into the next available MAX training class. Due to the fast-tracking of available MAX positions, they are open to candidates with a safe driving record and who already possess a valid Class “A or B” Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) or who can obtain a CDL permit. This requires taking three written tests at the DMV. Once employed, TriMet provides CDL driving training, with new hires obtaining their licenses on the job.

MAXimum career potential 

We know that operating a train is a dream for many people. After all, it isn’t an opportunity that comes along often. It requires learning the “language of the railroad” and developing unique skills, along with committing to a culture of customer service and safety. No matter what position you fill at TriMet, you’re the point person to help our customers and make sure they feel safe and welcome. These foundational skills are priorities for TriMet, and excelling at them opens a world of possibilities! 

In addition to the $7,500 hiring bonus, MAX operators receive a generous package of benefits that includes:

• Medical, dental, vision, disability and life insurance plans at low or no monthly cost
• Two retirement plans, with an 8% agency base pay contribution to an employee’s 401a account
• One week of paid vacation and up to 40 hours sick leave in the first year of employment, with paid time off rolling over and increasing over time
• Health and dependent care spending accounts
• Access to our Employee Assistance Program with mental health and counseling services, legal assistance, financial coaching and home ownership programs
• Annual transit pass for employee and eligible family members
• 24-hour access to five exclusive, low-cost, on-site fitness centers
• Representation by Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) 75

Requirements and opportunities

One of the unsung benefits of TriMet is the opportunity for career advancement. TriMet often hires from within for supervisory and managerial positions that require knowledge of our procedures and system. Exciting future career opportunities include Rail Training Supervisor, Rail Supervisor, Rail Controller, Rail Service Coordinator and many others.

MAX operator positions themselves were first extended to internal candidates before being made available to the general public. They require:

• A high school diploma or GED
• At least three years of driving experience with a clean record
• Ability to obtain an Oregon or Washington Commercial Learner Permit
• Ability to meet the physical requirements of the position

Get hired, receive training

Becoming a MAX operator requires extensive training. During training, you’ll become an expert on each of TriMet’s five lines. Training lasts 12 weeks and includes classroom and field instruction behind the controls. In addition to obtaining your Commercial Driver’s License, you’ll learn the ins and outs of operating a train safely and ways to troubleshoot problems. 

Join the team!

TriMet is hiring for a whole range of positions amid an historically tight employment market. Nonetheless, jobs in transit remain competitive, appealing and stable. We continue to hire maintenance workers, technicians, cleaners, mechanics and operators. 

Growth is our goal. This means bringing on even more operators–not only to match the current demand, but also to help meet future needs. Starting this summer, we will be increasing MAX Red Line service by extending it 10 stations west, from Beaverton to Hillsboro. Along with that, our Forward Together Service Concept emphasizes growing ridership and improving connections by expanding our Frequent Service bus network and extending bus service to new areas. This multi-year concept for service improvements, through 2029, requires bus and rail operators to support it.
To learn more about all the jobs TriMet offers, visit trimet.org/careers.

Transit centers, rail stations and vehicles are focus of efforts to improve cleanliness, safety and the overall riding experience

Equipped with grabber claws and bright orange buckets, members of TriMet’s specially trained “Clean Team” receive the ‘all clear’ from their lookout to start walking the tracks when MAX trains have passed. Once on the tracks, they use the claws to scrape, pry and pluck away trash, filling their buckets with enough debris to make a significant dent in litter.

Each month, they collect roughly 1,200 pounds of trash across our transit system, the equivalent in weight to an adult female polar bear. Considering most of this waste is made up of scraps–empty cups, wrappers and cigarette butts–it’s a big haul. It’s also just one part of a larger initiative to spruce up our system through enhanced cleaning, with a growing, multi-team effort that TriMet spearheaded in late 2023 to improve the system’s overall look and feel. 

The Clean Team is made up of employees from TriMet’s Facilities and Maintenance of Way departments, along with contractors specializing in painting and other repair work. 

Six months after getting started, more than 100 internal employees along with contractors are now dedicated to the effort, which spans everything from deep cleaning stations, to removing and replacing bus shelters, to repainting stations and installing new signs everywhere we can.

It’s more than picking up trash—it’s a comprehensive series of upgrades to make the experience better for our riders. Altogether, the continuous work serves a dual purpose: In the short term, it addresses the use that our system sees from more than 1.3 million trips per week. But in the long term, it sends the message that litter, tagging and damaged amenities are not tolerated and will be addressed quickly. 

Clean Team 

At the Providence Park MAX Station, a pressure washer is blasting away dirt and bird droppings. It’s something you might see elsewhere in the system right now, in part as a preemptive measure to maintain safety and cleanliness.

Pressure washing has become one of TriMet’s priorities in 2024. After all, the cleaner a station is, the more inviting it is. With more than 90 stations in the MAX light rail system, some receive extra attention due to higher ridership and the number of pigeons they attract.

Compared to two years ago, TriMet has more than doubled the number of times we have cleaned stations in the first quarter of 2024. We are already on track to wash and scrub stations more than 2,100 times this year!

Compared to two years ago, TriMet has more than doubled the number of times we have cleaned stations in the first quarter of 2024. We are already on track to wash and scrub stations more than 2,100 times this year!

The emphasis on stations will be expanded starting this summer. Crews will start rehabilitating every MAX station, spending about one month per station improving the tactile strips, repainting shelters and performing other upgrades. This comes on top of the bus shelters we have already replaced throughout the system.

Preventing damage

TriMet’s Clean Team is also working to prevent concrete from buckling, making it safer to walk by protecting stations and sidewalks from cracks that could create hazards. Often, this results from roots damaging concrete as trees grow.

Crews have started replacing the metal grates around trees, which can become tripping hazards when heaved up. They’re using a softer material that, unlike concrete, allows the trees to receive water but prevents roots from breaking through the surface. For empty tree wells, where trees have already been removed, crews have filled them with concrete to create a flat surface. It also makes them look better.

Making it cleaner and safer

Cleanliness and safety go hand-in-hand. Our riders thrive when they see a transit system that feels comfortable and inviting. TriMet’s enhanced cleaning comes as we also continue building out a comprehensive series of safety and security initiatives. 

Since 2022, TriMet has more than doubled the number of safety and security personnel we have on the system. That number will continue to grow in the months ahead, with TriMet’s 2025 approved budget quadrupling the safety and security budget compared to where it was in 2022.

In addition to having more safety and security personnel out on our system, our Clean Team and other field staff provide an extra presence. Among them are end-of-the-line cleaners. They are stationed at key transit Centers and MAX stations to take care of spills and trash during parts of the service day. They help make sure vehicles remain welcoming while in active service.

You, too, can do your part to help our Clean Team and take pride in the system.

• Use trash cans at stations and on board vehicles.
• Don’t feed the pigeons.
• Report unwanted or inappropriate behavior.

To report a non-urgent concern directly to TriMet Security 24 hours a day, text or call 503-238-7433 (RIDE), or submit a report online. And for more information about TriMet’s security initiatives, go to trimet.org/security.

A section of Gresham’s MAX Blue Line will be closed from April 7-13 for rail crossing upgrades

Improvements are coming to a rail crossing in the heart of Gresham, work that will increase the durability of the MAX system and create a better commute for riders and motorists alike. For crews to complete the work, a section of the MAX Blue Line will be closed between E 172nd Avenue and Cleveland Ave MAX stations from Sunday, April 7, through Saturday, April 13. 

The work will impact five MAX stations, with shuttle buses serving all closed stations and taking riders between E 172nd Ave and Cleveland Ave. We have tried to arrange shuttle buses so riders won’t have long waits, but changes to the MAX schedule may impact connections.

Bus Line 20-Burnside/Stark will also experience a minor detour in both directions while construction is taking place.

We encourage riders to plan their trips now at trimet.org/planner, using April 7-13 as the dates, and to expect them to take a little longer. As buses may be a faster option for some trips, it’s also important to note that FX2-Division–as well as lines 9, 20, 25 and 77–may experience higher ridership during the disruption.

The Gresham MAX Improvements Project will replace the crossing and rail located at the intersection of Southeast Stark Street and East Burnside Street, near the Rockwood/SE 188th Ave MAX Station. The intersection is a busy one, located in an area that has seen growing transportation demands since 1986. That’s when the MAX Blue Line opened. In the following 38 years, the crossing has seen countless vehicles–trains, cars and trucks–travel over it. Rail crossing improvements like this one are an important part of providing efficient, reliable and safe light rail service–now and in the future.

Getting around the disruption

Sign up for service alerts now for a reminder about this disruption and others that may affect you. You can do so at trimet.org/email. During the disruption, TriMet will have On-Street Customer Service as well as other field staff at stations to provide in-person guidance on making connections.

Shuttle buses will be clearly marked, arriving about every 15 to 20 minutes. No other MAX service will be impacted by the disruption.

Why rail crossings?

Rail crossings can see more activity than almost any other place on the MAX system. They’re built to withstand decades of jostling and heavy vehicles traveling over them, both light rail and automobiles. But there comes a time when crossings should receive some attention. This not only prevents the possibility of unplanned repairs and keeps people moving, it ensures our light rail system is as safe and reliable as it can be.

After decades of use, crossings can begin to sink and dip when vehicles pass over them. The upcoming work will benefit MAX Blue Line riders, who will feel a smoother rider once it’s completed. Motorists will likely feel less of a jolt when they drive through the intersection as well.

Making Transit Better

TriMet works continuously to improve our MAX and bus systems. Over the past several months, we’ve completed major construction on portions of the A Better Red MAX Extension and Reliability Improvements project, including the completion of a second track and new MAX station at Portland International Airport, the result of four months of work last summer, and the new Gateway North MAX station and MAX bridges just north of the Gateway Transit Center. Also in March, we completed work that ultimately will allow us to extend the MAX Red Line to Hillsboro starting later this summer. While the Gresham MAX Improvements Project is unrelated to A Better Red, it is part of the overall goal of making transit better.

We thank our riders for their patience as we complete the work, which will also include litter removal and station deep cleaning. The upgrades will make this part of the MAX system more resilient at the same time as improving the riding experience by making it smoother and quieter. For more information, visit trimet.org/improvements. 

Construction has begun on two additional stories of parking at the SE Park Avenue Park & Ride 

TriMet kicked off a year-long project that will free-up more parking at an historically busy Park & Ride in North Clackamas County, giving commuters southeast of Portland more access to transit. The project will also fully realize the original plans for the Portland-Milwaukie Light Rail Project, which brought federal funds to the region for the MAX Orange Line, completed in 2015.

Construction will expand the three-story structure at the south end of the MAX Orange Line by two additional floors, adding 334 new spaces, including six accessible parking spaces. The project will also add wiring and equipment to support 40 additional electric vehicle charging stalls. The new parking will open in spring 2025, and the electric vehicle charging stalls will open at a later date. With the exception of the third floor, the Park & Ride will remain open during the majority of construction.

A five-story parking facility was originally planned for SE Park Ave, but TriMet deferred construction until we could ensure  federal funding remained in the project budget to build it. Development of the MAX Orange Line itself came in under budget, allowing us to tap federal money for the Park & Ride expansion. 

When the three-story Park & Ride opened in 2015, with 401 spaces, it quickly became one of TriMet’s most popular, often filling to capacity on weekdays or during events. TriMet had planned for this possibility, building the structure to allow for its future growth. As a short-term measure, TriMet entered into an agreement with the adjacent Milwaukie-Portland Elks Lodge #142 to lease spaces in its parking lot to manage overflow.

While demand is less today due to travel changes following the COVID-19 pandemic, adding the two new floors of parking now allows us to build for the future to match the growing transit needs in North Clackamas County—without inconveniencing riders. 

Short-term construction, long-term benefits

Expanding the garage will make it easier and more convenient for people to reach jobs, services or other important destinations. The SE Park Avenue Park & Ride is served by the MAX Orange Line and bus lines 33-McLoughlin/King Rd and 99-Macadam/McLoughlin. The Line 291-Orange Night Bus also serves the station from Downtown Portland, replacing MAX Orange Line trains after midnight. 

While both the garage and the onsite Bike & Ride will remain open during construction, the entrance from McLoughlin Boulevard will be closed through the project’s completion. Drivers will enter and exit from the driveway off Southeast Park Avenue. The sidewalk on McLoughlin Boulevard will remain open, however. The Park & Ride elevator will also be closed during construction. 

TriMet’s goal is for roughly 20% of the construction contract be set aside for certified disadvantaged business enterprise (DBE) firms. DBEs are businesses owned by minorities or women at a level of at least 51%, with these contracts used to build a diverse and skilled workforce while at the same time making critical improvements to our region’s transportation system. 

Design and site features

In addition to increasing the garage’s capacity, the project will add decorative panels that vines will climb. The landscaping surrounding the garage will be temporarily removed during construction. It will be replaced when the project is completed. We’re also temporarily removing the garage’s rooftop solar panels to accommodate construction.

Learn more about the Park Avenue Park & Ride expansion at trimet.org/bettertransit/park.

Proposals aimed at adding and expanding bus service, improving MAX maintenance and reliability and speeding up trains head before TriMet Board March 27

TriMet’s Board of Directors will take up proposals next week at their March meeting that are geared toward improving bus and MAX service. They’ll begin considering two ordinances, one for our Fiscal Year 2025 service plans, which includes expansion of night buses to replace late-night MAX trains, adding three bus lines and adjusting 30 others, as well as bringing bus service hours within 5% of pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels. The second ordinance calls for closing the Skidmore Fountain MAX Station to speed up MAX Blue and Red Line service.

The Board is meeting Wednesday, March 27, at Clackamas Community College, rooms 170/172 in the Harmony West Building, 7738 SE Harmony Rd., Milwaukie. They will hold a public hearing as part of the first reading of each ordinance, as required by Oregon Budget Law. Public forum will begin at 9:30 a.m., with in-person sign-ups beginning at 9 a.m. Virtual testimony sign-ups will close at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, March 26. For more information on sign-up for virtual testimony or to provide written testimony, visit trimet.org/meetings/board.

TriMet previously engaged the community around the proposals. We conducted outreach and held a series of open houses in fall 2023 about our Forward Together bus service improvements, receiving more than 1,700 comments. Additional outreach and open houses were held in January 2024, focused on the second year of bus service changes under our Forward Together plan, as well as the MAX night bus network and Skidmore Fountain concepts. More than 1,000 comments were received. The proposal to close the Skidmore Fountain MAX Station has gone through extensive outreach previously and years of review.

Forward Together enters year two

TriMet’s bus service improvements are in full swing through our Forward Together Revised Service Plan. They’re designed to build better connections and increase ridership. After all, riders are front and center in the improvements, playing a major role in crafting the Forward Together plan in 2022. Our goal is to focus on how and where people ride, and to improve connections to destinations, particularly for people with low and limited incomes.

The second year of Forward Together looks to add three bus lines to our Frequent Service network, with buses arriving every 15 minutes or more often for most of the day, every day. Plans also call for three new bus lines and changes to 27 other bus lines.

To learn more about all of the proposed changes, visit trimet.org/betterbus.

Improving MAX reliability with a night bus network

TriMet has the second-shortest overnight maintenance period of any transit agency in the United States that operates light rail. That’s despite just 2% of MAX riders making trips after midnight. In late summer/early fall of 2023, an average of just over 1,200 trips were taken across all MAX lines between midnight and the start of service shortly before 4 a.m.

Providing late night transit service on buses along the MAX lines would extend our light rail maintenance period, reducing the need to disrupt MAX service during the day in order to accomplish critical rail improvements and reduce unplanned disruptions as well. A longer period of downtime on the MAX system would also allow maintenance teams to perform more thorough cleaning and detailing work aboard our trains after hours.  While the overnight window differs by MAX line, there is currently only a 47-minute period when no trains are running anywhere on the system.

We’re modeling the proposed MAX night bus network after the existing Line 291-Orange night bus. Line 291 was established in 2015 to provide more service from Downtown Portland to Milwaukie while at the same time giving crews a window to perform work on MAX tracks.

Similar to Line 291, the night buses would replace trips after midnight on the MAX Blue, Red and Yellow lines. For the Blue Line, its shuttle buses would be split between two separate segments due to its length — a Blue Line East, between Cleveland Ave in Gresham and Goose Hollow, and Blue Line West, between Hatfield Government Center in Hillsboro and the Rose Quarter Transit Center. This will help buses stay on schedule and give operators more opportunities for breaks. A MAX Green Line night bus is not needed because the Green Line already has a nearly five-hour overnight work window. Additionally, service between Milwaukie and Downtown Portland would be added to the Line 291-Orange Night Bus, which currently offers only southbound service to Milwaukie.

Skidmore Fountain: streamlining service

The best transit system designs strike the right balance between speed and convenience in order to maximize ridership and serve the community. With this in mind, TriMet has examined ways to speed up service, including the removal of some MAX stations in Downtown Portland.

In 2019, TriMet conducted a station optimization study to determine whether the closure of four downtown stations could improve efficiency and retain convenience. TriMet identified the Kings Hill/SW Salmon, Mall/SW 4th Ave, Mall/SW 5th Ave and Skidmore Fountain MAX stations as the best candidates for consolidation. While the other stations have already closed, Skidmore Fountain, which is only two blocks from the Old Town/Chinatown MAX Station—or 500 feet—underwent a multi-year review. TriMet is moving to close the station in fall 2025 as it has not met the two conditions identified to remain open: 1) ridership did not increase at the station and 2) development in the area did not occur. In addition to the Old Town/Chinatown Station being just two blocks away, the Oak/SW 1st Ave Station is also close by, just four blocks to the south.

Evaluations following the closures of the Mall and Kings Hill/SW Salmon stations found time savings of two minutes, which we hope to further improve with Skidmore’s closure.

Learn more at trimet.org/maxdowntown.