MAX Blue Line in Hillsboro to be disrupted March 16-24 for signal system upgrades

Construction of TriMet’s A Better Red MAX Extension and Reliability Improvements Project is nearing the end of the line in more ways than one.

The final planned disruption for the multi-year project will take place from Saturday, March 16, through Sunday, March 24, along a stretch of the MAX Blue Line in Hillsboro. Shuttle buses will serve closed stations between Orenco Station and Hatfield Government Center. This will allow crews to finish signal work in and around the Fair Complex/Hillsboro Airport MAX Station, what will become the new end of the line for MAX Red Line trains beginning this summer.

The disruption is essential to the 10-station extension of the MAX Red Line from Beaverton Transit Center to Fair Complex/Hillsboro Airport, opening in late August. We will complete the Hillsboro signal work this spring to provide time for operator training and to complete finishing touches on the project prior to the extension’s opening.

The upcoming March disruption will be limited to the MAX Blue Line in Hillsboro. For all other lines, trains will be running on their regular schedules and continue serving all of their stations. TriMet will have On-Street Customer Service personnel and other staff available to help riders make their connections during the disruption.

Help getting around

We want to help you get around this nine-day disruption with ease. Not only will TriMet staff be available at closed stations to answer questions, we will also have signs up directing you to shuttle bus stops. Now is also a good time to start thinking ahead. We encourage you to plan up to an extra 30 minutes for your trips.

You can use our trip-planning tool on trimet.org now for travel times and details. Remember to use a date between March 16-24. We also suggest you go to trimet.org/email to create an account and sign up for alerts. (Make sure to sign up for MAX Blue Line for reminders about this upcoming disruption, but all bus and MAX lines are available to match how you travel.)

You can reach out to TriMet’s Customer Service team by calling or texting 503-238-RIDE (7433) daily between 7:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Or you can drop us a direct message on X (formerly Twitter) at @trimethelp. You can also check out our page dedicated to planned improvements projects: trimet.org/hillsboro.

A Better Red

This is a big year for A Better Red. It’s when all the improvements come together, concluding with extended MAX Red Line service to Hillsboro. For that to happen, we have to finish two major portions of the project. We’re almost there!

First, construction at the Gateway Transit Center is completing a major redesign of the track and systems, resulting in the new Gateway North MAX Station and improved train reliability. Regular MAX service returns on Monday, March 4, with the opening of the new station.

Finally, the March work in Hillsboro will complete the signals work needed for the MAX Red Line extension. We want to thank our riders for their patience. A Better Red is our biggest MAX project since the MAX Orange Line opened in 2015. In some ways, it’s even more complicated, as much of the construction has had to take place within our existing trackway. We appreciate our riders’ understanding as we work to bring the project to a close.

Constructing connections

The March MAX Blue Line disruption will primarily involve making signal improvements to accommodate our service extension. Think of it as the way our trains communicate with the system at large, and how they’re given priority through different areas, allowing operators, rail controllers and our automated systems to manage train movement.

Most of the physical infrastructure for the A Better Red extension was already built and installed during a previous disruption in 2022, making this the final shutdown necessary to connect and upgrade our systems and create a new end of the line for MAX Red Line trains. Because this part of the light rail system dates back to the 1990s, crews will be replacing the equipment from that era with more current and advanced technology.

The Fair Complex/Hillsboro Airport MAX Station has evolved in several ways over the past two years of the project. In November 2022, we began making changes to the track and finishing the operator walkway. At the same time, crews replaced wooden ties with new ones. They also installed six new rail switch machines and replaced older parts of the track, particularly where the rails cross, with ones that are better suited to our expanded operations. Much of the work has taken place without the need to disrupt service, including the construction of a new operator facility and a walkway between the facility and the pocket track, or the place where trains will turn back and will be temporarily parked when operators are on break. All of this will serve our riders and operators better once the extended MAX Red Line opens this summer.

For more information on A Better Red and how it will make transit better, visit trimet.org/betterred.  

Use your contactless bank card, mobile wallet or smartwatch to purchase Adult fare and earn a Month Pass as you ride!

TriMet is always looking for ways to make riding our transit system faster, easier and more convenient. And we’re excited to let you know about our newest innovation— one that saves you time, stress and possibly money!

First, did you know you can use your personal credit or debit card (NFC-enabled) to purchase Adult fare at any of our 1,000 Hop readers? The same with your mobile wallet or smartwatch. Skip the ticket vending machine and just tap your phone at the Hop reader. It’s that easy!

And now, when you use your contactless bank card, mobile wallet or smartwatch to pay your fare—and ride regularly— you’ll automatically get the main benefit of a Hop Fastpass® card: earning a Month Pass as you ride, with free rides after you reach $100.

With Hop, you’ll never pay more than the cost of a Day Pass in a single day and never pay more than the cost of a Month Pass in a single month. Just make sure you always tap with the same card – whether a physical payment card, a card stored in your mobile wallet, a device such as a smartwatch or your Hop card.

How to use your bank card, phone or smartwatch to purchase fare at the Hop reader

Your contactless bank card, phone or smartwatch can be used to purchase Adult fare – not only at ticket machines on rail platforms– but also at the green Hop readers. If your card has an NFC symbol – that’s four curved lines that get bigger from left to right – then you can use it to pay at a Hop reader. Find a Hop reader next to the fare box when you step on board a bus or when you board a Portland Streetcar. Hop readers are located at the entrance to your MAX or WES station. There are two Hop readers at each station, one at each end. Currently, this option is available to purchase Adult fare.

Simply touch the card to the NFC symbol on the Hop reader. The NFC symbol is located below the Hop display screen. Listen for the tone as the Hop reader confirms your purchase. It will also display a green check mark and the time remaining on the valid fare. We accept Visa, Mastercard, Discover and American Express.

Prefer your mobile wallet, no problem!

You can also pay Adult fare using Apple Pay, Google Pay or Samsung Pay. Just tap your phone to the Hop reader each time you ride. Again, listen for the tone or look for the green check mark on the Hop reader screen to verify your payment.

Whether you pay with a contactless credit or debit card, mobile wallet or your Hop card, please keep your payment method close at hand. It is your proof of payment if one of our Customer Safety Supervisors asks to see your fare. 

Use the same card or device each time you ride and one per rider!

Use the same card or device every time you ride and ride more frequently to get the benefits of Hop. Tap your card or phone once to purchase a 2 ½-hour Adult ticket, and your card will show a charge for $2.80. Use the same card or device and tap to purchase fare again within the same day, and earn a Day Pass. Continue tapping to validate your fare with every ride, but you won’t be charged again that day. You’ll never pay more than $5.60 to use our buses and trains to get wherever you need to go, for the entire day.

Keep using the same card or device to purchase fare throughout the month, and watch your savings add up. After you’ve paid for your 18th-Day Pass within a calendar month, you’ll ride the rest of the month for free! Keep tapping with each ride to validate your fare, but don’t worry about getting charged. Hop does the math for you and ensures you’ll never pay more than you should.

When you’re paying with a contactless credit card, Hop links the rider to the card. So, each Adult rider must use their own card, phone or smartwatch. When you tap the card after the first 2 ½-hour ticket purchase, it will validate your fare and show you how much time is remaining, but you cannot purchase a separate fare with the same card or device.

Let your guests know that using a contactless credit card or their mobile wallet to ride is a great option for less frequent travelers too!

Are you heading to PDX for Spring Break or expecting out-of-town guests? Skip the ticket machine at the airport or any other MAX station. Instead, use your contactless credit card or mobile wallet and simply tap it to a Hop reader. Your tap is your ticket to ride.

Learn about TriMet fares

TriMet has reduced fares for Youth and Honored Citizen riders. Qualify automatically for Honored Citizen fare with age (65+) and enrollment in Medicare. Register to qualify based on disability, income or military status. Learn more about our fares here.

Since 2018, more than 60,000 people have signed up for our reduced Honored Citizen fare based on income, and we’ve expanded ways to qualify to include active duty military and veterans, as well as people 65+, on Medicare or experiencing a disability

Are you living on a low income? Serving in the U.S. military or a veteran in good standing? Are you 65 or older, on Medicare or experiencing a disability?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you could be riding TriMet for less — much less. That’s because you qualify for our Honored Citizen reduced fare.

For years, we’ve made this cost-saving benefit available to adults over 65, people on Medicare and those experiencing disabilities. Now we’re bringing even more people on board, with new options to help you sign up and save. Since 2018, we’ve invited people with low incomes to qualify to ride for less. Late last year, we expanded this benefit to another group of people: those with military service.

We’ve also made it easier to sign up for reduced fare, with a quick and easy process that you can complete in the privacy of your home. We believe everyone has a right to access transportation to connect with opportunities like work, school, healthcare and services. Why not give yourself a break and save big on your transportation costs? 

Honored Citizen fare: Reduce your transportation costs to no more than $28 per month

With TriMet’s Honored Citizen reduced fare, you can ride our buses and trains as much as you want, at a fraction of the cost. With Honored Citizen fare, 2 ½ Hour tickets are $1.40 and Day Passes are $2.80. That’s half the cost of Adult fare, a significant savings, but you’ll save even more with Hop Fastpass®.

With Hop, you will never pay more than $28 per month for unlimited access to our transit services. That’s 72% less than Adult fare, or $72 off the cost of an Adult Month Pass, which is currently limited to $100 per month.

Here’s another way of looking at it: With Honored Citizen fare and Hop, you can ride TriMet anywhere in our service area for an entire month, for less than the cost of a single tank of gas.

More than 60k sign up for income-based reduced fare in five years

Since 2018, more than 60,000 people have signed up to receive TriMet’s reduced fare for riders who qualify based on income. You also qualify, if you earn less than 200% of the federal poverty rate. For an individual in 2024, that’s more than $30,000 per year. You are also eligible for reduced fare if you participate in a program such as Oregon Health Plan (OHP) or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Find a complete list of qualifying programs at trimet.org/income. 

While you’re there, go ahead and complete the short, online application for a reduced fare Hop card based on your income. Near the end of the application, you will see easy-to-follow guidelines for submitting a photo for your personalized Honored Citizen Hop card. TriMet will process the application and put your card in the mail. As soon as you have your card and load fare to your Hop account, you can start tapping, riding and saving.

Need your card sooner? Representatives at our Customer Support Center at Pioneer Courthouse Square can process your application, take your photo, print your card and help you load fare, all in one stop. The Customer Support Center is open Monday through Friday, between 8:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Check trimet.org/income before you go, to make sure you have proper documentation.

Active-duty military, reservists and veterans qualify for Honored Citizen fare too!

In 2023, TriMet expanded enrollment options for our Honored Citizen reduced fare again, this time to allow active-duty members of the U.S. military, veterans and reservists to ride for less, in honor of their service. And now, we’ve also made it easier to sign up for the military benefit. Visit trimet.org/military to apply. The process is quick, easy and completely available online. Follow the instructions on the application to submit a photo and have your personalized Honored Citizen Hop card mailed to you. Or, come down to the Customer Support Center, and our staff can walk you through the process, take your picture and print your new Hop card. Please check the webpage to learn which documents to bring with you, before you head Downtown.

Get a month of free fare!

Need more incentive to get signed up? Enroll today, and TriMet will reward you with one month of free fare! Please note that the free month promotion is only valid for the month in which it is issued, to help encourage people to get their Honored Citizen reduced fare Hop card and start using it as well.

Older adults, people on Medicare and those experiencing disabilities can still ride for less

If you’re over the age of 65 or on Medicare, you automatically qualify for Honored Citizen fare. Older adults and Medicare recipients should have their I.D. or Medicare card with them when they ride. People who are experiencing a verifiable mental or physical disability may also use TriMet’s Honored Citizen reduced fare. However, you must apply for and receive a personalized photo I.D. Hop card. Learn more about the process at trimet.org/disability.

Find additional details about our fares and our Hop Fastpass electronic fare system at trimet.org/fares.

Your digital ticket doubles as your TriMet ticket for up to three hours before and after matches

Timbers and Thorns fans take note: On match days, it just got easier to get to and from Providence Park. Beginning with the Timbers’ regular season home opener on February 24, and lasting all season long, you can ride TriMet buses and MAX trains to the match using your digital game-day ticket as your fare.

Beginning three hours before kickoff and ending three hours after the match, your ticket to the game doubles as your ticket to ride. Just plan your trip at trimet.org, then once you board, show your digital match-day ticket to the bus operator. If you’re taking MAX, your Timbers or Thorns ticket will be your proof of fare if you’re asked by our Customer Safety Supervisors. Then, just sit back, relax and leave the driving to us.

TriMet’s partnership with the Timbers and Thorns FC makes it easier to get to and from games, but the benefits go deeper than that. Riding transit to and from the game is fun and convenient, a way of building camaraderie with fellow fans without the hassle of finding parking. Plus, it’s a guaranteed “W” for the environment no matter how the game turns out. Every time you ride transit, you’re helping to relieve congestion and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. By taking automobiles off the road for unnecessary trips, we can all do our part to help the region realize its carbon-reduction goals.

Planning your trip

Planning your trip to the match is easy using TriMet’s trip planner on trimet.org, with information on travel and walk times, as well as transfers. You can also use the webpage on your mobile phone to track TriMet’s buses and trains in real time on our interactive map.

Getting there

If TriMet got you any closer, you’d be on the pitch. Our MAX trains drop you off and pick you up across the street from Providence Park. Three regular service bus lines, Line 15-Belmont/NW 23rd, Line 24-Fremont/NW 18th and Line 20-Burnside/Stark, all serve the stadium. Line 6-ML King Jr and Line 58-Canyon Rd stop about three blocks away on Southwest 18th Avenue.

Keep in mind that stations, buses and trains may be busier than normal. Stay safe and watch out for each other, and if you see unsafe behavior or conduct that makes you uncomfortable, text or call 503-238-7433 (RIDE) to contact the TriMet Security Support team 24 hours a day, or submit a report online. You can also report it to TriMet personnel. For urgent concerns, alert the operator or call 911. We will have extra security staff available at Providence Park before and after matches.

For more information and a map, go to trimet.org/providencepark.

Gateway North MAX Station, the first new station in nine years, opens March 4 when the disruption ends

Like a train rolling down the tracks, completion of the second of three major phases of TriMet’s A Better Red MAX Extension and Reliability Improvements Project is getting closer. Once that second phase finishes on March 4, TriMet will reach another milestone on the way toward improving how riders move through a main connector for the MAX system. Not only will these changes help riders roll more efficiently through the Gateway Transit Center—where the MAX Blue, Green and Red lines meet—but they will also prevent trains from backing up on other sections of the MAX system.

Despite a harsh winter storm that shifted the disruption’s end date by one week, crews have been working around the clock for the past three weeks to finish construction just north of the Gateway Transit Center. Currently, MAX Blue and Green line service is disrupted. MAX Red Line service is temporarily suspended, and shuttle buses are serving all closed stations. We are encouraging riders to consider other transportation options during the disruption, if possible, including TriMet’s regular bus service.

Along Interstate 84, other crews are using the disruption to make further improvements to TriMet’s oldest section of trackway. They have been replacing rail and upgrading rail ties, in addition to deep cleaning stations and picking up litter.

The six-week disruption is an investment of time and resources necessary to complete multiple improvement projects at the same time, preventing the need to disrupt service in the future to do this work. We thank our riders for their understanding and patience as we enter the back stretch of the work, and we look forward to returning MAX Blue, Green and Red Line trains to regular service in March, with improved service through the Gateway Transit Center.

Gateway growth

The Gateway Transit Center is both growing and becoming more efficient thanks to this work. It’s necessary to meet the needs of the MAX system, which has quadrupled in size since it and the transit center opened in 1986. Not only that, it will help accommodate future growth. The centerpiece of the transit center’s expansion will be the new Gateway North MAX Station. While this will be its own separate station, it will also be part of the now-larger transit center, connected via a pedestrian pathway.  

Crews have made considerable progress on Gateway North, with the station’s structures mostly in place. Hop readers, ticket machines, lighting and shelter glass will be installed over the next couple of weeks. That’s also when crews will put the finishing touches on the concrete pathway, which will allow riders to easily make their connections.

Focus on the future

With track work at the Gateway Transit Center nearly complete, most of the remaining work involves tying it into the existing system. These improvements, along with the extended MAX Red Line that will complete this summer, will improve reliability and allow us to add capacity.

On the west side, work continues on making Fair Complex/Hillsboro Airport the new end of the MAX Red Line. Crews are finishing a new pedestrian crossing, along with a signals and communications room, both of which are on track to finish by the end of March. The Red Line extension will then open to the public this summer, along with a new break building for operators.

A Better Red

A Better Red is reaching the end of the line, with about 90% of the project done. While we still have to finish the current disruption and put the final touches on the 10-station MAX Red Line extension to Hillsboro, it won’t be long before riders will have a one-seat trip between Fair Complex, near Hillsboro Airport, and PDX.

Improvements around the Gateway Transit Center and the airport — including the addition of a second track, a rebuilt PDX station and the new Gateway North MAX Station— will improve reliability across the entire system.  For more information about A Better Red, go to trimet.org/betterred. 

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.

For more details, check out trimet.org/betterbus/servicechanges-fy24spring.

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.

Some Type 1s have been sent off to recycling to make room for the trains of the future

The first time Roger Andreassen walked up the steps of a MAX train, he felt at home. It was January 1986 and a mere 30 minutes into his job as a “commissioning engineer”— one of the people making sure that what was then TriMet’s new fleet of 26 light rail vehicles worked properly. The recent University of Portland graduate saw the future of regional transit in front of him: sparkling chrome and fresh vinyl seats, with a subtly European flavor to the design.

Up until then, the mid-1980s, TriMet had only run bus service. The introduction of MAX light rail was a decades-in-the-making shift in transportation planning—not just for TriMet, but for most of North America. The agency was only the second city on the West Coast—behind San Diego, Calif.—to construct a light rail line, and one of only a handful in all of the United States, Canada or Mexico. TriMet had hired a few experts from the East Coast to assist with getting the new trains and line ready, but for the employees and consultants of a brand new rail system like TriMet’s MAX, it was trial by train. 

“People like me—we just learned on the job,” Andreassen says, recalling that early experience.

It’s been 38 years and Andreassen is back with TriMet as a project manager, this time with decades of experience under his belt as he works to test and commission TriMet’s newest fleet of light rail vehicles. He’s part of a larger team of experts working on the process of bringing these state-of-the-art trains to riders.

Known as the Type 6 and manufactured by Siemens Mobility, these light rail vehicles come with a variety of new features, including the ability to predict maintenance issues before they happen. There are digital destination displays for riders, LED lights along the doors to assist with boarding and improved temperature controls. The biggest difference are the computers. The Type 6 vehicles can be described as a computer network on steel wheels. By comparison, the first trains TriMet introduced in 1986 were completely analog.

Farewell, Type 1s

You may be seeing fewer Type 1s rolling by, with their distinctive boxy look and elevated floors. TriMet has begun decommissioning some of the trains to make room for the Type 6s at our Ruby Junction Operating Facility. The process involves our mechanics first removing parts from the trains’ HVAC systems, followed by the wheel trucks, gearbox oil, hydraulic fluid, batteries and other components that cannot be recycled.

Once that happens, most vehicles are separated into sections and then placed onto the back of a 50-foot truck for transport. For a fully intact vehicle, the process is more complicated. There is only one company on the West Coast with the ability to transport an intact vehicle, and it requires special permits. Where it can go is limited as well because of its size. It’s a process that takes considerable time and planning and must be coordinated to take place as TriMet receives new trains to test.

Preserving history

The Type 1s aren’t gone yet, nor are they all going away forever. At Radius Recycling in North Portland, they’re being turned into rebar, which will be used to construct new buildings. Plans also call for the preservation of at least one MAX train car. It will go to the Oregon Electric Railway Museum in Brooks, Ore., the largest trolley museum in the Pacific Northwest, featuring a collection of vehicles from around the world.

At the museum, the Type 1 would join other vehicles from Portland’s transit past—including cars from the Mt. Hood, Broadway, Council Crest and Portland interurban systems. The museum features an operational rail yard, where visitors can take rides on the various vehicles. That’s the proposal for the Type 1, allowing rail enthusiasts to continue hopping on board the original MAX well into the future.

Type 6 testing

Preparing the Type 6 trains for service is underway, with 14 of the 30 vehicles currently on site at Ruby Junction.

They continue to go through rigorous static and dynamic testing on the test track at Ruby Junction and on the mainline during non-revenue service hours. This is the final step where engineers test propulsion and braking at high-speed. Upon completion of testing, the vehicles then operate at least 1,500 mile in simulated revenue service prior to being certified to transport passengers. It’s an extensive process, during which every system is tested multiple times to ensure they meet all safety and performance requirements.

‘A better vehicle overall’

For Andreassen, he’ll be sad to see the Type 1s go, but he’s also excited about the next generation of MAX trains. The older cars were expected to last 30 years, and they have exceeded that. They have become the very definition of vintage, with replacement parts having become impossible to obtain, he says.

Now when he walks through a new Type 6, he sees how just how much regional transit has evolved from the early days nearly 40 years ago.

“You’re trying to strive for a better vehicle overall,” Andreassen says. “For TriMet, it’s to have something that is cost effective and reliable, and for the riders it’s so they can enjoy it more.”

For more information about the next generation of MAX train, go to trimet.org/max6.

TriMet will not collect fares on buses or MAX trains on Sunday, Feb. 4, in our fourth annual tribute to the civil rights icon

On Dec. 1, 1955, Rosa Parks changed the course of history when she refused to give up her seat to a white man on a segregated city bus in Montgomery, Alabama. Her act of defiance and resulting arrest sparked protests from the streets of Montgomery that inspired change across the United States. Rosa Parks’ brave act became a cornerstone of the civil rights movement and the catalyst for a decision by the U.S. Supreme Court affirming transportation equity as a civil right.

Celebrate with us! TriMet will not collect fare on Sunday, Feb. 4, in honor of Rosa Parks, on what would have been her 111th birthday. Ride the bus, MAX or LIFT paratransit, and take time to reflect on the great contributions of the “Mother of the Civil Rights Movement.” Our partners at Portland Streetcar and C-TRAN join us in our annual tribute to Rosa Parks by also not collecting fares every February 4.

“As TriMet’s first Black General Manager and a person of African American heritage, Rosa Parks’ refusal to give up her seat on a bus affects me personally,” said TriMet General Manager Sam Desue Jr. “I am humbled and beyond proud to lead an organization that provides a public service where all are welcome. TriMet connects people — all people, no matter the color of their skin or where they came from — with opportunity. Ride with us on Rosa Parks’ birthday and think about how we got here. And give thanks.”

We ride with Rosa!

The TriMet Board of Directors passed a resolution in 2020, declaring Parks’ birthday as a day of remembrance across our 533-square-mile service district. Outgoing District 5 Director Keith Edwards, a leader in the local Black community and a lifelong community activist, proposed the annual observation.

“Rosa Parks revealed to the nation the inequities borne from ignorance. She said no more,” said Edwards.

Riding on Rosa Parks Day? Here’s what you need to know: 

As Rosa Parks’ birthday falls on a Sunday this year, TriMet buses and trains will be following their regular Sunday schedules. 

• You won’t need to tap your Hop card or buy a ticket at the station. Just come on board!
• If you tap your Hop card, you will receive a confirmation, but no fare will be deducted.
• Ticket machines will not allow any ticket purchases on Feb. 4. 
• Fare collection resumes at 3 a.m. Monday, Feb. 5.

“You must never be fearful about what you are doing when it is right.”

Rosa Parks

Expansion of MAX night buses and closure of Skidmore Fountain MAX Station to reduce maintenance disruptions and move trains more efficiently in Downtown Portland

TriMet is moving forward on two efforts that will improve MAX service. One will speed up MAX Blue and Red Line trips through Downtown Portland. The other will allow more overnight maintenance work in an effort to reduce planned and unplanned disruptions to all MAX lines. Both will make our light rail system more reliable and improve the overall experience for our customers.

Expanded network of MAX night buses proposed

TriMet plans to establish a network of night buses in place of late-night MAX trains, expanding on our Line 291-Orange Night Bus that has been in service since the MAX Orange Line opened in 2015. Adding night buses across all MAX lines and moving late-night/early-morning MAX trips to those buses would allow for more overnight maintenance projects on the MAX system and reduce unplanned service disruptions as well as multi-day disruptions for MAX improvement projects.

TriMet has the second-shortest overnight maintenance window of any U.S. transit agency that runs light rail service. There are only 47 minutes in which no MAX trains are running anywhere on our 60-mile light rail alignment, drastically restricting what work can be completed overnight. On average, transit agencies have a two-and-a-half-hour gap, with some agencies exceeding four hours. Long service hours also lead to excessive wear and tear on rails, track equipment, overhead wires and trains. That, in turn, means more maintenance must be done to keep a light rail system and vehicles in a state of good repair as required by the Federal Transit Administration and necessary to provide reliable transit service for our riders.

MAX ridership in the overnight hours is much lower than during the day. In a two-month period in late summer/early fall of 2023, on average just over 1,200 trips were taken across all MAX lines between midnight and the start of service shortly before 4 a.m. That compares to more than 70,400 trips taken between 4 a.m. and midnight. By providing late-night trips on MAX night buses instead of trains, TriMet will be able to get more standard maintenance, repairs and improvements done on the MAX system, without impacting the vast majority of riders.

The development of individual MAX night bus service hours, routing and schedules is still underway. TriMet will share more details as the plan evolves.

Streamlining MAX stations in Downtown Portland leads to time savings

TriMet is renewing plans to close the Skidmore Fountain MAX Station to improve MAX trips through Downtown Portland. The Skidmore Fountain Station was one of four that had been proposed for closure previously to make trips faster and more efficient. TriMet conducted extensive outreach over ten months, in 2018 and 2019, before closing the other three stations — Kings Hill/SW Salmon, Mall/SW 4th Ave and Mall/SW 5th Ave MAX stations — in March 2020. TriMet decided to re-evaluate closing the Skidmore Fountain Station in the future if it didn’t meet two conditions: 1) ridership did not increase at the station and 2) development in the area did not occur. With those conditions not being met, TriMet is proposing to close the station in fall 2025.

The Skidmore Fountain Station is very close to two other stations — the Old Town/Chinatown Station, about two blocks, or 500 feet to the north, and the Oak/SW 1st Ave Station about four blocks to the south. Keep in mind that a two-car MAX train is 200 feet long. With the three stations within a third of a mile, MAX Blue and Red Line start and stop several times, leading to slow trips along 1st Avenue, between the Steel Bridge and the SW Morrison Street/Yamhill Street couplet.

Since TriMet closed the Kings Hill/SW Salmon, Mall/SW 4th Ave and Mall/SW 5th Ave MAX stations, MAX Blue and Red Line trips through Downtown Portland are a minute and a half faster each way. That adds up to about 46 hours and 38 minutes of travel time savings a week for thousands of riders. Closing the Skidmore Fountain Station is expected to reduce MAX trips by another 45 seconds in each direction.

The TriMet Board is expected to consider the Skidmore Fountain Station closure and hold a public hearing in April, with a vote in May.

Share your feedback

TriMet is hosting a series of open houses, Jan. 25-Feb. 1, to share the service improvements from our Forward Together plan, developed with the community, which we hope to roll out in the coming year and a half. Share your thoughts on those bus service improvements as well as the plans for the Skidmore Fountain Station closure and expansion of MAX night buses. Events will be held virtually and in-person, with multi-lingual representatives. People can also share their feedback online through Feb. 11, or learn more about the open houses at trimet.org/plan.

With construction now fully underway, the disruption will last for the next six weeks, with MAX service reopening on March 4

The region’s weeklong dangerous and destructive winter storm has shifted the timeline for the MAX disruption necessary for TriMet’s A Better Red MAX Extension and Reliability Improvements Project.

The disruption to the MAX Blue, Green and Red lines is now underway. With the shifted schedule in place, we plan to return the lines to regular service on Monday, March 4.

The new completion date gives crews the time they need to finish vital work on A Better Red around the Gateway Transit Center, as well as make improvements to the MAX system along Interstate 84 and elsewhere. Completing all of these projects will help prevent the need for further disruptions in the immediate future.  

Safety comes first in emergencies

We know riders and people across the region have been through a challenging week, and we appreciate their understanding as we transitioned our transit system from emergency weather operations to the planned A Better Red disruption on Sunday, Jan. 21. This came after restoring MAX service system wide, except on the MAX Red Line, on Saturday, Jan. 20, following the unrelenting cold and bouts of snow, high winds and ice. Our focus was on the safety of our riders, employees and equipment during the extreme conditions, as well as keeping as much transit service moving as possible and restoring service that had to be suspended.

Power outages, downed trees, packed ice and frigid temperatures created many challenges, and our crews sprang into action, working around the clock to tackle issues as they emerged. We enlisted the help of staff from nearly ten contractors who had been standing by for the Better Red project work to begin. They quickly shifted to assist our employees with our recovery efforts, especially on the MAX system. They helped remove snow and ice from trackways, rail crossings and platforms, as well as downed trees and make repairs to our overhead wire system that was damaged on the west side. 

While we had to pause major portions of the project, some crews were actually able to get a bit of the construction underway during the storm, including some work on the new track and station just north of Gateway Transit Center, but, understandably, the conditions weren’t the best for that type of work.  

With the storm finally past, TriMet’s focus can now be on the future—improving our riders’ overall experience by relieving a chokepoint in our system. This will have positive impacts across the entire MAX system and allow us to grow our light rail network in the future.

Getting around the disruption

With major construction on A Better Red having resumed, our top focus is on getting you around the disruption. We are running shuttle buses to replace light rail service on the MAX Blue, Green and Red lines. Trips will take longer, and in some cases regular bus service may be faster. Our trip-planning tool—trimet.org/planner—will give you the fastest route from point A to point B during the disruption. But in many cases, transferring to shuttle buses will be necessary. Please consider other transportation if traveling through the disrupted area, if possible.

Here’s what you need to know:

• MAX Blue Line: The Blue Line will be split into two sections. Trains will operate between Hatfield Government Center in Hillsboro and NE 7th Ave in Portland as well as between E 102nd Ave and Cleveland Ave in Gresham. Shuttle buses will serve stations  between NE 7th Ave and E 102nd Ave.
• MAX Green Line: Green Line trains will only travel between Clackamas Town Center Transit Center and SE Main St. Shuttle buses will run directly between SE Main St and Gateway Transit Center. At Gateway, those continuing west toward Downtown Portland will need to transfer to Blue Line shuttle buses heading to NE 7th Ave. In Downtown Portland, there will be no Green Line trains running. Use MAX Orange and Yellow lines or regular bus service along the Transit Mall on 5th and 6th avenues.
• MAX Red Line: Red Line service will not operate during the disruption. Use the MAX Blue Line between Beaverton Transit Center and NE 7th Ave and shuttle buses between NE 7th Ave and Gateway Transit Center. For trips to and from the airport, a Red Line shuttle bus will run between Gateway and PDX, serving the three stations along the way.
• MAX Orange and Yellow lines: MAX Orange and Yellow line service will not be affected by the project, and trains will operate on regular schedules.

 A Better Red

A Better Red is TriMet’s multi-year project to extend the MAX Red Line west to Hillsboro and improve train movement through the Gateway Transit Center and at Portland International Airport. Despite the recent weather challenges, the project remains on schedule to be fully completed this summer. As one of the largest civil construction projects in Oregon, work cannot be limited to the summer months without significant increases to both its cost and schedule.

Improvements have been happening to the MAX Red Line as we make progress on the project that kicked off in the fall of 2021. Last summer, crews added a second track near Portland International Airport and rebuilt the MAX station there. These enhancements opened in October, following 126 days of construction. Upon completion of the current disruption, Red Line riders will experience a new inbound-only MAX station, dubbed Gateway North, along with new track and bridges to speed-up travel. The final phase of the project will be the Red Line extension ten stations west to Fair Complex/Hillsboro Airport, which will open in August 2024. We thank our riders for their patience during the different stages of construction. Not only will the project improve the MAX Red Line, it will increase reliability across the entire MAX system. For more information, go to trimet.org/bettered.