Track work at the Gateway Transit Center will last from April 16 through May 6, disrupting service to MAX Blue, Green and Red lines

Plan a three-week disruption to the MAX Blue, Green and Red lines starting next month. The MAX system will be disrupted between Gateway Transit Center and NE 7th Avenue MAX Station from Sunday, Apr. 16, through Saturday, May 6, with no Green or Red line trains running west of Gateway during that time. This is to allow work on a critical part of TriMet’s A Better Red MAX Extension, Reliability and Improvements Project. The project recently passed its 50% construction milestone and is on track to be fully completed by September 2024.

Crews will be performing a series of construction and maintenance projects during the three-week shutdown. The main work will be putting in new track at the Gateway Transit Center for A Better Red. During the disruption, shuttle buses will run about every five minutes, serving stations between the Gateway Transit Center and NE 7th Avenue Station. The MAX Green and Red lines will be further disrupted, with Green Line trains only running between Gateway and Clackamas Town Center and Red Line trains only serving stations between Gateway and Portland International Airport.

We encourage riders to plan their trips in advance and consider taking other bus lines or biking and walking, as trips will take an extra 30 minutes during the disruption. You can plan your trip now at trimet.org. To learn more about getting around the disruption, go to trimet.org/improvements.

Construction will involve installing what is known as “special trackwork”— track that’s been made to move trains from one set of tracks to another, such as “crossovers” or “turnouts.” TriMet’s special trackwork will be a key component of A Better Red, helping to tie the Gateway Transit Center to the new Gateway North MAX Station, set to open in the spring of 2024.

‘Special trackwork’ sets up connections

There’s nothing ho-hum about railroad tracks. Just think about the MAX system: 92,000-pound vehicles gliding along a rail that’s less than two inches wide at speeds approaching 55 mph. That feat of engineering ingenuity has gone more or less unchanged for more than 200 years. So it’s not as if your common railroad track isn’t special, it’s just that some are extra special.

What makes it extra special is that it deviates, in some small-but-important ways, from our traditional track, and it serves a particular function. In the case of TriMet’s special trackwork, curvature has to be added into a part of the track and turnouts so they will all fit precisely together. Due to its special nature, this curved track had to be built to specifications at facilities in Birmingham, Ala., and Cheyenne, Wyo. It was built of entirely American-made materials, as A Better Red is partially funded by the Federal Transit Administration.

With Gateway Transit Center being the confluence of MAX Blue, Green and Red line trains, the construction will affect those lines west across the system. TriMet crews will make the most of this three-week shut down by performing maintenance work and upgrades at and around the Hollywood Transit Center. There, crews will be replacing rail and ties that are part of the original MAX Blue Line, built in 1986.

A Better Red

A Better Red is among our largest undertakings in years. A multi-year project, set to complete in fall 2024, it will extend the MAX Red Line west to serve 10 more stations in Beaverton and Hillsboro. The project also improves schedule reliability for the entire MAX system by adding a second track near both Portland International Airport and Gateway Transit Center, keeping trains moving. At Gateway, new bridges are being constructed for this second track, spanning I-84, the I-205 multi-use path and existing tracks.

For more information about A Better Red, including a timeline of key milestones, go to trimet.org/bettered.

TriMet invites you to join in our day-long celebration of the people who help keep our region moving; take a moment to recognize the hard work of our bus and train operators on Friday, March 17, for Transit Driver Appreciation Day

Let’s face it. You’ll have a better chance of seeing a TriMet bus or train operator on Friday, March 17, than you will a leprechaun. After all, TriMet employs close to 1,400 operators and zero leprechauns. So, this Friday, March 17, we’re asking you to add Transit Driver Appreciation Day to your list of reasons to celebrate. We’re sharing the excitement with St. Patrick’s Day this year, as we move our observation up one day, to conclude the traditional work week. Please join us for our 10th annual observation of Transit Driver Appreciation Day, which we set aside to honor our operators and what they do to improve the lives of so many people, day after day.

Riders: Show how appreciation in multiple ways!

Our bus and train operators always go the extra mile. They’re up early and out late, maneuvering giant vehicles, often through challenging conditions. They can be the first and sometimes the last person riders see in their day. They help move millions, yet welcome one at a time, for a safe, reliable ride. 

TriMet riders are known for sharing a friendly “thank you” as they step off the bus. For Transit Driver Appreciation Day, we’re asking everyone to do their part, to help our operators have a good day, from start to finish:

• Shine a light! If your operator is coming to your stop early in the morning when it’s still dark, use your cell phone as a light to help them see you and stop to pick you up! Take care not to flash bright lights directly at the operator.
• Say hello! Consider sharing a kind word when you step on the bus, to let the operator know that you’re a nice person and appreciate their work.
• Help make their day! Show common courtesy for our operators and others, by following the rules for riding and helping create a pleasant atmosphere for everyone on board.
• Consider a not-so-random act of kindness! It’s Transit Driver Appreciation Day! Say thanks in your own way – with a wave, a smile or a nice note. Visit trimet.org/hello to leave a digital note for an individual operator or the entire team! We’ll also have banners at transit centers throughout our 533-square mile service district, available to anyone who’d like to leave a message of thanks. 

Heading Downtown? Join the ‘tunnel of appreciation’

This year, TriMet is taking our Transit Driver Appreciation Day celebration to the Transit Mall in Downtown Portland on March 17! We’re building a human “appreciation tunnel,” from 6 a.m. through 6 p.m. along a nine-block stretch of Southwest 5th and 6th avenues, between Jefferson and Washington streets. We’ll be waving signs for our coworkers and creating excitement as they travel through a stretch of the central city where many of our transit lines run or cross. Stop by and join the fun!

Mark your calendar for Friday, March 17!

Inspired by a movement in Seattle to establish “Bus Driver Appreciation Day,” TriMet observed our first Transit Driver Appreciation Day back in 2013. Normally, the celebration is March 18, the day selected to commemorate the first bus line in Paris back in 1662. This year, we’re recognizing the service of public transit operators a day early and inviting everyone to join us. We even found an old Irish Blessing that could apply to our operators, as we share our special day with the St. Patrick’s Day tradition, in 2023: “May your pockets be heavy and your heart be light; may good luck pursue you both morning and night!” ~Irish Blessing

The University of Washington research will investigate the effects of second-hand drug smoke on and around transit across the Pacific Northwest

As the rampant rise in illicit fentanyl use fuels a public health crisis across Oregon, TriMet has begun working with researchers and other transit agencies to better understand its impacts. Researchers from the University of Washington are beginning a study to detect, monitor and assess the effects of second-hand fentanyl smoke on and around transit systems. TriMet, alongside University of Washington researchers, Sound Transit in the Seattle metro area and other transit agencies, will use the findings to determine new best practices around addressing drug use.

With illicit fentanyl surging—evidenced by Oregon’s 41% increase in overdose deaths in 2021—use of it has occasionally spilled over to shared spaces, including public transit. By better understanding the second-hand exposure levels of smoked substances, such as illicit fentanyl and other opioids like heroin, TriMet hopes to determine ways to better understand and curb the risks associated with them.

As of right now, there is little in the way of concrete data about the health effects of second-hand fentanyl smoke or its impacts on a self-contained area, like a bus or train. While there have been studies about the risk of exposure to first responders, this is the first study of its kind to delve into public transit.

No smoking allowed

Smoking is not allowed on TriMet, whether in our buses or trains, or on rail platforms, at transit centers or in elevators. Those caught smoking face a citation or exclusion. Smoking covers everything from tobacco, to electronic cigarettes and vape pens, to any other smoking substance.  

To further discourage smoking, particularly smoking drugs on our transit system, in early 2022, we changed the TriMet Code to include non-criminal violations of laws or ordinance as actions prohibited on TriMet. Since possessing a small amount of drugs and drug use, are now categorized as a violation under Oregon law (ORS Chapter 153), by prohibiting violations to those activities, TriMet supervisors can further address the behavior, with a citation or exclusion, rather than needing to call in police. This supports our efforts to reimagine public safety on transit by ensuring a safe system for all without always relying on a police response.

Airing out vehicles when fumes noted

To help address the issue of second-hand drug smoke before a study could be conducted, TriMet enacted our own process in April 2022, to safeguard our riders and operators. Since then, operators have been stopping trains and buses whenever there is a report of smoking or smoke fumes on board, whether the source is known or unknown and whether it smells like drug smoke or not. Operators then open the doors for a period to ventilate the vehicle before it continues in service.

If you smell something strange or noxious, or if you believe a substance was smoked on your train, notify your operator. You can do this by locating the operator intercom box and pressing the red button. Your report will be passed along to our Operations Command Center, and a Supervisor will be dispatched to the train when it stops at the next station.

Science-driven approach

Science will drive our approach as we work in the coming months in partnership with the University of Washington, Sound Transit, other participating transit agencies and the Amalgamated Transit Union, which represents TriMet’s frontline employees. With reports of illicit fentanyl use spiking in communities across the country, the research could set an example for all public transit agencies industry wide.

The new research will partially rely on air samples collected by devices strategically placed on buses and trains. Researchers will also use sampling kits to determine whether the substance smoked was an opioid or something else. TriMet operators, supervisors and other frontline staff do not have the ability or the expertise to determine with accuracy whether fumes are coming from illicit fentanyl or another source.

Expanded police missions, more Safety Response Team members

At TriMet, we believe in taking a comprehensive approach to issues that affect our system. We plan to continue this approach in the future by adding to the personnel you see on or around the transit system. In September, TriMet’s Transit Police Division began expanding its public safety missions to more stations and neighborhoods, following positive feedback from the community, transit riders and TriMet employees.

We’ve also more than doubled the number of staff on our security teams over the past 15 months, with more growth planned in the coming year. Our Customer Safety Supervisors, TriMet staff who conduct code enforcement including no smoking and having valid fare, will increase to at least 46 this year. Our contract Transit Security Officers and Customer Security Officers now number more than 175. And, our Safety Response Team that connects people on and around our transit system with social services, provides first aid and reports serious concerns to emergency responders, will expand to 60 members this year. By using a comprehensive approach, working closely with regional partners and better understanding the scope of drug-related issues, we hope to keep the system safe and welcoming for all.

Complete an application, ask about open positions and get answers about the great benefits TriMet offers at Embassy Suites Hillsboro on Tuesday, March 14

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

TriMet is hosting a job fair on Tuesday, March 14, to share information about more than 40 positions that are currently available with our organization. TriMet started as a bus company, but over the last 50+ years, we’ve grown into much, much more! We’re a dynamic public service organization, some 3,000-people strong. Every day, we work together to fulfill our mission in the community: connecting “people with valued mobility options that are safe, convenient, reliable, accessible and welcoming for all.” 

Want to join our team?

Whether your goal is to operate a bus or train, keep buses and trains in working order, clean vehicles and our transit centers, purchase new vehicles, plan routes, produce maps and graphics, communicate with the public or something entirely different, you can achieve it at TriMet! We are looking to fill open positions across our organization, in divisions which include Engineering and Construction; Finance and Administrative Services; Information Technology; Legal Services; Maintenance; Public Affairs; Safety and Security; and of course, Transportation!

Mark your calendar!

Tuesday, March 14, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Embassy Suites Hillsboro

9355 NE Tanasbourne Drive – Hillsboro, Ore.

Take TriMet!

Put in an application, ask questions about hiring and benefits and get a feel for what it means to be part of TriMet! Visit trimet.org/jobfair to learn more. 

More than a job, TriMet has the total package

When you are a TriMet employee, you’re part of the team that keeps the Portland metro region moving! You are helping to reduce traffic congestion and pollution and improve our community for everyone who lives here. In addition to a competitive wage, you’ll also receive a generous package of benefits, which includes:

• Health, dental, vision  and life insurance plans at low or no monthly cost
• Retirement plans which include a monthly agency contribution of 8-10%, depending on the position 
• Paid time off including vacation, sick time, personal days and holidays
• Health care and dependent care spending accounts, if desired
• Access to our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) with mental health and counseling services, legal assistance, financial coaching and home ownership programs
• Annual transit pass (valued up to $1200) for employee and eligible family members
• 24-hour access to five exclusive on-site fitness centers, with plans starting at $13/month
• Bus operators receive a $7,500 hiring bonus

No need for delay, apply today!

Visit trimet.org/careers to get details on the positions that are currently available, and if you see one you like, go ahead and apply! You can still join our team on March 14 to learn why we’re a great destination, when you’re ready to take your career in a new direction!

Fiscal Year 2024 budget, which will guide agency spending from July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024, includes $817.3 million for day-to-day operations, up $67.4 million from the previous year’s budget

TriMet’s proposed budget for the coming year includes $817.3 million for day-to-day operations as we continue to bring on new bus operators and begin adding back service for the first time since August 2020. The agency’s Fiscal Year 2024 Budget, which totals $1.92 billion, also includes $322.3 million for capital investments. 

The coming year will bring the first of several service improvements coming out of our Forward Together Service Concept. We’ll also reach substantial completion of our “A Better Red” MAX project, expand our investment in bus electrification and continue our efforts to help riders with low incomes access transit. 

The proposed budget balances priorities with our ongoing, agency-wide efforts to restore our workforce, increase ridership and maintain a transit system that is safe, welcoming and accessible to all.

Fiscal Year 2024 resources

The proposed budget does assume a fare increase that includes TriMet’s first increase of our base fare in more than a decade, which the TriMet Board of Directors will vote on at its May 24 meeting. If the Board does not move forward on the fare increase, TriMet’s Finance Department is prepared to revise the budget for Board adoption in June. Local law requires the budget to be in place before the fiscal year begins on July 1.  

Resources supporting the Fiscal Year 2024 budget include:

• $77.1 million in operating revenue.
• $515.8 million in tax revenues.
• $157.3 million in federal funding.

Funding priorities

The proposed budget supports the agency’s business plan, which is the guide that we use to align financial decisions with our agency’s vision, mission and values. The FY2024 budget lays out priorities under four main categories: transit service; transit equity, inclusion and community affairs; capital investments; and electrification.

• Transit service: In addition to maintaining current levels of service across our 533-square service district, TriMet plans to begin restoring service hours that were cut in 2021, due to ridership declines from the COVID-19 pandemic, and in 2022, due to our historic operator shortage. The FY2024 budget begins to roll out plans from our Forward Together Service Concept, which was developed to better serve riders based on travel patterns that changed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The first package of service changes is scheduled to begin in September.

• Transit equity, inclusion and community affairs: Since TriMet opened our reduced fare to riders who qualify based on income in 2018, nearly 50,000 have signed up to ride for significantly less. The Honored Citizen reduced fare, which is also open to seniors age 65+, people on Medicare and people with disabilities, cuts the cost of riding monthly and annually by as much as 72%. TriMet’s FY2024 budget continues to support riders who are struggling financially through our Access Transit Program, which work with local nonprofits and organizations to get free and reduced fares to riders who need them.  

• Capital investments: TriMet plans to complete most of the remaining construction for our “A Better Red” MAX Extension and Reliability Project during FY2024, which continues through June 30, 2024. Once finished, the project will improve reliability of the entire MAX system, by adding new sections of track to alleviate choke points and extending the MAX Red Line to Hillsboro/Fair Complex, which will give more people a one-seat ride to Portland International Airport and provide more service in Hillsboro. 

• Electrification: TriMet will shift our bus electrification program into higher gear during FY2024, as we accept delivery of 24 new battery-electric buses. The buses make up our first bulk purchase of electric vehicles since adopting our plan to fully transition to a zero-emissions bus fleet by 2040. In addition to buying battery-electric buses, electrification requires significant investments in infrastructure and training to charge and maintain the buses.

Providing feedback

TriMet invites the public to provide feedback on the budget during public testimony at upcoming Board meetings, scheduled for March 22, April 26 and May 24, and through our regular Customer Service channels. Reach us via email at hello@trimet.org; on Twitter @trimethelp; and by phone or text or 503-238-7433 (RIDE). 

Mural painted by the community as part of FX2-Division Grand Opening Celebration, becomes permanent fixture along TriMet’s first FX bus line

There’s music in the air at Southeast 42nd Avenue and Division Street. Crews working with TriMet completed installation of Angelina Marino-Heidel and Joel Heidel’s mural, “The Music,” last week. The striking artwork, which is one of the finishing touches of the Division Transit Project, rises outside the Cascadia Health building. The mural was painted by the community, as part of our FX2-Division Grand Opening Celebration last September. On any given day, TriMet’s distinctive, long, green FX buses pass this location nearly 200 times, giving our riders a unique view of the art on display.

Art, “Music” for Southeast 42nd and Division

“The Music” was developed to honor the completion of the Division Transit Project, which laid the foundation for TriMet FX® — Frequent Express, a first-of-its-kind transit service for TriMet and our region. It splashes across four panels, covering 432 square feet of the exterior of Cascadia’s Plaza Health Center. The artwork towers some 28 feet above ground, with views available from both the east and westbound FX stations on Division Street, down below.

As FX buses travel the 15-mile corridor from Gresham, through East and Southeast Portland to Downtown, the mural calls attention to “the diversity of cultures represented through the cacophony of music and dance within the area’s vibrant neighborhoods,” says Marino-Heidel. The piece includes references to textiles and materials used by indigenous peoples, Asian lanterns to represent the Jade District and flowers that symbolize commerce and wealth in African culture. 

Painted and shared with community

Not only does the mural offer a connection between TriMet and the vibrant communities we serve, the community came together to create the mural itself. It was painted by hundreds of people as part of TriMet’s FX2-Division Grand Opening Celebration, held in three locations last September 17, which were tied together by the new FX2-Division line. We collaborated with the artists to create a paint-by-numbers palette, to bring their vision to life. Everyone who came out to the event was invited to participate and leave their mark on TriMet’s most significant transit improvement project since opening the MAX Orange Line in 2015.  

Partners from start to finish

The mural fittingly came together as one of the final tasks of the $145 million Division Transit Project, and we thank our project contractor, Raimore Construction, for their partnership from start to finish. Raimore Construction, which is a certified disadvantaged business enterprise (DBE) and minority-owned business, met significant milestones with the Division Transit Project, including receiving the award for the largest DBE-contract in Oregon history, as well as achieving more than 75% overall DBE participation in the project, setting a new TriMet record for major projects.

Ride TriMet FX!

TriMet’s FX2-Division is a faster and more efficient, high-capacity bus service for our region, with longer, 60-foot vehicles; transit priority lanes and signals; and buses arriving every 12 minutes for most of the day. FX runs daily, with service from about 4:30 a.m. – 1:00 a.m. Learn more and plan your trip at trimet.org/fx.

Since 2018, TriMet has made our reduced Honored Citizen fare available to qualifying riders who earn up to 200% of the federal poverty level, as well as seniors and people with mental and physical disabilities 

More Oregonians can ride TriMet for significantly less, under new poverty guidelines released by the federal government. For 2023, the Department of Health and Human Services increased the federal poverty rate to $14,580. The adjustment makes it easier for people to qualify for our income-based Honored Citizen fare. It’s available to individuals who earn up to 200% of the poverty rate. What it means for this year, is that people who make up to $29,160 per year can qualify to ride TriMet at a deeply discounted rate; income levels increase with household size. Plus, sign up now at trimet.org/save and receive an additional bonus: one month of rides, 100% free! 

Reduced fare adds up for people with low incomes

Our Honored Citizen fare grants riders unlimited access to our bus and train services for $28 per month, which is 72% off the cost of Adult fare. It’s available to people who qualify based on income, age or mental or physical disability. 

To qualify based on income, annual earnings must be less than twice the federal poverty level. As that amount has risen to $29,160 for an individual in 2023, it has increased to $60,000 for a family of four and $80,560 for a family of six. You can also enroll based on participation in an established assistance program such as Oregon Health Plan (OHP)/Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and free and reduced price meals. Find a complete list of programs at trimet.org/income.

TriMet expanded our Honored Citizen fare to allow qualification based on income in 2018, after the state adopted the Keep Oregon Moving transportation funding act. It uses our industry-leading Hop Fastpass® electronic-fare system, which caps spending at $28 per month and helps riders manage costs. All participants receive a personalized Honored Citizen Hop card after verifying their identity and income with TriMet or one of our approved community partners. Income-based Honored Citizen fare is available to Oregon residents, ages 18-64. If you’re over 65 or have a disability, you also qualify to ride for less. Learn more about available options at trimet.org/honoredcitizen.

Get a month of rides for free!

This year, with funds from Keep Oregon Moving, we are continuing a special promotion that gives a month of free rides to every person who signs up for our Honored Citizen fare based on their income. TriMet will load a “TriMet Transit Assistance” pass onto the participant’s Hop account once they complete enrollment. 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.

Partnerships provide a safety net

TriMet understands that for some, $28 per month is a hardship. That’s why we partner with more than 160 community-based organizations, agencies and service providers throughout our region, to put free and reduced fare into the hands of those who need it. Since 2015, we have provided more than $12.1 million in assistance to community and government agency partners through our Access Transit Fare programs. These programs were designed to increase independence, improve access to employment and employment resources, and provide community connections for thousands of people in our community with low and limited incomes.

Committed to equity

We believe access to public transportation is access to opportunity, and we are committed to equity and inclusion. 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. All are welcome on our transit system. Learn more about TriMet’s equity efforts at trimet.org/equity.

The project is more than 50% complete, with construction progressing at different worksites along the MAX Red Line

More than a year and four months after TriMet’s A Better Red MAX Extension and Reliability Project broke ground, construction has reached a major milestone. The project has surpassed 50% of its completion, entering the back half of its work on schedule and on budget. Thanks to the project, nearly $100 million in federal funds are being brought to the Portland metro area, creating and supporting jobs for the entire region.

With construction set to conclude in 2024 ahead of its opening that same year, A Better Red is TriMet’s most significant light rail construction project since the MAX Orange Line opened in 2015. In part, the project will extend the MAX Red Line west to serve 10 more stations in Beaverton and Hillsboro.

But the project aims to do even more by improving the flow of train traffic. The addition of a second track near the Gateway Transit Center and Portland International Airport, along with a new station dedicated to westbound MAX Red Line service—called Gateway North, located about 500 feet north of the existing transit center— will improve schedule reliability for the entire MAX system. These improvements will help trains move around each other more efficiently near Gateway and PDX.

Construction achievements

A section of the MAX Red Line north of the Gateway Transit Center has seen a steady progression of construction since the project kicked off in September 2021. However, while that has been the most visible worksite, construction has also occurred elsewhere, including in Hillsboro and near Portland International Airport. Unique among this project is how construction is taking place in different locations along the Red Line, with more heavy lifting yet to come.

Construction highlights so far include building the substructures of two new light rail bridges north of the Gateway Transit Center. This work has included the installation of steel girders to a bridge extending over I-84 last fall as well as affixing concrete girders to a second bridge being built over existing MAX tracks. We have also moved and added components to the trackway to help make room for these new structures. This included moving a 200-foot section of track in March 2022.

In addition to building new retaining walls, bridges and moving components of our track and the light rail system north of the Gateway Transit Center, crews have also been working in Washington County and near Portland International Airport. In November 2022, crews improved parts of the MAX system near the Fair Complex/Hillsboro Airport MAX Station and set the stage for additional work to take place there. A new 680-square-foot facility is also taking shape at the station, which will give operators and other field staff a place to rest and take a break at what will become the new western terminus for the MAX Red Line.

More work to come

New and improved MAX Red Line service will be up and running in 2024. The project is made possible thanks to a $99.9 million construction grant awarded by the Federal Transit Administration, which covers a substantial portion of the $215 million overall cost of the project.

There’s more work to come! In the months ahead, crews will be completing the construction of the two new light rail bridges. Crews will also build a new station platform at PDX and add another track next to what is currently there. Also, in partnership with the Port of Portland, a new multi-use path will be built between the MAX station and NE 82nd Avenue. That new path will create a better connection between transit and jobs at the Port of Portland, allowing people to get around on foot, bike, scooter and other mobility devices after exiting a train. In Hillsboro, crews will also soon be finishing the operator break facility and installing additional equipment needed to turn around trains at Fair Complex/Hillsboro Airport MAX Station.

While much of the work has taken place without the need to disrupt service, there will be times in the coming year when suspending MAX service is necessary to allow crews to work directly in the trackway for extended periods. We thank our riders for their patience during construction! TriMet will provide advanced notice for any construction activity that disrupts trains or auto traffic. For more information about A Better Red, including regular construction updates, go to trimet.org/betterred.

A Better Red: Making Transit Better

Making Transit Better is something we strive for every day because it means improved livability, cleaner air and more opportunities for everyone. When more people ride transit, the community benefits in ways both big and small, allowing the region to grow and thrive.

A Better Red is just one of the ways TriMet is addressing the needs of a growing Portland metro area. Not only is the project going to improve connections and MAX reliability, it’s also creating and sustaining jobs for the region along with other economic benefits. With A Better Red expanding and improving MAX light rail—now powered by 100% renewable energy—TriMet is creating a more attractive option than driving and reducing greenhouse gas emissions while supporting jobs in the process.

Man accused in Gresham attack banned permanently from TriMet

TriMet has issued a lifetime exclusion to Koryn Kraemer—the second lifetime ban in our agency’s history. Kraemer, age 25, has been charged in the brutal attack on the Cleveland Avenue MAX Station platform. The attack occurred in the early morning hours of Jan. 3, 2023, when MAX service was not running. Kraemer was delivered the lifetime exclusion in jail, where he is being held without bail as he awaits prosecution on a charge of assault in the second degree. Previously, only Jared Walter, a prolific sex offender, had been banned from TriMet property for life. That permanent exclusion took effect in April 2019.

Long-term exclusions issued to two others

Brianna Workman is now banned from TriMet for the next five years. Workman, age 32, is currently being held in jail without bail on charges of attempted assault in the first degree, along with other charges. TriMet security cameras captured Workman push a child onto the MAX tracks from a busy platform at the Gateway Transit Center on the evening of Dec. 26, 2022.

Dustin Rasmussen is excluded for five years, through Dec. 31, 2027. Rasmussen, age 22, admitted striking a Transit Security Officer with handlebars detached from a bike on March 24, 2022, at the Gateway Transit Center. The security officer was transported to the hospital. Rasmussen was charged with assault in the second degree and unlawful use of a weapon, along with other charges.

“TriMet remains committed to safety and security on our system, and we support a collaborative approach with state and local leaders to address the societal issues at the root of the incidents occurring on our system and in the communities we serve,” said TriMet General Manager Sam Desue, Jr. “While we rely on our district attorneys to prosecute crimes, we are taking steps within our authority to increase safety, which includes banning people from our system who attack others and potentially pose future threats to our riders and employees.”

Long-term exclusions added to TriMet Code in September 2017

TriMet first added our long-term exclusion policy to the TriMet Code—our rules for operating and riding our transit system—in September 2017. Documented under TriMet Code 28.18, it allows the general manager to issue a long-term exclusion in excess of six months and up to a lifetime ban, under specific circumstances. The general manager can direct an individual receive a long-term exclusion if, based on a preponderance of evidence, they have committed “a serious physical offense” against another person on the TriMet system. A serious physical offense is one that is classified as either a Class A misdemeanor against another person or a felony against another person under Oregon law. A serious physical offense also includes any attempt to commit a felony against a person and any conduct prohibited by TMC 28.15 D(6)(c), which specifically calls out the offense of spitting or propelling other bodily fluids on an employee.

Chronic offenders now eligible for exclusions of up to two years

The policy and TriMet Code were further updated on January 13, 2023, to authorize the general manager to impose stiffer penalties for prohibited conduct on the transit system. The amendments address behavior-based conduct only, and do not change penalties for fare evasion.

The General Manager can issue an exclusion of up to two years to a chronic offender, which is defined as a person with three or more violations for conduct within a 90-day period. Long-term exclusions are specific to behavior that disrupts the safety and order of the transit system and do not apply to simple fare evasion.

Holding people accountable for criminal and inappropriate behavior

Long-term exclusions strengthen TriMet’s ability to help keep our riders and employees safe, by holding people accountable for inappropriate, threatening or dangerous behavior on our property and vehicles. While the district attorney’s office determines punishments for crimes, those punishments don’t always include long-term exclusions from TriMet. 

These changes are part of a larger effort to make it safer to work on and ride the transit system, while addressing nuisance issues to improve the customer experience. It’s important to note that any person issued a long-term exclusion, including a lifetime ban, is entitled to a hearing to contest it. Also, they have the right to appeal the ongoing exclusion annually to show changed behavior or rehabilitation.

Simple fare evasion not eligible for long-term exclusions

Long-term exclusions are issued for behavioral offenses only, not fare evasion. TriMet began decriminalizing fare evasion back in 2017. Efforts to improve the handling of fare evasion include:

• June 2017: Decriminalized fare enforcement by proposing a change in state law to allow TriMet to resolve fare evasion citations directly rather than citations automatically going to the court.
• July 2018: Reduced the punitive impacts of fare evasion penalties with potential for reduced fines, community service or enrollment in TriMet’s Honored Citizen reduced fare program.
• December 2018: Changed TriMet Code to clarify that fare evasion only is not a crime and have discontinued routine fare checks by police.
• February 2022: Made additional changes to TriMet Code to further clarify that police do not conduct random fare checks by specifically prohibiting police from asking individuals for proof of fare. (Police officers may continue to be present during fare inspection activities by TriMet personnel and investigate other offenses, assist in identifying a person and intervene when needed for the safety of TriMet staff and riders. Only under the General Manager’s direction may Transit Police Officers temporarily conduct fare checks in response to specific security concerns.)

TriMet continuously works to improve how we provide transit service to the communities in our 533-square-mile service district. We’ve worked with community partners, riders and employees to identify solutions that focus on diversity, equity, access and inclusion. Learn more about our efforts to ensure fair access to our transit system at trimet.org/equity.

Transportation partners C-TRAN and Portland Streetcar will once again join TriMet in suspending fares to promote transit equity on Rosa Parks’ birthday

“Her courageous act drew national attention to a simple truth, that civil rights must be protected for all,” states TriMet General Manager Sam Desue Jr., in an audio promotion for the day of free bus and train service. “By remaining seated, she took a stand.”  

Desue, who in 2021 became the first Black leader of Oregon’s largest transit agency, has long considered Parks to be a personal role model. He’s asking everyone who rides on Feb. 4 to reflect, not only on her contributions but also those of many others.

TriMet will honor the life and legacy of civil rights icon Rosa Parks with free rides on her birthday, Saturday, Feb. 4. Our partners at C-TRAN and Portland Streetcar will once again join us in suspending fare collection for the day, to promote transit equity and encourage reflection on Rosa Parks’ historic stand for equality on board a city bus in Montgomery, Alabama in 1955. Her refusal to give up her seat to a white person led to a U.S. Supreme Court decision, declaring segregation unconstitutional on public transit, bringing a turning point in the civil rights Movement.

“Think about the struggles of the men and women who came before us. Rosa Parks, Dr. Martin Luther King, Harriet Tubman, Andrew Young, all of those who have given their all, and some who gave their lives, for us to enjoy the freedoms and equality that we have today,” he said, with a reminder that the struggle isn’t over. “And continue to fight for freedom, social equity, justice and equality.”

Later this month and throughout 2023, TriMet will pay tribute to Rosa Parks with a bus decorated with special artwork in her honor. Created by Portland-based artist Hampton Rodriguez, “Rosa Parks’ Legacy” includes images depicting her arrest, the struggle to end segregation and the freedom she achieved, through equal access to public transportation. The bus will be assigned to different routes daily and will serve riders across our 533-square-mile service district for the rest of the year. 

Parks’ heroic stance contributed to the passage of landmark federal legislation, including the Civil Rights Act, adopted in 1964. The law bans discrimination on the basis of race, skin color or national origin. 

TriMet’s Board of Directors passed a resolution in 2020 declaring Parks’ birthday as a day to acknowledge her role in the civil rights movement. One year later, the Board adopted an ordinance that changed TriMet code to allow for fares to not be collected on Feb. 4 for years to come.

Learn more at trimet.org/rosaparks.