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.

Starting Jan. 23, some TriMet elevators will be temporarily out of service as crews work to install more durable doors

Improvements are coming to several TriMet elevators starting Monday, Jan. 23, resulting in two-day outages for six elevators at MAX stations, transit centers and a park and ride. Only one elevator will be out of service at a time, with the work scheduled to complete on Thursday, Feb. 9.

We’re installing new, stainless steel doors on the elevators that are sturdier than the existing glass doors. The stainless steel doors are heavy duty and able to sustain more wear and tear. TriMet hopes that by replacing the doors we will reduce the number of unplanned service outages and repairs needed. We thank our riders for their understanding as we work to make these improvements. 

Elevator service schedule

We know that elevators being down can pose a challenge for people with mobility issues, and we want to make it is as easy as we can for those who rely on the elevators to get around.  We encourage riders to check trimet.org/elevators for more information and tips for getting around the scheduled work.

Elevator Outages:

Jan. 23-24: Hollywood/NE 42^nd Ave Transit Center

Jan. 25-26: NE 60^th Ave

Jan. 30-31: 82^nd Ave

Feb. 1-2: Sunset Transit Center Park & Ride, garage elevator

Feb. 6-7: Sunset Transit Center, eastbound elevator

Feb. 8-9: Sunset Transit Center, westbound elevator

At the Sunset Transit Center, two elevators connect the upper level of the transit Center, where the buses are located, to the lower level, where the MAX platforms are located. One elevator connects the eastbound platform and one connects the westbound platform. During the closure of the platform elevators, those who cannot use the stairs can use the one operational elevator by going to the opposite end of the platform (about 200 feet) and using a temporary pathway to cross to the other side, where the elevator is located.  

TriMet Elevators

TriMet’s transit system is home to 17 elevators that you can use to connect with MAX platforms or to reach the upper levels of our park and rides. Beginning in 2018 and lasting through 2019, we worked on upgrading many of them through TriMet’s Elevator Improvement Program. Most elevators can last 15-20 years without requiring major overhauls, although elevators located outside do face more wear and tear and exposure to the elements. The upcoming replacement of elevator doors is an extension of our ongoing efforts to better protect the elevators in the years to come. When elevators do need repairs, we work with contractors to fix the issue as soon as possible.

If elevators are an important part of your travel, please check trimet.org/elevators. On the webpage, you can sign up for email alerts whenever elevators are down or being repaired.

TriMet continues agency-wide hiring efforts in 2023, with events starting in January that help make getting a job easy

Doors of opportunity are open at TriMet. We are hiring, and as 2023 rolls ahead, we are looking to build our maintenance team from the ground up. We are hosting a special hiring event on Thursday, Jan. 19, at the DoubleTree Lloyd Center hotel in Northeast Portland. Anyone can stop by and put in an application, but this hiring event will focus on hiring Maintenance Service Workers. The Maintenance Service Worker position is full time, earns at least $20.91 per hour and comes with a package of excellent benefits for the employee and their family. Those interested in the opportunity should bring a photo I.D., resume and be prepared for an interview. We will be making conditional job offers on the spot!

Maintenance Service Worker Hiring Event 

Thursday, Jan. 19, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.

DoubleTree Lloyd Center – 1000 NE Multnomah St., Portland 

What is a Maintenance Service Worker? 

Maintenance Service Workers play an important role in TriMet operations and help keep our region moving nearly 24 hours a day, 365 days per year. They perform a wide variety of tasks focused on keeping TriMet’s buses, trains, buildings and grounds clean and in good working condition. They clean vehicles and platforms, fuel vehicles, chain up buses when needed, and more. Their work is essential to maintaining our vehicles and properties to provide the best service possible to the community. As a TriMet employee, service workers must consistently demonstrate a commitment to safety through daily work and overall job performance.

Those age 19 and older are welcome to join our ranks as a Maintenance Service Worker. A high school diploma or GED is required, as well as a valid driver license in good standing for at least three years. Service workers must be able to obtain an Oregon CDL Class B permit or license and must maintain their CDL in good standing while employed by TriMet. These are full-time positions that are represented by Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) 757. Starting pay is $20.91 per hour and increases regularly under the terms of our Working & Wage Agreement, until the employee reaches the top rate for the position, which is currently $30.27 per hour.

Service workers will report for work at one of our three bus operating garages or two rail operating facilities. We have locations in Southeast Portland, near Holgate Boulevard and I-205, as well as in Beaverton and Gresham. Service workers must be able to work any shift, including graveyard, and be available any day of the week. Service workers receive two consecutive days off per week. Schedules and garage assignments improve over time, as employees gain seniority in the union.

Join us and apply for work at TriMet!

If you are interested in this opportunity but unsure that you meet our qualifications, we encourage you to go ahead and apply! We will be happy to help you learn more about coming aboard with TriMet. We will be making conditional offers of employment to Maintenance Service Workers at this event, but we’re accepting applications today for any open position. Visit trimet.org/careers to learn more and get started!

Public invited to in-person and virtual events between Jan. 17 and Feb. 4, to give feedback on Forward Together service improvements for 2023-24 and fare increase proposal for Jan. 2024

TriMet’s public engagement for major service improvements planned for the coming year and a proposed 2024 fare increase continues, with 12 in-person and virtual open house events, beginning this month. The open houses start on Tuesday, Jan. 17, and run through Saturday, Feb. 4. TriMet staff will share information and answer questions about the first major bus improvements that we plan to roll out from our Revised Forward Together Service Concept. We’ll also gather feedback about a possible January 2024 fare increase to share with our Board of Directors before its vote on the proposal in the spring.

TriMet first launched our public outreach and engagement about the proposed fare increase in December, with an online fare proposal survey. The first Forward Together service changes being considered come after months of public engagement and feedback in late February and March in early 2022 and four weeks in the fall.

Forward Together 

Our Revised Forward Together Service Concept grew out of the comprehensive service analysis conducted in 2022. It helps us understand how people use transit to get around our region as the COVID-19 pandemic winds down. Forward Together provides a roadmap for growing our service by more than 30% in the coming years. It helps us get there by focusing on priorities defined by our community: increasing ridership and improving connections to destinations for people with low and limited incomes. 

We will begin adapting ideas from Forward Together into our service improvement plans later this year. The first package includes adjustments to 21 lines, including:

• 5 lines upgraded to Frequent Service, with buses arriving every 15 minutes or better, most of the day, every day
• 5 routes with buses running more often and earlier and/or later in the day
• 11 lines with route adjustments for faster, more direct trips and transfers
• 7 current lines discontinued 

Members of our outreach team will also gather feedback on a proposal to adjust Line 70-12th/NE 33rd Ave. We’d like to bring service closer to Cleveland High School, to make it safer and easier for students to access the bus. While some of the proposed changes to Line 70 were included in the draft Forward Together service concept, further adjustments have been made based on feedback, and the changes are now proposed for May 2023 due to renewed safety concerns around the Southeast Portland high school.

Find detailed descriptions of the proposals at trimet.org/plan.

Fare increase proposal

In May, TriMet’s Board of Directors is expected to vote on a fare increase proposal that would increase the cost of Adult fare for a 2 ½ hour ride by 30 cents and 60 cents for an all-day pass, and increase the cost of Honored Citizen and Youth fare by 15 cents for a 2 ½ hour ticket and 30 cents for a day pass. The proposal also calls for a 30 cent increase in fare for single rides on LIFT paratransit. The current proposal does not change the cost of monthly or annual fares. If approved, the increase would take effect on Jan. 1, 2024. TriMet last increased our Adult fare in 2012. That’s despite inflation and increases for other basic services over the past decade, as well as a 37% increase in the cost of running and maintaining our transit system.

Open house schedule

We have scheduled 12 open houses, starting Tuesday, Jan. 17 through Saturday, Feb. 4, for people to get more information and share their feedback. The events will be held in person and virtually via Zoom, where participants will have the option to join online or by phone. Handouts and materials will be available in English and 10 additional languages, at each open house. Where specified, events will have accommodations available for people who prefer languages other than English:

• Jan. 17, 4 – 6 p.m.: University of Oregon, 70 NW Couch St., Portland (Spanish)
• Jan. 18, 8 – 9 a.m.: Via Zoom (Spanish interpretation available by request)
• Jan. 18, 5 – 7 p.m.: St. Philip Neri, 2408 SE 16th Ave., Portland (Vietnamese)
• Jan. 19, Noon – 4 p.m.: Rosewood Initiative, 14127 SE Stark St., Portland (Spanish, Napali, Rohingya, Burmese)
• Jan. 21, 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.: Via Zoom (Spanish interpretation available by request)
• Jan. 24, 5 – 7 p.m.: Clackamas Community College, 7738 SE Harmony Rd., Milwaukie (Russian, Ukrainian) 
• Jan. 25, 5 – 7 p.m.: Washington Street Conference Center, 102 SW Washington St., Hillsboro (Spanish)
• Jan. 26, 5 – 7 p.m.: Fairview City Hall, 1300 NE Village St., Fairview (Spanish)
• Jan. 28, 9 – 10 a.m.: Via Zoom (Spanish interpretation available by request)
• Jan. 28, 1:30 – 3 p.m.: Via Zoom (Spanish language only)
• Feb. 1, 5 – 7 p.m. Muslim Educational Trust, 10330 SW Scholls Ferry Rd., Tigard (Arabic, Farsi)
• Feb. 4, 9 – 10 a.m.: Via Zoom (Spanish interpretation available by request)

TriMet’s online survey is a quick and easy way to provide feedback on the fare increase proposal. The survey went live on Dec. 8, 2022. We’ve already received 2,539 responses, and you can leave open-ended comments. 

People can also share feedback on any topic involving TriMet during the public comment section of TriMet Board of Directors meetings, by phone and text at 503-238-RIDE (7433), via Twitter @trimethelp and online at trimet.org/help.

Here at TriMet, we’re ready to ring in 2023! The New Year will bring many improvements to service. We’re preparing for the future with our Forward Together service concept and will be furthering our focus on the climate with the addition of 24 new electric buses to our fleet. We’ll also be continuing our agency-wide effort to attract and retain frontline staff, especially operators, who are the driving force behind everything we do.

Before we welcome the New Year, we’re taking time to look back on the moments that marked 2022. From launching our first FX bus line, to running every diesel bus in our fleet on cleaner, greener R99 renewable diesel for a full year, we’re grateful for the many milestones reached. Share them with us again, in our Year in Review video, which answers the question, “What will we remember most about 2022?”

Happy New Year!

All of us here at TriMet wish you and yours a safe, happy and healthy holiday! We’re looking forward to moving you — and our region – in 2023.