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 42nd Ave Transit Center
Jan. 25-26: NE 60th Ave
Jan. 30-31: 82nd 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.
A Maintenance Service Worker mops a bus to help prepare it for service
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.
Maintenance Service Workers report to one of our five operating facilities, including the newly renovated, state-of-the-art Powell Operating Facility in Southeast Portland
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. 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.
In partnership with ODOT, free rides begin at 8 p.m. on December 31, with extended late-night MAX service
Relax, kick back and leave the driving to TriMet this New Year’s Eve. Free rides return this year to get you to and from the night’s celebrations the safe way. In partnership with the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), all TriMet buses and MAX trains, as well as Portland Streetcar, will be providing free rides from 8 p.m. until the end of service.
Free rides, extended MAX service
MAX
All MAX trains will run on their regular schedules with extended late-night service on most lines going until at least 2 a.m.
The last MAX Blue Line trip to Gresham leaves Pioneer Square South at 2:23 a.m., and the last trip to Hillsboro leaves Pioneer Square North at 2:47 a.m.
The last MAX Green Line trip to Clackamas Town Center leaves from Pioneer Courthouse/SW 6th at 2:18 a.m., and the last trip from Clackamas Town Center to Gateway Transit Center leaves at 3:12 a.m.
The last MAX Orange Line trip to SE Park Ave leaves Pioneer Place/SW 5th Ave MAX Station at 2:02 a.m., and the last trip from SE Park Ave leaves at 2:52 a.m.
The last MAX Red Line trip to Portland International Airport leaves Pioneer Square South at 12:42 a.m., and the last trip from PDX at 1:56 a.m.
The last MAX Yellow Line trip to Expo Center leaves Pioneer Courthouse/SW 6th at 2:27 a.m., and the last trip from Expo Center to Interstate Rose Quarter leaves at 3:05 a.m.
Buses
TriMet buses will run on regular Saturday schedules on New Year’s Eve. No fare will be collected after 8 p.m. However, buses will not have extended service hours. Riders who are staying out late may want to plan a trip home on MAX, if service on their bus line ends before midnight.
Plan ahead and stay safe
By working with ODOT to help keep impaired drivers off the road, our goal is to bring some extra peace of mind to drivers, pedestrians and those looking to take in the festivities. Offering free rides on New Year’s Eve has been a TriMet practice for years, and we’re excited to be bringing it back.
Before heading out, we suggest riders check schedules and make travel plans in advance by going to trimet.org. And remember, if you plan on making a trip after the clock strikes midnight, make sure you set the date for Jan. 1!
On New Year’s Day, which falls on a Sunday this year, TriMet’s Rider Support team will not be available, and the TriMet Ticket Office at Pioneer Courthouse Square will be closed. TriMet will observe the New Year’s Day holiday on Monday, Jan. 2. Buses and MAX will follow Sunday schedules. There will be no WES service. Visit trimet.org/holidays to learn more.
With more people expected to be traveling after a night out, we encourage everyone to:
Be alert and pay attention around buses and trains.
Pause devices and look both ways when crossing streets or tracks.
Be respectful of operators and other riders.
If you see something suspicious, say something to a TriMet employee or call 911.
Check your surroundings for personal items before you leave.
If you believe you lost something on board, you can contact our Lost and Found as soon as Monday, Jan. 2, by calling 503-238-7433, option 6, to file a report between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. You can also do so on our webpage: trimet.org/lostandfound.
For more information about free rides on New Year’s Eve, go to trimet.org/nye.
With the completion of the Fuller Station Apartments, more people will have convenient access to both transit and affordable housing
In a little under a year and a half, Clackamas County’s newest affordable housing project went from seed to tree, springing up on land that had previously been used as part of TriMet’s Fuller Road MAX Station Park & Ride. The project, known as the Fuller Station Apartments, broke ground in April 2021 and opened to tenants this fall. The project’s swift turnaround was made possible through the coordination of TriMet’s Transit-Oriented Development Program (TOD), which aims to connect more people to transit, prevent displacement and create family-wage jobs by redeveloping underused parcels of land.
Rising six stories, the 129,000-square-foot building features 100 apartments for families and individuals who earn between 30% and 60% of the area median income. Partial funding for the project came from the Housing Authority of Clackamas County (HACC), which awarded nearly $8.6 million in Metro Affordable Housing Bonds for this development.
Taking its name from its proximity to the MAX Green Line’s Fuller Road MAX Station, the apartments aim to invest in public transit, reinvigorate the neighborhood by opening up nearby land for future development and provide new housing to those who need it. There’s also still plenty of parking available at the Park & Ride, with the new building occupying about half of the overall footprint. With new residents being close to both the MAX Green Line and Line 72-Killingsworth buses, TriMet also provided residents with pre-loaded Hop cards upon their moving in.
Partnering for housing
In partnership with developers Geller, Silvis & Associates and Guardian, as well as Clackamas County, Fuller Station Apartments took shape over about 18 months and began its opening in October. Other partners who made the project possible include Oregon Housing and Community Services, Metro, CREA, JPMorgan Chase, R&H Construction, BC Group, Waterleaf and Tello Interiors. The apartments are currently 66% leased and accepting applications. A referral from a specific social service organization may be required for eligibility.
“With the high demand for affordable housing, we are proud to launch Fuller Station and be a part of the solution. Not only does Fuller Station offer homes for those with lower incomes, but we have also partnered with DevNW and Clackamas Women’s Service to provide a community for those aging out of the foster care system and survivors of domestic abuse,” said Tom Brenneke, president of Guardian. “Thanks to being adjacent to the MAX Green Line, we’re also able to offer accessibility to affordable transportation to work, healthcare, and social services.”
“TriMet is very excited to celebrate the opening of Fuller Station. This affordable housing project reinforces TriMet’s Transit-Oriented Development goal to support the delivery of community-supportive housing at its stations,” TriMet General Manager Sam Desue Jr. said. “Fuller Station and the new street infrastructure accompanying it is an excellent example of how public-private partnerships can promote more efficient land use around transit.”
Transit-oriented development: helping people move
While we aren’t developers, TriMet works with the public, private and community partners to facilitate new developments through our Transit-Oriented Development Program. These projects maximize density using TriMet properties that are no longer needed or by coordinating with third-party properties located near transit. Not only does transit-oriented development facilitate density, increase the supply of affordable housing and help realize new projects that benefit the community, they also increase access to transit.
In recent months, our Transit-Oriented Development program has taken steps to realize future projects that will sustain regional growth and invigorate communities. Earlier this summer, TriMet signed a letter of intent with Multnomah County for the partial sale of Gresham City Hall Park & Ride for the development of a new regional flagship library.
TriMet also recently received a $315,000 grant from the Federal Transit Administration to conduct studies around potential development opportunities at two Park & Rides: E 122nd Ave and E 181st Ave. The plans will address housing needs, economic development, transit accessibility, as well as pedestrian and bike infrastructure.
For more information about TriMet’s Transit-Oriented Development Program, visit trimet.org/tod.
Revised Forward Together concept updates 22 bus line changes, including adjusted routes, combining lines, more buses running more days and hours
TriMet has revised our Forward Together service concept based on feedback that we heard from thousands of people during public engagement conducted throughout our service district in October. Forward Together is the redesign of our bus system to better serve the community, after travel patterns changed coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on the most comprehensive analysis of our bus network in agency history, we put our ideas for better service together into a service concept and asked the public to share their thoughts and ideas as well. That public engagement resulted in 4,593 responses to our Forward Together survey and some 500 participants in open house events.
TriMet and project consultant, Jarrett Walker + Associates, have reviewed the responses and developed a revised Forward Together service concept that will help guide service improvements in the years to come. We plan to begin rolling out ideas from Forward Together in 2023. However, it will take years to put all the proposals from the Forward Together concept out on the street, due in part to our need to hire more bus operators.
Forward Together – Revised
Our Forward Together service concept will help guide plans to expand service by more than 30% in coming years. Early engagement identified overarching goals for increasing ridership and better meeting the needs of people with lower incomes. Forward Together achieves this over time by expanding access to opportunities, creating more Frequent Service with buses coming more often and for more hours, improving connections to job centers, extending weekend service and providing new bus lines serving areas that are far from transit today.
Forward Together revised service concept map, Dec. 14, 2022
We made updates to 22 bus lines since the draft service concept. We have developed a revised service concept map and summary description of changes by line and area, to help people fully understand what’s changed. Revisions came in a wide range that included adjusting routes, combining lines and expanding times of day or days of the week when buses run.
More opportunities to give feedback
TriMet will begin rolling out concepts from Forward Together in 2023, with the first package of improvements scheduled to begin in September and additional adjustments coming in 2024 and later years. The public will have opportunities to see the proposals for our next fiscal year and share feedback at open house events that are starting in January. We’ll be providing more information about those events, as well as a web page and online comment tool in January. People can also share feedback on any topic involving TriMet during the public comment section of our board meetings, by phone and text at 503-238-RIDE (7433), via Twitter @trimethelp and online at trimet.org/help.
TriMet Board approves Ordinance 369, making those committing the most serious misdemeanors eligible for long-term exclusions and further addressing chronic banned behavior
TriMet’s Board of Directors, on Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2022, approved Ordinance 369 to amend the TriMet Code—the rules for operating and riding TriMet—to strengthen the agency’s ability to help keep riders and employees safe. The changes, which take effect Jan. 13, 2023, 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 approved changes to the Code will expand the types of offenses that can result in long-term exclusions, those that stretch from six months to a lifetime ban. While felonies already fall under the scope of our current long-term exclusion policy, attempted felonies and Class A misdemeanors—the most serious category, which includes fourth-degree assault and some bias crimes—will also be eligible for longer exclusions.
Approval of the changes to strengthen long-term exclusions comes eight months after the TriMet Board approved a change to the Code that increased penalties for spitting on operators. 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 can seek a later review of that exclusion to show changed behavior.
What the changes would do
Long-term exclusions have been in place since 2017, when the Board adopted an ordinance that authorized—for the first time—the General Manager to issue such exclusions to people who commit “serious physical offenses” against other people. The terms of the long-term exclusions have stayed the same since then, lasting anywhere from about 6 months to a permanent ban.
Ordinance 369 makes three principal changes to TriMet’s Code, focusing on individuals who commit serious physical offenses and repeatedly violate TriMet’s Code relating to conduct.
1: The most serious misdemeanors will be covered under TriMet’s definition of “serious physical offense”
People committing Class A misdemeanors against others, along with attempted felonies, will be eligible for long-term exclusions. In addition to assault and bias crimes in the second degree, Class A misdemeanors include public indecency, possession of a hoax destructive device and harassment that includes offensive sexual contact.
2: Remove distinctions between first and second offenses
Because most, if not all, of the actions that trigger a long-term exclusion are physical and serious, the approved changes simplify the Code by removing the distinction between first and second offenses. The General Manager has discretion on whether a year-long exclusion, or even a permanent ban, is warranted after the first offense, depending on the severity of the crime. Since TriMet instituted long-term exclusions more than five years ago, only one person has ever been permanently excluded. Anyone who receives a long-term exclusion does have the right to appeal it annually.
3: Further address chronic offenders
Chronic offenders who have repeatedly commit Code violations for behavior, whether they were Class A misdemeanors or not, and have not changed their behavior despite multiple attempts by TriMet to dissuade such conduct, will also be eligible for long-term exclusions of up to two years. Chronic offender is defined as a person with three or more violations for conduct within a 90-day period. Making chronic offenders eligible for long-term exclusions is specific to behavior and not simple fare evasion. Rather, this addresses behavior that disrupts the safety and order of the transit system.
Again, the changes for long-term exclusions go into effect Jan. 13, 2023.
Decriminalizing fare enforcement
While none of the Code amendments approved touch on fare evasion, it’s important to note that TriMet has moved to decriminalize over the past six years. Efforts to improve the handling of fare evasion include:
Decriminalized fare enforcement by soliciting in 2017 a change in state law to allow TriMet to resolve fare evasion citations directly rather than citations automatically going to the court.
Changed TriMet Code in February 2022 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.)
Enabling a safer, more welcoming transit system
Strengthening the TriMet Code through this ordinance is one piece of a larger strategy to increase security for riders and employees. Our goal is a transit system that’s safe and welcoming for all, where inappropriate behavior is dealt with—and dealt with fairly.
TriMet aims to keep both its operators and riders moving safely, and it’s important to have a means to hold people accountable for inappropriate, threatening or dangerous behavior. While the district attorney’s office determines punishments for crimes, those punishments don’t always include long-term exclusions from TriMet.
Ordinance 369 would be one more way for TriMet to exert further accountability measures to improve the customer experience and protect employees. We look for ways to adapt to circumstances affecting our transit system and continuously move toward improvement. 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 and follow our process to reimagine public safety at trimet.org/publicsafety.
The strategic alliance helps small businesses obtain or increase bonding for the performance of TriMet construction contracts over $100,000
A strategic alliance between TriMet and the Small Business Administration (SBA) is helping smaller contractors establish themselves in a competitive field. TriMet’s alliance with the SBA clears the way for small businesses to obtain or increase their bonding through surety bonds, allowing them to participate in TriMet construction contracts over $100,000.
Surety bonds are risk management tools that help small businesses win contracts. The SBA steps in to guarantee the surety bonds, effectively assuring that the work will be completed. It then passes them on to small businesses. This means more businesses like Bratton Construction, owned by Sharon Maxwell, can take advantage of opportunities. Bratton Construction is a woman-owned firm that’s been working out of Northeast Portland since 1999.
From left: Alfonso Romero, TriMet Senior Contracts Equity Administrator; Lester Spitler, TriMet Director of Procurement & Supply Chain Management; Sharon Maxwell, CEO of Bratton Construction; Martin Golden, Portland District Director, Small Business Administration; Joseph Smetak, Business Opportunity Specialist, Small Business Administration.
“This helps make sure there’s a continuum of work and cash flow available for smaller businesses like ours,” Maxwell said of her construction firm, which has completed more than 1,000 projects and created more than 200 local jobs since 1999. “It’s especially important for minority- and women-owned businesses and the BIPOC community. When we’re given access to capital, we throw down.”
“We are optimistic that this partnership with the SBA will help reduce bonding barriers and create more opportunities for small businesses looking to participate on our public contracts, resulting in a more diverse vendor pool,” TriMet’s Senior Contracts Equity Administrator Alfonso Romero said. “By initially having the SBA guarantee the surety bond, the objective is to enable small businesses to eventually become bondable on their own and grow their capacity.”
“We’re here to help small businesses do business with the government,” said SBA Portland District Director Martin Golden. “What makes today’s partnership important is that often public agencies such as TriMet have difficulty finding qualified small businesses to partner with. We’re excited to work with TriMet to increase the pipeline of small businesses who can take on these important infrastructure projects.”
Embracing growth
About 47% of the private sector workforce either owns or works for a small business. Providing more opportunities to that sector of the economy, particularly at a time when the labor market is tight, allows these businesses to continue thriving amid economic uncertainties.
Sharon Maxwell, CEO of Bratton Construction.
Contracts with minority- and women-owned businesses like Bratton Construction let TriMet help lift up these firms and the people who work for them. Since 1982, TriMet has been working to break the barriers of entry for Disadvantaged Business Firms (DBE), Minority Business Enterprise and Women Business Enterprise firms to foster a more diverse workforce. The alliance with the Small Business Administration also helps furnish TriMet with a previously untapped pipeline of qualified firms capable of taking on construction projects that will improve the transit system.
TriMet’s five-year contract with Bratton Construction will result in the firm completing bus layover repairs and upgrades, with the firm eligible for up to $1 million of work per year. First off, Bratton Construction will be working at the Gateway Transit Center to remove a bump-out curb for buses, providing better, more convenient access for riders and buses.
“This helps us to build capacity and to hire more people from the local community, provide living-wage jobs and opportunities, and bring on more executive management staffing that has the experience to manage these projects,” Maxwell said.
Partnering to spread opportunities
TriMet’s strategic alliance with the Small Business Administration is intended to develop and foster mutual understanding and a working relationship to strengthen and expand small business development in the Portland metro area. Generally, in order to be eligible for the surety bond guarantee program, a business must:
• Be a small business according to SBA’s size standards
• Have a small contract or can show your small business is bidding on a contract (up to $6.5 million for non-federal contracts and up to 10 million for federal contracts)
• Be able to meet the surety’s credit, capacity and character requirements
TriMet’s DBE program is a nationally recognized model for improving diversity in transportation contracting. As we believe the businesses and people building our transit system should reflect the diversity of our region, our DBE program supports businesses owned by women and people of color. Through the programs DBEs have opportunities to serve as lead contractors and subcontractors on capital transit projects, especially those that receive federal funding. Learn more about our program at trimet.org/dbe.
Public feedback will help inform fare increase proposal that TriMet Board of Directors is expected to vote on in May 2023
TriMet wants to hear from riders and the community about a possible fare increase that would go into effect on Jan. 1, 2024. The TriMet Board of Directors has asked staff to formalize a fare increase proposal for consideration at its May 24, 2023 business meeting. Public feedback gathered online and in person will help inform the final proposal that is brought before the Board.
No increase in base fare in more than a decade
While costs have gone up for fuel, water, garbage, utility, grocery and other services and products over the last decade, TriMet’s adult fare has stayed the same—at 2012 prices. That’s despite inflation and a 37% increase in the cost of running and maintaining our transit system. Among the rise in costs we’ve experienced, TriMet’s average cost for a gallon of fuel was 18% higher in the past year than in fiscal year 2018, and since mid-2021, we’ve seen a 10%-25% increase in prices for many of the parts and components for our buses and trains.
After holding off on increasing our adult fare for as long as possible, a fare increase will help stabilize our financial future so that TriMet can continue providing the transit service our community relies on.
January 2024 fare increase proposal
Currently, the proposal calls for the following increases to begin Jan. 1, 2024:
Adult 2 ½ Hour Ticket: up 30 cents to $2.80
Honored Citizen 2 ½ Hour Ticket: up 15 cents to $1.40
Youth 2 ½ Hour Ticket: up 15 cents to $1.40
LIFT paratransit Single Ride Ticket: up 30 cents to $2.80
An all-day pass would still be the cost of two tickets, increasing accordingly:
Adult Day Pass: up 60 cents to $5.60
Honored Citizen Day Pass: up 30 cents to $2.80
Youth Day Pass: up 30 cents to $2.80
The proposal calls for no change to monthly and annual fares.
Public outreach and engagement underway through Feb. 25, 2023
TriMet is kicking off a robust outreach and engagement effort to gather feedback about the fare increase proposal and how it might impact riders. There are a number of ways to share your thoughts, including an online survey, which is available in 13 languages, and in-person and virtual open houses.
Sign up to speak at the public forum at the start of a monthly meeting of the TriMet Board of Directors.
People will also be able to testify after the reading of the fare increase ordinance at the Board’s April 26, 2023 meeting and during the public forum at the Board’s May 24, 2023 meeting.
TriMet Customer Service 4012 SE 17th Ave, Portland, OR 97202
Community partnerships, reduced fares help people afford transit
TriMet understands a fare increase may be challenging for those on low and limited incomes, and we will continue our reduced fare program and other Access Transit programs that have been helping people who are struggling financially for years now.
TriMet’s Honored Citizen reduced fare program allows seniors, those with disabilities and those who earn a low income to ride daily for half the cost of an adult fare, and up to 72% less a month. For frequent riders who use day passes five days a week, our Hop Fastpass™ monthly fare capping means they pay just 70 cents a day for the calendar month. In addition to that, those who qualify for the Honored Citizen reduced fare program based on their income level receive a free month of rides when they register for the program or re-enroll annually.
Since July 2018, when TriMet expanded the reduced fare program to those making up to 200% of the federal poverty level, more than 46,000 people have signed up. Learn more at trimet.org/income.
Since 2013, TriMet’s Access Transit programs have provided fare assistance and fare relief grants to eligible 501(c)(3) nonprofit and community-based organizations. We give more than 100 organizations fares at a reduced cost or at no cost, so they can get them into the hands of those who need them, along with other support the organizations provide. Since 2015, TriMet has provided those community partners with more than $12.2 million in fares. Learn more at trimet.org/accesstransit.
While TriMet’s youth fare for those ages 7 through 17 is half the cost of an adult fare, we also have programs for high schools to provide students free or discounted fares. Learn more at trimet.org/accesstransit. Youth age 6 and under ride free with an accompanying adult.
Timeline for proposed fare increase
The first reading of the ordinance for the fare increase proposal will occur at the TriMet’s Board’s April 26, 2023 meeting, with a second reading and vote at its May 24, 2023 meeting. All public comment will be shared with the Board before then.
Why fares are required
TriMet fares are an important source of funding for operations, and it is why we are able to provide extensive transit service across a 533-square-mile section of Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington counties nearly 22 hours a day, 7 days a week.
TriMet more often hears from riders who want more service, rather than free service. In addition to operations, fares help pay for the buses and trains you ride in, the maintenance of those vehicles and the tracks our MAX trains run on, the shelters and benches at stops and stations, the information about when your bus or train will arrive, and so much more.
