TriMet begins FX2-Division Frequent Express bus service, updates routes and improves schedules for fall, while implementing a temporary, 2% service-level reduction due to ongoing operator shortage

TriMet FX® is at your service, with a new type of transit for the 15-mile Division Street corridor, from Gresham to Downtown Portland. This morning, FX picked up its first riders, as our big, new, green buses rolled into service on Division Street. FX is a better, faster, higher-tier bus service, and it’s a first-of-its kind for TriMet and our region. What makes FX different? From its longer, articulated buses, to enhanced bus stop stations at key locations and transit signal priority technology that helps buses avoid traffic and reach their destination faster and on time, FX is optimized for speed and reliability in every way.

The FX difference: What to expect

• 15-miles of FX—Frequent Express—bus service on the Division Street corridor, between Gresham and Downtown Portland
• Buses arriving every 12 minutes most of the day, with daily service from about 4:30 a.m. – 1:00 a.m.
• New, 60-foot buses with space on board for 60% more people and time-saving features including all-door boarding, Hop Fastpass® electronic fare readers at every entry and on-board bike racks 
• 42 pairs of bus stop stations (more similar to MAX stations), with features like weather protection, seating, TransitTracker™ real-time displays and more
• New transit-only signals and Business Access & Transit (BAT) lanes in key locations to give buses more green lights and keep riders moving past traffic congestion
• An expanded route, with service to Cleveland Ave Park & Ride and use of the car-free Tilikum Crossing, Bridge of the People, to cross the Willamette River

FX2 launch brings additional adjustments

As part of our launch of the FX2-Division service, we’re making adjustments to Line 10-Harold and updating stops at Gresham Central Transit Center and the Portland Transit Mall. We’ve also retired Line 2-Division. Line 10 will move from Southeast Ladd Avenue to Southeast 7th, to cover some stops that Line 2 previously served. It also now has weekend and holiday service.

All riders are encouraged to visit trimet.org to plan your trip! We’ve also updated schedules across much of the TriMet system, for streamlined connections between FX2-Division, many other bus lines and MAX.

More moves for fall 2022

Our fall service brings minor service expansions and schedule improvements to 16 additional bus lines. At the same time, we are reducing service on 10 bus lines, including canceling service on two low-ridership lines due to our operator shortage. Here’s what you need to know:

• Schedule and route improvements: We’re adding buses to Line 17-Holgate to bring arrivals to every 30 minutes between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. We’re also adjusting the routes of Line 20-Burnside/Stark and Line 24-Fremont to improve transfers. In addition, we’re adjusting schedules on the following lines to help keep buses on time and make connections easier: 12, 16, 21, 44, 45, 70, 71, 73, 74, 75, 76, 78 and 94. 
• Temporary service-level reduction: As we announced in June, TriMet will implement a temporary 2% bus service level reduction to address our ongoing operator shortage. Starting today, service has been adjusted on the following eight bus lines: 1, 8, 9, 18, 26, 72, 81 and 82. We are canceling service due to very low ridership on lines 50 and 92. We also reduced service due to our historic operator shortage in January 2022.

Forward Together

With the COVID-19 pandemic changing the way people travel, TriMet has launched Forward Together, a comprehensive service analysis and community engagement effort to determine a better bus system. We’re taking a look at where buses are running now and where they should run. We’ll be sharing more about the effort in the weeks ahead and asking our community for help in shaping the future of our bus service.

Division Transit Project makes history as certified Disadvantaged Business Enterprise firms paved the way for better FX bus service

TriMet, joined by the Federal Transit Administration and regional partners, held a ceremony on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022, at Portland Community College Southeast, to launch a new type of high-capacity bus service for the region.

TriMet FX® will provide faster, more reliable bus trips using longer buses with all-door boarding, streamlined stop locations, next-generation transit signal priority and dedicated bus lanes in key locations. The agency’s first FX line — FX2-Division — begins running on Sunday, Sept. 18, with service between Downtown Portland, Southeast and East Portland and Gresham.

Following the ceremony, TriMet, with the generous support of sponsors, kicks off a community celebration Saturday afternoon from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. The FX2-Division Grand Opening Celebration, presented by Raimore Construction, features family-friendly festivals along the route with free rides on the new green FX buses during the event.

A Division of Possibilities

TriMet welcomed FTA Region 10 Administrator Linda Gehrke to Portland to help commemorate the historic new FX service and the achievements made with the Division Transit Project. The project laid the infrastructure for the high-capacity FX service while making critical safety improvements in the Division Street Corridor and making history with the work accomplished by minority and women-owned certified businesses.    

TriMet General Manager Sam Desue Jr., Regional Administrator Gehrke, U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer and other project partners spoke at the FX2-Division Opening Ceremony about the transformation of the Division Street corridor and the new tier of bus service coming with the launch of FX.

“In January 2020, TriMet, the FTA and our partners kicked off the Division Transit Project surrounded by colorful images reflecting the diversity, culture and vibrant spirit of the Division Street Corridor; we launched a campaign we called ‘A Division of Possibilities’ and never has a slogan become more fitting,” said Desue. “Not only has the Division Transit Project made a better, faster type of bus service possible, the project transformed a high-crash corridor, making it possible to safely walk, bike and drive along and across Division Street. Now, more possibilities lie ahead with the launch of TriMet FX® — Frequent Express.”

“Today, we are celebrating another innovative project from TriMet — combining the capacity and reliability of the city bus with modern amenities that will mean a faster, cleaner, and smoother ride for people in Portland and Gresham,” said Gehrke. “FTA was happy to support TriMet’s Division Transit Project with $87 million, providing federal support to a project that will improve safety, lessen Portland’s environmental footprint and help get people where they need to go faster and more efficiently.”

“This project showcases how we can — and should — invest federal monies to help our local communities recover and become more livable,” said U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Oregon). “Investing in our communities — through transit, dedicated bike lanes and pathways, sidewalks, protected crossings — keeps people safe, healthy and economically secure.

“Metro and our regional partners have dedicated countless hours to plan high-capacity bus service in the Division Corridor that works with, and for, the communities it serves,” said Metro Council President Lynn Peterson. “It’s great to see our efforts and all the feedback from the community, especially those that served on the Community Advisory Committee, hit the road with the opening of the first FX line.”

FX: Faster, more reliable bus service

TriMet’s first FX line, the FX2-Division, will move more people faster and more efficiently along a 15-mile route, that connects Downtown Portland, Southeast and East Portland and Gresham. The new high-capacity bus service features new, longer bright green buses arriving every 12 minutes, all-door boarding and transit priority in key locations.

FX buses and all TriMet buses run on cleaner-burning renewable diesel. Known as R99, it’s a blend of 99% renewable and sustainable resources (like natural fats, vegetable oils and greases) and just 1% petroleum. TriMet will transition to a zero-emissions bus fleet, including FX buses, by 2040.

FX2-Division features:

• Stations located where rider demand is greatest to minimize travel times while providing important transit connections
• Longer, 60-foot articulated buses with room for 60% more riders
• All-door boarding with electronic Hop Fastpass® electronic fare readers inside all three doors to reduce stop times
  (Those paying with cash must use front door.)
• Bikes racks on board, rather than on front of the bus
• A new type of technology that people using mobility devices can self-operate to secure their device
• Business Access & Transit (BAT) lanes at key locations to move buses around traffic (The longest stretch of BAT lanes goes 12 blocks eastbound between SE 110th and 122nd avenues.)
• Next-generation transit signal priority to move buses around traffic and more efficiently along Division Street
  (The new technology tracks FX buses in real-time and allows them first access at intersections. It can extend green lights and shorten reds and allows for ‘queue jumping’—giving buses at stations or in bus lanes the green light first to cross intersections.)

Built by the community, for the community

The Division Transit Project will go down in TriMet and Oregon history. First, TriMet awarded Raimore Construction, a certified Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE), the construction award — the largest contract for a DBE in Oregon. With the project, Raimore was determined to lift up other minority-owned businesses, awarding them subcontracts on the project for electrical, flagging, trucking, landscaping and other work. To-date, more than 75% of the construction on the Division Transit Project has been completed by DBEs — Raimore and 41 other DBE firms. That is the highest percentage of DBE participation on any major TriMet project and any major public transit project in Oregon.

“The Division Transit Project created an opportunity to build something better together and this project has proven that construction can be an engine of change,” said Jeff Moreland Sr., president and CEO of Raimore construction. “Together, we have built more than a bus rapid transit project — we built up people through jobs, careers, and economic opportunity. Communities flourish and experience a sense of belonging when given the opportunity to participate, share in profitability, and truly benefit from these community building projects.”

“FX is more than just a transit line,” said Metro Councilor and APANO Community Development Director Duncan Hwang. “The project has brought significant community benefits to this area, including supporting minority-owned contracting businesses and the development of affordable housing. Now, our community can enjoy a faster and safer transit line, as well as other much-needed economic benefits.” 

During Saturday’s ceremony, TriMet General Manager Desue Jr. and Regional FTA Administrator Gehrke presented Moreland and Raimore with an award acknowledging the company’s work over the past two decades with TriMet and its historic accomplishments with the Division Transit Project. The award reads in part, “You have created a lasting legacy, representing what can be accomplished through intentional partnerships and a commitment to empowering other small, minority-, and women-owned businesses.”

TriMet DBE Program
TriMet adopted our first goals for engaging minority- and women-owned businesses in 1982. During the Interstate MAX project, TriMet created a DBE program that has become a national model. The program reflects the belief that people building the transit system should mirror the diversity of the region, by creating opportunities for DBEs as both prime and subcontractors on capital projects.

Connecting communities and opportunities

Before the worldwide COVID-pandemic, most TriMet bus riders along Division Street traveled on average about three miles. The new, improved FX service opens up new travel opportunities for reaching work, shopping, recreation and education.

“I am looking forward to the launch of the FX2 service along the Division Street Corridor,” said Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler. “These modern green buses will connect Portlanders to better jobs and services, helping businesses recovering from pandemic grow and thrive. Congratulations to TriMet on this historic moment.”

In addition to businesses, community services and venues, FX2-Division will serve multiple higher education institution. They include Portland State University in downtown Portland, OHSU at South Waterfront, Warner Pacific College and Portland Community College Southeast on Division Street, and Mount Hood Community College via a connection with TriMet’s Line 20 in Gresham.

“Gresham is a proud regional partner celebrating today’s historic launch after years of planning, collaboration, and community resilience,” said Gresham Mayor Travis Stovall. “The City of Gresham is committed to developing a transportation system that is more equitable, safer, innovative, and environmentally sustainable. This project represents the best outcomes government can achieve when we all work together for the betterment of everyone!”

Transforming Division Street into a safer place to travel

TriMet’s new FX2-Division buses will roll along a much different Division Street than three years ago before the Division Transit Project began.

“The connected efforts between PBOT’s Outer Division Safety Project and TriMet’s Division Transit Project have transformed one of the most dangerous high crash corridors in the region into a welcoming, safe access point for all—no matter how you choose to travel,” said Portland Transportation Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty. “Making it safer, faster, and greener for people to move about their daily lives through a project that created living wage jobs enriches our entire region and public transit system.”

The combined improvements made by the Division Transit Project and the Outer Division Safety Project include:

• Protected intersections— the first of their kind in the Portland region— installed at three high-use intersections (122nd, 148th and 162nd avenues) create a safety barrier between people and vehicles
• Nearly 81,000 square feet of new sidewalks added to Division Street (59,000 square feet in Portland and 22,000 square feet in Gresham)
• 11 new marked crosswalks with stoplights, median islands or flashing lights
• 10 more signalized pedestrian crossings
• Upgrades and lighting improvements to existing pedestrian crossing signals
• New street lighting installed along the corridor at all new crossing locations
• Some 4.5 miles of protected bike lanes, with physical separation where possible, to better guard bicyclists against motor vehicles
• Protected intersections— the first of their kind in the Portland region— installed at three high-use intersections (122nd, 148th and 162nd avenues) create a safety barrier between people and vehicles
• Raised center medians between SE 80^th and 174^th avenues, a proven tool for reducing crashes

Other improvements have been made for a better customer experience for FX2-Division riders. Buses will serve 42 pairs of enhanced bus stations along the Division Street corridor. Many stops are more typical to MAX light rail stations, with amenities such as lighting, seating, real-time bus arrival information displays and weather protection.

FX2-Dvision Opening Ceremony

TriMet’s FX2-Division Opening Ceremony at PCC Southeast brought together elected officials, community partners, staff and others involved in the Division Transit Project, to celebrate the culmination of the project and launch of the new FX — Frequent Express — bus service.

Speakers included:

• Sam Desue Jr., TriMet General Manager
• Linda Gehrke, FTA Region 10 Administrator
• Earl Blumenauer, U.S. Congressman
• Lynn Peterson, Metro Council President
• Duncan Hwang, Metro Councilor and APANO Community Development Director
• Ted Wheeler, Portland Mayor
• Travis Stovall, Gresham Mayor
• Jo Ann Hardesty, Portland City Commissioner
• Jeff Moreland Sr., Raimore Construction President and CEO

Congressman Blumenauer and General Manager Desue honored Metro Councilor Shirley Craddick for her integral role in the Division Transit Project since the project’s inception. Along with Councilor Craddick, the late Metro Councilor Bob Stacey also was pivotal in the project from the beginning. A moment of silence was held for Councilor Stacey, who passed away on Sept. 8. Before joining Metro, Stacey had served as TriMet’s first Executive Director of Policy & Planning.

Also during the ceremony, the White Lotus Dragon & Lion Dance Group delighted attendees with a Chinese Lion Dance. In Chinese culture, lions represent joy and happiness, and the dance is often performed during new year celebrations. General Manager Desue and Regional FTA Administrator Gehrke took part in a traditional feeding of lions with lettuce, which is a blessing of sorts for good luck and prosperity.

FX2-Division Grand Opening Celebration

A community celebration is being held Saturday afternoon to mark the launch of the new FX line. TriMet thanks our generous sponsors for making the FX2-Division Grand Opening Celebration, presented by Raimore Construction, possible. Throughout the afternoon, people can visit three festival locations along the route: My People’s Market next to the OMSI/SE Water Avenue Station, PCC Festival Marketplace at PCC Southeast and Gresham Farmers’ Market.

Each unique site features local food and culture, live entertainment, exclusive giveaways and more. Visitors can participate in a paint-by-numbers mural activity at each festival site. The mural pieces, created by Portland artist Angelina Marino-Heidel, will be joined together and installed this fall on the Cascadia Health building at Southeast 42nd and Division.

In conjunction with the FX2-Division Grand Opening Celebration, the Division Midway Alliance is holding its annual Festival of Nations and many businesses are joining in the FX fun with offerings. People also have the chance to check out our big, new green FX buses and ride free during the celebration.

Funding the Division Transit Project

The Division Transit Project is projected to come in on or under budget. The initial cost was estimated at $175 million. TriMet thanks all our funding partners: FTA, City of Portland, City of Gresham, Metro, Multnomah County and the Oregon Department of Transportation.

Funding Source
Amount
Federal - 5309 Small Starts Funds
$87,413,950
Federal - Other Funds (STBG, CMAQ, SP&R)
$31,617,758
Federal - ARP Act, Capital Investments 
$12,963,076
TriMet
$24,083,116
City of Portland
$17,730,001
City of Gresham
 $500,000
Metro
$285,612
Multnomah County
$130,000
ODOT
$104,388
Total
$174,827,901

The $87.4 million in funding from the Federal Transit Administration comes from its Small Starts capital investment grants program. This was a one-time lump sum payment known as a single year grant agreement. Oregon’s U.S. Congressman Blumenauer helped create the Small Starts Program, which this project is funded under, and Oregon’s U.S. Senator Merkley strongly advocated for this project in his position on the Senate Appropriations Committee.

With numerous adjustments occurring across the system on Sunday, Sept. 18, TriMet encourages all riders to plan ahead and visit trimet.org to prepare

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

Starting Sunday, Sept. 18, TriMet will launch of our first TriMet FX® — Frequent Express — bus line. Our fall service also brings minor service expansions and schedule improvements to 17 bus lines, plus updates to bus stops at Gresham Central Transit Center and the Portland Transit Mall. However, we’re also reducing service on 10 existing bus lines, including canceling service on two low-ridership lines, due to the current operator shortage. The 2% reduction in service levels is temporary to bring schedules in line with our current staffing while we bring on more operators. With more than 30 lines being adjusted for fall, we encourage all riders to visit trimet.org and plan a trip for Sept. 18 or later, to see how they could be affected by these updates.

Positive moves for fall 2022

FX2-Division: We’re launching our new TriMet FX® — Frequent Express — bus service, with FX2-Division starting on Sept. 18. FX2-Division will bring better, faster, higher-tier bus service to the 15-mile Division Street corridor, with buses arriving every 12 minutes and improved travel times between Gresham and Downtown Portland. New 60-foot, articulated bus can carry 60% more riders than a standard bus, and transit priority signals and lanes will move them around other traffic.

• Line 2-Division: TriMet will retire Line 2-Division and replace it with FX2-Division. FX2 follows much of the same route as Line 2; however, it extends farther to the east in Gresham, to the Cleveland Ave Park & Ride. On the west end of the route, FX2-Division will use the car-free Tilikum Crossing, Bridge of the People, instead of the Hawthorne Bridge, to provide new connections to OHSU and Portland State University.
• Gresham Central Transit Center: We are reorganizing stops to support the launch of FX2-Division service and make transfers easier for riders.
• Downtown Transit Mall: We are updating some bus stop locations for FX2-Division service, which will also improve connections for riders on other lines.

Line 10-Harold: We’re moving the route on Line 10-Harold from Southeast Ladd Avenue to Southeast 7th, to cover some stops that the retiring Line 2 had served. We are also adding weekend service.

Line 17-Holgate/Broadway: We’re increasing weekday service, so that buses run every 30 minutes between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m.

Line 20-Burnside/Stark: Buses are moving from Northeast Hood to Northeast Kelly, to improve transfers at Gresham Central Transit Center. 

Line 24-Fremont: We’re extending the route to Collins Circle to improve transfers in Southwest Portland.

Bus schedule improvements

We are adjusting schedules on 13 bus lines to help keep buses on time and improve transfers. Affected lines include the 12, 16, 21, 44, 45, 71, 73, 74, 75, 76, 78 and 94. The schedule for Line 70 will also be temporarily adjusted due to the closure of the Northeast 33rd Avenue bridge over Lombard Street.

Temporary service-level reduction 

As we announced in June, TriMet will implement a temporary 2% bus service level reduction on Sept. 18, to address our ongoing, historic operator shortage. Service will be adjusted on the following eight bus lines: 1, 8, 9, 18, 26, 72, 81 and 82. We are canceling service due to very low ridership on lines 50 and 92. TriMet also reduced service due to the operator shortage in January 2022.

Temporarily reducing service to match our staffing levels means that riders will experience far fewer canceled buses, as we continue to restore our workforce. We hope to begin adding back service hours in 2023. TriMet’s incentives of a $7,500 hiring bonus and increased starting pay of $25.24 continue to drive applications. Starting pay for operators will increase by 7.5% in December 2022 and 4% in December 2023, under an approved two-year contract extension between TriMet and the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) 757.

Forward Together

When TriMet starts adding back service, we want to make sure we are serving the needs of our community. With the COVID-19 pandemic changing the way people travel, TriMet has launched Forward Together, a comprehensive service analysis and community engagement effort to determine a better bus system. We’re taking a look at where buses are running now and where they should run. We’ll be sharing more about the effort in the weeks ahead and asking our community for help in shaping the future of our bus service.

Grand opening celebration on Saturday, Sept. 17 features multiple festival sites, food, live entertainment and free rides on FX buses

TriMet invites the community to join us Saturday, Sept. 17, to celebrate the launch of FX2-Division, the first TriMet FX—Frequent Express—bus line. FX will be better, faster, high-capacity bus service along the 15-mile Division Street corridor between Gresham and Downtown Portland. Before our big, green, bendy buses roll into service on Sunday, Sept. 18, we want to give you a ride and show you what all of the excitement is about! 

FX2-Division Grand Opening Celebration

Come See. Ride Free.

Saturday, Sept. 17, 12 p.m. – 5 p.m.

My People’s Market at OMSI/SE Water Station | PCC Festival Marketplace | Gresham Farmers’ Market

RSVP on Facebook

Learn more at trimet.org/fx/celebrate

Festivals, free rides and more!

To reflect and embrace the rich diversity of the Division Street corridor, TriMet will host festivals at three sites along the route: My People’s Market at OMSI/SE Water Station, PCC Festival Marketplace at PCC Southeast and Gresham Farmers’ Market from 12 p.m. through 5 p.m. Each family-friendly festival will feature food, arts, live music, multicultural presentations, special promotions and more. Admission is free.

Visitors will have a chance to participate in a paint-by-numbers mural activity at each festival site. Created by Portland artist Angelina Marino-Heidel, the mural is designed to unify the FX2-Division line with the community. Each of the panels will be joined together and installed this fall on the Cascadia Health building at Southeast 42nd and Division.

People will also have the opportunity to see and ride TriMet’s big, new FX buses that will serve the FX2-Division line. The buses, which are manufactured by Nova Bus, a division of Volvo, are 60-feet long, with an articulated or “bendy” center. The buses not only have room for more riders on board, they will help speed up service, with boarding at all three doors, Hop Fastpass™ fare readers at each entry, contactless, self-securement for a mobility device and bike racks on board. The 31 buses that TriMet purchased for the project are the first articulated buses we’ve had in our fleet in more than 20 years! Learn more at trimet.org/fx/celebrate.

Win prizes, collect FX memorabilia

Each festival site will have giveaways and incentives to encourage visitors to stop by multiple locations. Prizes include a one-of-a-kind FX bus LEGO® set sourced by Bricks & Minifigs Portland, a set of two limited-edition event posters, created by local artist Paul Lanquist and a 2-for-1 ice cream coupons from Salt & Straw. We’re also giving away lots of FX swag, including T-shirts, sunglasses, special-edition Hop cards loaded with fare, and more! 

FX Grand Opening Celebration festival sites

PCC Festival Marketplace (2305 Southeast 82nd Avenue, Portland): Open 12-5 p.m. The PCC Festival Marketplace at PCC Southeast will showcase 34 vendors of Asian-inspired food and entertainment along with other neighborhood businesses and non-profit organizations. Summit Wushu Martial Arts Academy and the White Lotus Dragon and Lion Dance group are among the performers featured throughout the day.

My People’s Market at OMSI/SE Water Station (2201 Southeast Water Avenue, Portland): Open 11 a.m.-5 p.m. This festival will feature My People’s Market — a reimagined marketplace that brings a diverse collection of the Portland area’s entrepreneurs, makers, and artists together. The market will have more than 120 BIPOC vendors, two stages and a beer garden. Entertainment includes live music by local soul band Bridge City Revival, DJ Ashe and numerous other performers.

Gresham Farmers’ Market (401 Northeast Second Street, Gresham): Open 12-5 p.m. FX buses will drop people at the Gresham Central Transit Center, where entertainers will greet them. A special trolley and vintage bus will transport them to the Gresham Farmers’ Market. One of the largest markets in the region, it features local produce, fruit, flowers, nursery stock, handcrafted food items, and more. Live music performances include sing-a-long group The Low Bare Chorale, accordion quartet Paper Bellows and the Americana sounds of JT and the Mudbugs. The market location is also a short 6-minute, 1/3-mile walk from the transit center.

 The festivals and FX2-Division Grand Opening Celebration are made possible due to the generous support of our sponsors, including Raimore Construction, the presenting sponsor and lead construction company for the Division Transit Project. The $175 million project laid the foundation for TriMet’s first FX bus line.

TriMet thanks Raimore and our other sponsors:

Supporting sponsors

• LYT
• Regence Blue Cross/Blue Shield
• Nova Bus
• PGE
• WSP Design

Community sponsors

• Metro
• Oregon Department of Transportation
• Landscape Forms
• Moda Health
• Kaiser Permanente
• Mission Square Retirement
• D-K-S Associates

Please see the full event lineup at trimet.org/fx/celebrate.

Getting there 

Parking at festival locations and along the Division Street corridor is limited. TriMet will be running regular Line 2-Division bus service throughout the celebration. Other buses and MAX run by festival sites. Check trimet.org to plan your trip. 

Division Midway Alliance Festival of Nations

In coordination with the FX2-Division Grand Opening Celebration, the Division Midway Alliance Festival of Nations will take place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Planned Parenthood parking lot at 14601 Southeast Division Street. This event is one of the longest running and largest multicultural festivals east of I-205. It celebrates the diversity of the Division Midway district, featuring cultural foods, performances, entertainment, vendors and community services.

Babblebuy Event Navigation and Business Promotion

We’ve partnered with local small-business app BabbleBuy to help navigate TriMet FX2-Division Grand Opening celebrations, including performers, activities, events and businesses involved.

Additionally, many businesses and restaurants along Division Street also will feature special promotions as part of the grand opening celebration.

Mark Dorn joins TriMet as our new Executive Director of Engineering, Construction and Planning. Dorn is a seasoned transit practitioner who brings more than two decades of multi-modal transit planning, engineering and design experience to the agency. He has overseen the engineering and construction of light rail, bus rapid transit and streetcar systems throughout the U.S. since 1992.

Dorn comes to TriMet from David Evans and Associates, Inc., where he worked as Director of Transit Design and Engineering, and prior to that, AECOM, where he served as Vice President of National Transit Practice. During his time with those companies, he was the design manager for the consultant team working on the Southwest Corridor Light Rail Extension Project.

Previously, Dorn served as Vice President of the Portland Transit Design Group Manager at URS Corporation where he provided project planning and design management support for a number of local transit projects, including the Portland Streetcar Eastside Extension (Central Loop), WES Commuter Rail and the Transit Mall renovation as part of the MAX Green Line project.

In addition to local transit projects, Dorn has been involved in the design and construction of multiple national projects:

• Valley Link Commuter Rail Project, San Joaquin Regional Rail Authority: 40-mile rail system connecting the Dublin BART rail station to the city of Tracy, California
• Oklahoma City Streetcar Project
• SEPTA Trolley Modernization Master Plan, Philadelphia, PA
• Seattle Streetcar – First Hill Streetcar Line: 2.5-mile Sound Transit funded streetcar system serving the International District, Seattle University and First Hill/Capitol Hill neighborhoods
• Detroit Streetcar Project (QLine): 3.3-mile starter line, providing rail service from downtown Detroit to the Amtrak Station in New Center
• Atlanta Streetcar Project: 2.7-mile loop service through the middle of Atlanta’s  downtown

“Through his work as a consultant on large transit projects, Mark has cultivated a rich history in transit around the region and the nation,” said TriMet General Manager Sam Desue Jr.  “His extensive knowledge surrounding project delivery will be a significant asset to our Engineering, Construction & Planning teams and TriMet as a whole.”

“This seems a bit of a homecoming as I’ve had the pleasure of working closely with TriMet staff and regional partners on past transit projects,” said Dorn. “I look forward to leading the Engineering, Construction and Planning teams as we grow TriMet services and revitalize existing infrastructure to continue delivering the high-quality transit services our community deserves.”

As Executive Director of EC & P, Dorn will provide critical leadership for upcoming projects, overseeing the execution and administration of state and federal safety reviews, project requirements and the financial reporting structure for large projects.

Dorn holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Vermont and is a licensed professional engineer. His first day at TriMet will be Oct. 3, 2022.

About TriMet’s leadership team

TriMet’s executive team consists of the general manager, the chief operating officer and other chiefs/executive directors of the agency’s divisions.

The team works together to deliver safe and reliable transit service for residents of Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington counties. The executive leaders are responsible for the performance of their employees, their budgets and ultimately their division’s role in the overall performance of the agency.  

Learn more at trimet.org/about/leadership.

FX2-Division launches Sunday, Sept. 18, bringing better, faster bus service to the Division Street corridor, between Gresham and Downtown Portland

You planned your trip. You have your fare. Are you ready to ride TriMet FX®? TriMet’s faster, new, higher-tier bus service launches Sunday, Sept. 18, and we can’t wait to see you on board! While there are many similarities between FX and the fixed-route bus service that TriMet has been providing for more than 50 years, there are also some key differences, when it comes to finding your stop, boarding the bus, paying your fare and how our big new green buses will move you faster. FX works best when everyone does their part to keep things moving. Here’s what you need to know before you go!

Plan your trip: We’ve updated our website, trimet.org, with new schedules for FX2-Division. Plan a trip for Sept. 18 or later to see where you’ll catch FX and how your trip will improve. FX2-Division buses will arrive every 12 minutes for most of the day, every day, with service from about 4:30 a.m. – 1:00 a.m. and easy transfers to MAX and many other bus lines.

Find your bus stop station: We placed 42 pairs of bus stop stations for FX2-Division in areas where ridership and demand are highest. That means many riders will be using a new bus stop station as of Sept. 18. The stations feature weather protection, lighting, TransitTracker™ real-time arrival displays and other amenities, such as garbage cans. 

Choose the best door for boarding: The longer, bendy buses that will serve riders on FX2-Division have three doors for faster boarding. Riders using a mobility device or needing the ramp deployed, as well as those paying fare with cash should always use the front door. Riders traveling with a bicycle must use the rear door. FX buses have bike storage on board rather than on the front of the bus, as another time-saving feature. Other riders   can use any of the three doors.

Pay your fare: With most of our riders now using Hop Fastpass® to pay their fare, we’ve placed Hop readers at all three doors for ease and convenience. Tap your phone, Hop card, or contactless credit or debit card to the reader as you enter the bus. Pay with cash at the first door only. Unlike MAX light rail, Hop readers are located on board the vehicle and not at the station. As all fare payment is processed on board, there are no ticket vending machines at FX bus stop stations.

Select your seat: FX buses have plenty of room, with space on board for more than 100 people. Priority seating for seniors and people with disabilities is located near the front of the bus, behind the operator. Riders using a mobility device have the option to choose a traditional or contactless self-securement system. FX has forward-facing and side-by-side parlor seats throughout the bus. Riders in the very back may appreciate the rear window, which is a unique feature for our FX buses!

Enjoy the ride! Trips on FX will be faster, likely reducing the amount of time that you spend on board. While you’re with us, enjoy 60% more space that’s available on FX. Read a book, scroll your phone or just relax! Remember to press the yellow cord or red stop button near the doors to request a stop. Thank you for riding!

FX2-Division Grand Opening

TriMet is inviting the community to celebrate the launch of the new FX2-Division line on Saturday, Sept. 17. We’re hosting a huge party, with three festival event sites at the OMSI Bridge Lot, Portland Community College (PCC) Southeast and the Gresham Farmers’ Market. In addition to local food and live entertainment at each site, we will also have free rides on our new big, green bendy buses! Come See. Ride Free. Learn more!

FX – Fast, frequent, efficient

The $175 million Division Transit Project laid the foundation for TriMet FX® — Frequent Express — a faster, higher-tier, high-capacity bus service for the 15-mile Division Street corridor between Gresham, East Portland, Southeast Portland and Downtown Portland.

Service opens on Sunday, Sept. 18, with TriMet’s new, 60-foot, articulated buses serving dozens of newly constructed stations throughout the route. The buses will travel faster, helped by special lanes that give buses priority and signals that give buses green lights as autos wait nearby.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) awarded TriMet $87.4 million in federal funding for the Division Transit Project, with local funding also being instrumental. The money didn’t just lay the foundation for better bus service, it helped increase safety across all modes of travel along Division Street, which is a high-crash corridor.

The project, along with coordinated infrastructure improvements planned by the cities of Portland and Gresham, including the City of Portland’s Outer Division Safety Project, will make Division Street safer, whether traveling by bus, car, foot and bike.

The Division Transit Project is also on track to achieve record-setting involvement by businesses owned by minorities, women and other historically disadvantaged groups. Led by prime contractor Raimore Construction, a certified disadvantaged business enterprise (DBE) and minority-owned business itself, the project to date has achieved 84 percent DBE participation, setting a TriMet record for major projects. 

From Sept. 23-26, construction will close I-84 near the I-205 interchange, while a section of MAX Blue Line between Gateway Transit Center and E 122nd Ave will be disrupted from Sept. 24-25

TriMet’s ongoing efforts to rejuvenate and improve the MAX system will continue in September and require closures of I-84 and a small section of the MAX Blue Line.

• From 10 p.m. Friday, Sept. 23, to 4 a.m. Monday, Sept. 26, a 1.5-mile stretch of I-84 will be closed in both directions near the I-205 interchange.
• From the start of service on Saturday, Sept. 24, through the end of service Sunday, Sept. 25, the Blue Line will be disrupted between Gateway Transit Center and E 122nd Ave MAX Station.

The closure of I-84 is necessary so crews can continue building a new light rail bridge over the freeway. For the Blue Line disruption, we will use shuttle buses to take riders between the Gateway Transit Center and E 122nd Ave MAX Station. During the project, MAX schedules will be adjusted, with trains on all lines running every 20 minutes during most of the day. Shuttle buses during the weekend disruption will match Blue Line service and depart about every 20 minutes.

Riders will want to plan an extra 30 minutes for their trips. We thank both our riders and motorists for their patience as we work on these important projects. Over the long run, they will help improve MAX reliability, ease traffic congestion and maintain a healthier environment.

I-84 closure planned – Sept. 23-26

I-84 will be closed in both directions near the I-205 interchange from 10 p.m. Friday, Sept. 23, to 4 a.m. Monday, Sept. 26. The Northeast 102nd Avenue on-ramp to I-84 west and the I-84 east Exit 7 Halsey/99nd Ave off ramp will also be closed.

As TriMet’s A Better Red project continues to make progress in the Gateway area, crews will be setting girders for a new MAX bridge near the junction of I-84 and I-205 during the weekend closure.

Drivers should plan an alternate route or take public transit during the closure as I-205 will likely see more congestion than usual. You can visit ODOT’s TripCheck.com for real- time traffic information.

While the closure of I-84 will not affect our transit service, some trips may take longer due to other construction taking place on the Blue Line. MAX Green Line may be a good alternative for some people wanting to avoid traffic. It runs parallel to I-205 from Clackamas Town Center to Gateway Transit Center before heading to Downtown Portland next to I-84. Buses will also be running regular service while construction takes place.

MAX Blue Line disruption – Sept. 24-25

During the disruption, crews will revitalize track and a rail crossing at Northeast 102nd Avenue and East Burnside Street. With shuttle buses serving MAX stations between Gateway Transit Center and E 122nd Ave MAX Station, TriMet will have extra staff out at select stations to help riders make their connections.

While construction will last from Sept. 23-26, service will only be disrupted during the weekend—Sept. 24-25. Throughout the duration of the project, traffic controls will be in place near Northeast 102nd Avenue and East Burnside Street to help auto drivers get around the worksite safely.

Train schedules throughout the system will be adjusted during the four-day project. Riders will want to plan before you go. You can check the location of all TriMet vehicles throughout the system in real time by going to trimet.org.

Making Transit Better

Improving the MAX system is one of the many ways we work to make transit better. TrIMet’s improvements not only keep trains running reliably, they also help us expand and upgrade service. With the support of regional partners, our riders and the community at large, we aim help more people reach work, school, events and other destinations.

Among our largest undertakings in years, TriMet’s A Better Red MAX project has been under construction since September 2021. This multi-year project, set to complete in fall 2024, will extend the 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. At Gateway, new bridges are being constructed for this second track, spanning I-84, the I-205 multi-use path and existing tracks.

Construction activities currently in progress include:

• Building a new walkway and break facility for MAX operators at Fair Complex/Hillsboro Airport MAX Station
• Constructing a new track crossing, Red Line station platform, multi-use path and two new bridges just north of the Gateway Transit Center
• Multi-phase construction along Air Cargo Road, near Portland International Airport, to reposition the roadway

To find out more about A Better Red, go to trimet.org/bettered. For more on how we’re making transit better, check out trimet.org/bettertransit.

Raimore Construction estimates total disadvantaged business enterprise (DBE) participation to date at more than 75%*, a new record for TriMet

*Data adjusted Sept. 15, 2022

TriMet’s Division Transit Project is on track to achieve another first: record-setting involvement by businesses owned by minorities, women and other historically disadvantaged groups. Led by prime contractor Raimore Construction, a certified disadvantaged business enterprise (DBE) and minority-owned business itself, the project to date has achieved more than 75% DBE participation. That sets a TriMet record for major projects.

DBEs are businesses owned by women or minorities at a level of at least 51%. Companies that are certified as DBEs can receive preference for contracts funded with transportation-related dollars, under programs administered by the U.S. Department of Transportation, the state of Oregon and TriMet. The Division Transit Project, which laid the foundation for TriMet FX® and our first Frequent Express line–FX2-Division–is one such project. FX2-Division service opens to the public on Sunday, Sept. 18.

Raimore built pathway to success 

Raimore Construction made history when TriMet awarded the Division Transit Project contract in 2018. It was the largest contract ever awarded in Oregon to a certified DBE. From the beginning, Raimore promised to bring more certified firms on board as subcontractors for the project. Now, with construction nearly complete and the opening of FX2-Division less than a month away, the Raimore Construction team has more to celebrate. To date, total DBE participation for the project reached more than 75%.

“With the support of government agencies like TriMet, Raimore and firms like ours gain opportunities to pursue meaningful work, which benefits communities in multiple ways,” said President and CEO of Raimore Construction, Jeff Moreland Sr. “Not only will this work improve travel and safety through a diverse transportation corridor, it also lifts up minority-owned businesses, the people who work for them and their families.”

“Raimore Construction has been a great partner — talented, determined, and dedicated to the community and helping others find a path to success,” said TriMet General Manager Sam Desue Jr. “I’m proud TriMet first partnered with them more than 20 years ago during the Interstate MAX project, and that decades later, we were able to award Raimore the largest DBE contract in Oregon history.”

A way forward for minority and woman-owned subcontractors

As the general contractor on the $175 million Division Transit Project, as well as the lead contractor on the City of Portland’s accompanying $13 million Outer Division Safety Project, Raimore and minority-owned businesses have helped transform Division Street. The projects have increased safety, with new sidewalks, pedestrian crossings with signals, pedestrian protection at intersections, protected bike lanes, raised center medians and more. 

For the Division Transit Project, Raimore utilized DBE subcontractors including: A2 Metals LLC, Advanced Tribal LLC, Affordable Electric Inc., Alarm Tracks Inc., Alcantar and Associates LLC, All About Flagging LLC, Alvin L. Hall/Rock & Road Construction LLC, Bailey’s Construction Unlimited, Bestrade Enterprises Inc, Brothers Concrete Cutting Inc., Champion Parking Lot Maintenance Co., C.O.A.T. Flagging, Egami Construction Inc., Fremont Forest Systems Inc., Gateway Trucking LLC, IML Services LLC, J & R Trucking LLC, Just Bucket Excavating, Lemus Construction LLC, Mainstream Landscape Maintenance LLC, McDonald Excavating Inc., Miller Factors LLC, Northwest Geotech Inc., Precision Landscape Services Inc., Pro Eagle Trucking, S & F Land Services LLC, Shadow Guard Security Group Corp, Thuy Tu Consulting LLC, and WB Family Construction Inc.

Support for disadvantaged businesses

TriMet has a demonstrated history of engaging diverse community members in our workforce and business practices. We adopted our first goals for engaging minority- and women-owned businesses in 1982. The Federal Transit Administration has looked to our program as a national model for improving diversity in transportation contracting. Learn how our Disadvantaged Business Enterprise program supports businesses owned by women and people of color.

The future of transit is FX

TriMet’s launch of FX2-Division will bring a new type of high-capacity bus service to the region. With its longer, 60-foot buses, FX will allow more people to ride—60% more per bus—at frequencies of 12 minutes throughout most of the day. FX2 will run daily, with service from about 4:30 a.m. – 1:00 a.m.

TriMet is inviting the community to celebrate the launch of the new FX2-Division line on Saturday, Sept. 17. We’re hosting a huge party, with three festival event sites at OMSI, Portland Community College (PCC) Southeast and the Gresham Farmers’ Market. In addition to local food and live entertainment at each site, we will also have free rides on our new big, green bendy buses! Come See. Ride Free. Learn more!

A first-of-its-kind for TriMet, FX2-Division begins service on Sunday, Sept. 18

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

On Sunday, Sept. 18, TriMet will start something new: FX or Frequent Express bus service. FX is better bus service, with longer, bendy buses with more room for riders and improvements that will help keep buses out of traffic, speed up travel times and get people to their destinations faster. Our first FX bus line, FX2-Division, brings higher tier bus service to the 15-mile Division Street corridor. It is expected to reduce ride times between Gresham and Downtown Portland by about 20%! 

The Division Transit Project laid the way for FX service. Construction began in early 2020 and is nearly complete. Here’s a look at the top five tasks that we’re working to check off our “to do” list ahead of the Sept. 18 launch:

1. Finalizing maps, schedules, trip planning tools

TriMet is finalizing maps, schedules and trip planning tools to help our riders hop on board when FX2-Division starts to roll. The new line follows the same route as our soon-to-be retired Line 2-Division, with two major exceptions: The route extends farther east, providing a new transit connection between Gresham Central Transit Center and Cleveland Park and Ride, though riders can still transfer to Line 20-Burnside/Stark for a quick connection to Mt Hood Community College. It also uses Tilikum Crossing, Bridge of the People, to cross the Willamette River to Downtown Portland, whereas the current Line 2 uses the Hawthorne Bridge. By moving to Tilikum Crossing, FX service will benefit from the use of exclusive transit lanes that keep riders out of traffic congestion and connect students and employees to OHSU and PCC.  

Our website, trimet.org, is your best source of information on new and existing service, and we’ve already made updates with the new FX2-Division schedule, so you can easily plan a trip. Visit trimet.org and enter a date of Sept. 18 or later to see where you’ll catch FX and how your trip will improve. FX2-Division buses will arrive every 12 minutes for most of the day, every day, with service from about 4:30 a.m. – 1:00 a.m. and easy transfers to MAX and many other bus lines.

2. Installing amenities and features at bus stop stations

FX2-Division has 42 pairs of newly constructed bus stop stations along the 15-mile route, between Gresham and Downtown Portland. The stations are built to reflect one of four different designs, each selected based on its location. TriMet placed stations in areas where rider demand is highest, to help minimize unnecessary stops and keep riders moving.

Over the next several weeks, we’ll be working closely with our contractors to put finishing touches on the stations, which look and feel a lot like MAX stations. They will be fully equipped with weather protection, seating, TransitTracker(™) real-time arrival digital displays and other amenities. Each station has special markings and signs to help direct riders and people passing through and keep everyone safe.

3. Training operators and frontline staff to help riders get used to bigger buses

It’s been more than 20 years since TriMet last had 60-foot-long, articulated buses in our fleet, and a lot has changed in the decades since! So, we’re getting our operators and other frontline staff ready to help riders use the big new bendy buses on FX2-Division. The buses are longer, with room for 60% more riders on board. They can carry more than 100 people, but many are surprised to learn that the bus is about the same width of a typical bus and can make tight turns with ease. 

The new buses have three doors, with electronic Hop Fastpass™ readers for contactless fare payment at every door, two internal bike racks and priority seating for seniors and people with disabilities. Riders using mobility devices must use the front door, where they can request a ramp to be deployed. People with bicycles enter through the rear door, which provides faster and easier access to onboard bike storage.

4. Testing transit priority technology

FX2-Division is expected to cut travel times for riders between Gresham and Downtown Portland by about 20%. TriMet and our transportation partners with the cities of Gresham and Portland worked to incorporate special transit priority features into the design, to help keep buses out of traffic and keep riders moving. 

During the final weeks before the new service launches, we’re taking time to test and sync special traffic signals that will give buses more green lights as they travel Division. We’re also excited to see new signs going in and lane striping nearing completion, including business access and transit (BAT) lanes at key locations. The new bus lane between 110th and 122nd avenues will speed up eastbound bus trips, especially during busy afternoon traffic.

5. Planning a big grand opening celebration

We’re throwing a party, and everyone’s invited. We’re planning a big celebration to welcome the community to our new FX service. On Saturday, Sept. 17, the day before service officially opens, the public is invited to join us for not one but three festivals along the route, at OMSI, Portland Community College (PCC) Southeast and the Gresham Farmers’ Market.

Each site, which will be open from Noon until 5 p.m., will feature local food, live entertainment and a paint-by-numbers mural that the whole family can enjoy. We’re also excited to debut a new type of attraction that honors the area’s rich cultural traditions: My People’s Market at OMSI, which opens early at 11 a.m.

Plus, there will be free rides on FX buses all afternoon! Come see! Ride free! 

Hiring operators to drive our future

If you’ve ever dreamed of sitting behind the wheel of an FX articulated bus, an electric bus or one of our 700 workhorse buses that serve our riders daily, join our team and put yourself in the driver’s seat!

New operators earn $25.24 an hour to start and are eligible for a $7,500 bonus, in addition to benefits like health, dental and vision plans with low- to no-cost, a 401a retirement plan with an 8% employer contribution and up to $25,000 in life insurance for full-time operators, provided by TriMet. 

And, you’ll gain the satisfaction and stability of working for TriMet, a public agency, which has been serving the greater Portland area for more than 50 years! Visit trimet.org/drive to learn more and apply today! 

Two new executives—both well-known at the agency—begin new roles to provide further leadership for the agency. The internal promotions will keep TriMet on solid financial footing while expanding our equity and inclusion efforts.

Chief Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility Officer

TriMet General Manager Sam Desue Jr. has selected John Gardner to be the agency’s first Chief Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility (IDEA) Officer. Gardner has been with TriMet since 2015. He previously served as Director of Transit Equity, Inclusion and Community Affairs.

In the position of IDEA Chief, Gardner will assume an important role at TriMet that will focus and advance agency policies and initiatives to support a transit system that is safe, accessible and welcoming to all. He will report directly to the General Manager.

“John has championed issues around inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility and elevated TriMet’s position as an industry thought leader,” Desue said. “Under his leadership, we launched our successful reduced fare program for riders with low incomes and made other significant strides to ensure fair access to transit for traditionally underserved communities.”

“I look forward to working to advance TriMet’s commitment to equity,” Gardner said. “There is more we can do collectively to build on TriMet’s efforts to ensure all are welcome inside our agency and on the transit system, and I am dedicated to leveraging the internal and external expertise to expand diversity and inclusion.”  

Gardner will also oversee expanding management of our civil rights, disadvantaged business enterprise (DBE) and workforce equity programs. Over his seven years with TriMet, Gardner has been a central figure in our inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility initiatives. He worked to strengthen our civil rights program and deepened our relationships with community-based organizations, especially those representing traditionally underserved communities.

Among the successes accomplished under Gardner’s leadership, TriMet has worked internally and with community partners to reimagine a transit system that is more safe and welcoming for all of our riders.

Among the initiatives implemented is the creation of our Safety Response Team. Recognizing that not all incidents that occur on the system require a police response, the Safety Response Team helps connect vulnerable riders and those near the transit system with programs and services to improve their lives.  

In 2018, Gardner led TriMet to becoming one of the first transit agencies in the United States to offer a reduced fare to riders based solely on annual income. The program provides relief at up to 72% off the cost of Adult fare, granting unlimited rides across our transit system for as little as $28 per month. More than 42,000 participants registered for the program in its first four years. This program is in addition to TriMet’s Access Transit programs that provide free or low-cost fares to nonprofits and community-based organizations that help those most vulnerable in our community. 

Working with TriMet’s Engineering, Construction & Planning Division, under Gardner’s leadership TriMet has expanded support for businesses owned by people of color and women through our nationally-recognized Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program. In 2018, the agency awarded the primary contract for our Division Transit Project to Portland-based Raimore Construction, a certified DBE. This was the largest-ever award of a construction project to a DBE in the state of Oregon.

Executive Director of Finance and Administrative Services/CFO

Nancy Young-Oliver, who had served as TriMet’s interim Executive Director of Finance and Administrative Services/Chief Financial Officer from May through July, was promoted in August to officially take over the position. 

Young-Oliver has been with TriMet for more than seven years, serving as the Director of Budgets and Grants. She has overseen TriMet’s annual financial planning and budget development, including developing TriMet’s $1.9 billion fiscal year 2023 budget, which went into effect July 1, 2022. Under her leadership, TriMet’s budget team redesigned the TriMet budget format to add communication about agency priorities, planning and achievements. With that, TriMet received our first Distinguished Budget Presentation Award from the Government Finance Officers Association for the fiscal year 2020 budget, and we’ve continued to receive the award annually.

Young-Oliver also has been responsible for TriMet’s debt management, performance reporting and analysis, fare revenue analysis and grants administration. She oversaw the issuing of TriMet’s first sustainability bonds, in October 2021, to fund projects that bring environmental and/or social benefits. The sustainability bonds proved so popular with investors that there was more demand than supply. The bond sales generated $200 million in new money to fund capital projects, including A Better Red: MAX Red Line Extension and Improvement Project and renovations at our Powell Operating Facility to prepare for the return of articulated 60-foot buses and our growing electric bus fleet.

Young-Oliver spearheaded the creation of TriMet’s Clean Fuel Credits program in 2020 as part of Oregon’s DEQ Clean Fuels Program. The program is designed to reduce the carbon emissions produced by the state’s transportation fuels by 10% by 2025. Young-Oliver has led negotiations for the sale of TriMet’s Clean Fuel credits to outside parties, which has resulted in an annual increase of $1.5 million in miscellaneous revenue.

“Nancy has a proven track-record of excellence at TriMet, and I’m thrilled to now have her in this leadership position,” Desue said. “Nancy’s dedication is clear and benefits our employees, riders and the public. She pushes the agency toward continuous improvement and always ensuring we are good stewards of the public funding we receive.”

“I am honored to lead TriMet’s Finance and Administrative Services Division and look forward to keeping the agency on strong financial footing long into the future,” said Young-Oliver. “We will continue to pursue opportunities to bring in more local and federal resources to help keep our community moving, while staying accountable to the region we serve.”

Young-Oliver is a licensed Certified Public Accountant, licensed Municipal Auditor, Certified Information System Auditor and Certified Fraud Examiner. She has in-depth knowledge of Oregon Budget Law, Oregon Municipal Standards, and Governmental Accounting Standards Board standards. She serves as an adjunct professor at Portland State University in Governmental Accounting and Forensic & Investigative Accounting/Justice for Fraud Victims.

Prior to TriMet, Young-Oliver worked at Moss Adams, LLP and the Oregon Secretary of State Audits Division, leading audits and fraud investigations. She currently serves as the chair of the Oregon Board of Accountancy.

About TriMet’s leadership team

TriMet’s executive team consists of the general manager, the chief operating officer and other chiefs/executive directors of the agency’s divisions.

The team works together to deliver safe and reliable transit service for residents of Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington counties. The executive leaders are responsible for the performance of their employees, their budgets and ultimately their division’s role in the overall performance of the agency.  

Learn more at trimet.org/about/leadership.