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.

One of 150 transit agencies to receive a federal grant, TriMet will use the funds to upgrade the Beaverton Transit Center

TriMet has been awarded a $5.6 million federal grant to reshape bus layover areas and upgrade operator break facilities at Beaverton Transit Center. It comes from $1.66 billion in grants awarded by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to 150 transit agencies across the country, part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed in 2021.

Beaverton Transit Center dates back to the mid-’80s and is due for an upgrade. The improvements will update the transit center’s facilities and layout. The emphasis will be on operator and rider comfort and improving access to a bustling transit hub in an area that’s changed considerably since it opened in the late 1980s. Updates to the transit center will also aid bus lines serving major job centers in Washington County.

Changes coming

Construction is expected to begin in early spring of 2025 and wrap up about a year later. While the FTA’s grant will pay for the bulk of the $6.9 million project, the remainder of TriMet’s funding will come from Statewide Transportation Improvement Funds (STIF).

Renovations to the Beaverton Transit Center will help expand it to better support bus operations and planned service upgrades for the Portland region. That will include space to accommodate new electric buses in the future.

TriMet continues to expand its fleet of electric buses. In April, TriMet’s Board of Directors approved the first bulk order purchase of 24 zero-emissions buses. That represented our single largest investment in electric bus technology to date and a significant step toward transitioning to a zero-emissions bus fleet by 2040.

Climate solutions

The FTA’s Bus and Bus Facilities Grant Program makes funding available to help transit agencies move toward a modern, green future. It helps agencies replace, rehabilitate and purchase buses and related equipment and to construct bus-related facilities, including technological changes or innovations to modify low- or no-emission vehicles or facilities.

Public transit plays an important role in helping our climate. Every time you board a bus or MAX train, you’re taking a step that helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions. TriMet’s investments in low- and zero-emissions technology, as well as alternative fuel and energy sources, help our region address climate change and create a healthier future for everyone. Learn more about TriMet’s Climate Action Plan.

Extension comes with annual salary increases

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

The TriMet Board of Directors approved a two-year contract extension between TriMet and the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) 757 at the Board’s Aug. 10, 2022 meeting. The current union Working and Wage Agreement that had been set to expire on Nov. 30, 2022, will now extend through November 2024. Nearly all aspects of the current contract will remain the same, but the extension includes annual wage increases: 7.5% increase effective on December 1, 2022, and a 4% increase effective on December 1, 2023. TriMet staff represented by ATU 757 voted to ratify the contract in late July.

“Our union employees work incredibly hard to keep our transit service rolling, people throughout the region moving and our customers informed and safe,” said TriMet General Manager Sam Desue Jr. “They deserve pay that reflects their vital role, not only at TriMet but in our community. I’m thrilled to see this contract extension and the salary increases move forward.”

“I want to appreciate the good relationship that we have building with TriMet now,” said ATU 757 President Shirley Block at the Aug. 10 meeting. “I want this Board to know that ATU stands behind TriMet trying to make anything safe for all our members. We appreciate the extra effort going on board.”

The contract extension and pay increases are important as TriMet works to end the most severe operator shortage in agency history.

Join Team TriMet

TriMet is offering a $7,500 hiring bonus for those joining our team as bus operators. The current starting pay is $25.24 an hour, which will increase Dec. 1, 2022, with the contract extension. Other benefits for operators include:

• Medical, dental, vision, disability and life insurance plans at low or no monthly cost
• Two retirement plans, with an 8% agency base pay contribution to employee’s 401a
• One week of paid vacation and up to 40 hours sick leave in the first year of employment, with paid time off increasing over time
• Health and dependent care spending accounts
• Access to our Employee Assistance Program with mental health and counseling services, legal assistance, financial coaching and home ownership programs
• Annual transit pass (valued up to $1200) for employee and eligible family members
• 24-hour access to five exclusive, low-cost, on-site fitness centers
• Representation by Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) 757

TriMet bus operators also qualify for MAX operator training after successfully completing bus operator training. Learn more and apply today at trimet.org/drive.

With resources from Keep Oregon Moving, TriMet continues to find new ways to support low-income riders with a free pass for unlimited rides for the first month of enrollment

Relief is on the way for new and returning riders to TriMet’s income-based reduced fare program. You’re getting a month of unlimited rides on our buses and trains, for free! This year, as a result of COVID-19’s impact on ridership, we have access to an unexpected financial resource: unspent funds from the state of Oregon. These funds, which were distributed to TriMet under Keep Oregon Moving, must be used to help riders with low incomes access transit.

Starting in July and for the next two years, TriMet will give every new and re-enrolling participant in our reduced fare program based on income a free, one-month pass. This will offer continued support to the many riders and essential workers who have relied on our system throughout 2 ½ years of the pandemic’s unprecedented impact, while ensuring the funds serve the members of our community for whom they are intended.

A reduced fare for those who qualify based on income

TriMet’s reduced fare based on income is available to Oregon residents, ages 18 through 64, who qualify for our Honored Citizen Fare based solely on annual income. The discounted rate is available to people who participate in programs such as Oregon Health Plan (OHP) or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), or who earn up to 200% of the federal poverty rate. That’s currently about $27,180 per year for an individual and $55,500 for a household of four. Participation grants unlimited rides on TriMet’s fixed-route buses and trains for 50% off the cost of a 2 ½ hour or full-day ride. It caps monthly costs for riding at $28 per month, a $72 discount off the cost of Adult fare.

Since TriMet began offering income-based reduced fare in 2018, more than 42,000 Oregonians have signed up to ride for less. Participants are required to re-submit documents verifying qualification in the program every two years. See if you qualify and find easy steps for verifying income and getting your personalized Honored Citizen Hop card at trimet.org/save.

TriMet Transit Assistance Pass: How it works

Starting in July of 2022, TriMet will grant a one month pass to every new and renewing participant in the program. Identified as the “TriMet Transit Assistance” pass, it will provide a month of rides across the system. The pass will be loaded into the participant’s personalized Hop Fastpass® account once they complete the enrollment process. 

Riders must tap their Hop card to activate the pass. During the month-long period for which the pass can be used, riders should remember to tap with every ride to show proof of valid fare. The dates that the pass is valid will be displayed in account information that is available at myhopcard.com, the Hop app and by calling 1-844-MYHOPCARD.

Unexpected, one-time Keep Oregon Moving funds available for use

The Keep Oregon Moving Act created the state’s first-ever stable source of funding for public transportation and helped establish TriMet’s low-income fare program. However, with fewer people riding during the COVID-19 pandemic, less funds set aside for the program were used. TriMet is taking advantage of the available funding to provide additional support for people struggling financially.

Over the next two years, TriMet will pilot expanded programs with the funding, which will be managed within our current Access Transit Fare Program. The new programs will provide additional resources for individuals who are low income and also part of a vulnerable rider group, such as seniors, veterans, college students and people experiencing disabilities. 

The free month pass for current and re-enrolling participants in TriMet’s reduced fare program based on income, is the second program to roll out this year. In May, we announced that a portion of the redirected funding would go toward expanding access to transit during summer months for high school-aged students at the 18 school districts within our tri-county district, which also participate in our Access Transit High School Program. 

Although these programs are short-term in nature and meant to serve as pilots to help inform future approaches and efforts, TriMet staff will be working with members of the Committee for Accessible Transportation (CAT), the Transit Equity Advisory Committee (TEAC) and others to explore new and different funding strategies that could be used to sustain and grow these efforts in the future.

Committed to equity

TriMet believes access to public transportation is access to opportunity, and we are committed to transit equity. As a public transportation agency, we serve a broad and diverse community. Our values are rooted in ensuring all riders have fair and equal access to transit services, without regard to race, national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability or income level. Learn more at trimet.org/equity.

Next-generation transit signal priority technology is being installed to help TriMet FX buses move through intersections faster

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

If you ever wanted to zip down a road with a string of green lights clearing your way, then TriMet’s Division Transit Project will be a wish fulfilled. Faster, smarter and more reliable bus service is coming Sept. 18 with the culmination of the Division Transit Project and the launch of TriMet FX® — or Frequent Express — service along Southeast Division Street.  One reason for that will be a first for our region:  the “next generation” of what’s known as transit signal priority.

Transit signal priority is a way of phasing or timing traffic signals so buses jump to the head of the line and get more green lights. Working with the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT), Gresham, the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) and LYT, a company specializing in next-generation transit signal priority technology, TriMet is having it installed at 58 of Division Street’s signalized intersections. These stretch along FX’s 15-mile route between Downtown Portland and Gresham.

You’ve probably experienced the benefits of transit signal priority in the past, but a version that’s relied on infrared emitters inside buses and receivers on top of traffic lights. These emitters and receivers need to be near each other to work. But the newest version does something different using cellular technology: it collects information about the location and speed of a bus and sends it to a cloud server, which allows the system to adapt the phasing of traffic signals to give an edge to bus riders.

This means quicker trips and even easier access to buses. That’s because the technology also provides priority to pedestrian signals to help people reach transit stops ahead of the buses.

The future of transit is FX

Providing green-light priority to buses is just one of the efficiency improvements coming to the new FX2-Division line. Most visibly, it will bring a new type of high-capacity bus service to the region. With its longer, 60-foot green buses, FX will allow more people to ride—60% more per bus—at frequencies of 12 minutes or less throughout most of the day.

This new type of service, along a busy transit corridor, means other changes are coming to make the riding experience even more efficient and reliable.

• Riders will be able to board and pay through three different doors, an advantage of the FX bus’s longer, articulated design.
• Cyclists will be able to bring their bikes on board through the rear door, where they can more quickly secure them in an interior rack.
• To help minimize travel times, 42 new bus stations have been built between Gresham’s Cleveland Park & Ride and Tilikum Crossing, Bridge of the People, where rider demand is greatest.
• The new stations include features like seating, lighting, rain and wind protection and TransitTracker™ displays.

Less waiting, faster buses

FX will cut travel times up to 20% between Downtown Portland and Gresham.

While giving special treatment to buses at signalized intersections has been done for years using the infrared line-of-sight system, it’s never been able to collect transit vehicle and intersection information that allows it to adapt as it can now. That’s made possible now through advances in machine learning—a subset of artificial intelligence.

With the help of LYT, sophisticated technology is drastically improving traffic signal priority. Rather than relying on line-of-sight emitters and receivers that communicate between buses and traffic signals, the new technology uses a device on the bus to relay a constant stream of information to the system’s network, most important being a bus’s speed and estimated time of arrival. That information is then passed onto traffic signal cabinets at intersections, which will make a request to grant the bus a green light before it arrives.

That stream of information will also improve how TriMet schedules buses, which can help prevent “bus bunching”—where two or more buses arrive back-to-back, or within just a few minutes of each other.

“As we fine tune the system, we’re expecting there will be a feedback loop with TriMet’s scheduling department,” TriMet’s Director of Intelligent Transportation Systems A.J. O’Connor said. “Schedules will become more consistent, reliable and tighter.”

Partnerships drive innovation

TriMet appreciates the work of our partners to turn the bold vision of the Division Transit Project into a reality. LYT’s expertise in next-generation transit signal priority helps to create a smarter, more adaptable transit system.

The cities of Portland and Gresham, as well as ODOT, have been instrumental in their support, recognizing the value of faster and more convenient transit service. TriMet was able to pursue a next-generation transit signal priority system thanks to a grant from the Federal Highway Administration through ODOT.

And Raimore Construction, the Division Transit Project’s prime contractor, along with our various subcontractors, have worked through the challenges presented by COVID-19 to keep the project on schedule. Raimore’s company won the largest contract ever to be awarded to a certified Disadvantaged Business Enterprise in Oregon. That certification helps bring opportunities to businesses that are owned by people who’ve experienced social and economic hardship.

Speed up your career

TriMet is hiring bus operators, including those who will have an opportunity to drive the new FX buses. There are other innovative vehicles for you to get behind the wheel of as well, including new electric buses and our fleet of 700 renewable-diesel-powered buses.

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

If operating a MAX sounds exciting, we just made it faster to get behind the controls. You can be part of the future—and build a great future for yourself—at TriMet, which has been innovating public transportation in the region for more than 50 years. Visit trimet.org/drive to learn more and apply.

Red Line will be disrupted July 30-31 to allow for construction to take place in the tracks north of Gateway Transit Center

Construction on TriMet’s A Better Red project will result in no MAX Red Line service for one weekend in July, which will allow crews to continue working on a new light rail bridge just north of the Gateway Transit Center. Red Line trains will not be running on Saturday, July 30, and Sunday, July 31. Riders will be able to use shuttle buses for trips from the Gateway Transit Center to Portland International Airport.

Roughly 10 months after our A Better Red project broke ground, it’s making visible progress near the Gateway Transit Center and Gateway Green Park. With the bridge’s supports, known as piers, in place, crews can now place the “pier cap” over our existing track. Pier caps transfer pressure from the bridge’s supports, making them sturdier and more resilient. The work is an important step in constructing a bridge that will carry a second MAX track, intended to relieve bottlenecks as Red Line trains come into Gateway.

Getting around the construction

We are very appreciative of our riders’ understanding during projects like this. It helps make it possible for us to complete work that improves reliability across the MAX system.

For riders traveling from the Gateway Transit Center to PDX, shuttle buses will be running about every 15 minutes. Signs will be posted directing riders to the shuttle bus stops. During the busiest times, TriMet staff will be present to help riders get around the disruption.

MAX Blue and Green line trains will be running normally and can take riders to destinations farther east or west. But riders who are accustomed to riding the Red Line or who were planning to take it directly to the airport during the weekend disruption will need to take either a Blue or Green line train. At Gateway, riders will then transfer to a shuttle bus for the final leg of their trip. Riders can also connect with bus lines 15, 19, 22, 23, 24, 25 and 87 at Gateway.

While we’re working to keep the impacts on riders to a minimum, we do suggest you plan at least an extra 30 minutes for your trips during the disruption. We encourage you to plan ahead and to stay informed with service alerts delivered directly to your phone via email or text.

All you need to do is go to trimet.org/alerts, click Service Alerts and then pick the line(s) you’d like to receive alerts about. You can find more details about the project and service information for the disruption at trimet.org/alerts/maxredline.

A Better Red

TriMet’s A Better Red project will extend the MAX Red Line west to the Fair Complex/Hillsboro Airport Station, serving 10 extra stations that only Blue Line trains currently serve. Also among the improvements will be the addition of a second set of tracks in the Gateway area and near Portland International Airport.

Once completed in 2024, the A Better Red project will not only extend Red Line service west, creating direct “train-to-plane” trips for more riders and adding to our overall capacity, the addition of a second track will improve reliability across the MAX system. With three lines—Blue, Green and Red— funneling into Gateway, trains sometimes have to wait for others to clear. The extra tracks will move trains around each other and keep them on time throughout the system.

Making transit better

Ensuring that our system works for everyone, runs smoothly and improves people’s lives is at the heart of our efforts to make transit better. Projects that relieve congestion, diminish pollution and keep people moving help everyone and make sure the transportation system works for those who rely on it. A Better Red will help bring better and more reliable transit to our community. In April, we moved a section of special track just north of Gateway/NE 99th Ave Transit Center. Most of the construction is taking place while service runs normally, with crews working to build the infrastructure that our riders will enjoy in the future.

Pay, benefits and future opportunities set TriMet apart as a stable employer with prospects for long-term success

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

TriMet bus operator Anthony Albright has a life goal: He wants to own a home. For years, the 30-something, college-educated, Portland native fended off invitations from a friend, a TriMet mechanic, to apply to become a bus operator. He was happy enough in his eight-year career in the semiconductor industry, where he had moved up the ranks to become a supervisor. But despite Anthony’s success, his friend wouldn’t let up about the opportunities at TriMet. He kept pestering Anthony to make a move.

“He’s been telling me for years that it’s time to come over for the income. Here, I could be making about double what I used to make,” Anthony said. “So, it was a big leap of faith. It was risky, but he just convinced me over time, and I took the chance. Now I’m a bus operator.”

Anthony was hired in January. Although he had never pictured himself driving a bus, he couldn’t see himself spending the next 30 years of his life in an office, either. He says there’s prestige that comes with the job, which trains you to be an expert driver. 

“I see this as a working class, professional job that serves the city,” he explained. “TriMet is a very good option where you can get a good income and feel good about the job you do every day.”

Growing up in North Portland, Anthony attended Jefferson High School and remembers riding the bus with his friends to go to Lloyd Center and other destinations in the city. They often hopped on Line 72-Killingsworth/82nd to get where they needed to go. It’s the same bus route that Anthony is driving now.  

“A lot of things have changed in the city as we all know, but it does feel good to be back in those neighborhoods and serving the people, my neighbors,” he said. 

But as he thinks about the past, his old friends and how far they’ve come, Anthony acknowledges that there’s something missing. 

“We’re from Portland. We grew up here, and none of us have a home. And so, that’s the number one reason why I came here, to set myself up for the future,” he said. “I was thinking about the ability to kind of make that American dream. I started to think, how am I going to really kick it into gear to get these things that I want: the home, the family, (the ability) to provide, you know what I mean?”

Better pay, a bonus and other benefits

Beyond the current incentives of a $7,500 hiring bonus and $25.24 starting pay, TriMet bus operators receive generous benefits, including health, life and disability insurance; paid vacation and sick time; a retirement account with a guaranteed employer contribution; union representation and more. All new operators have access to:

• Medical, dental, vision, disability and life insurance plans at low or no monthly cost
• Two retirement plans, with an 8% agency base pay contribution to employee’s 401a
• One week of paid vacation and up to 40 hours sick leave in the first year of employment, with paid time off increasing over time
• Health and dependent care spending accounts
• Access to our Employee Assistance Program with mental health and counseling services, legal assistance, financial coaching and home ownership programs
• Annual transit pass (valued up to $1200) for employee and eligible family members
• 24-hour access to five exclusive, low-cost, on-site fitness centers
• Representation by Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) 757

“It’s rough out there for a lot of folks. It’s not easy for everybody, but there is opportunity,” Anthony summarized. “So, it’s like who wants to come grab it, who wants to come take it? Long story short, TriMet can help you get there.”

TriMet bus operators have the option to pursue full- or part-time schedules of at least 25 hours per week. Learn more and apply today at trimet.org/drive.