TriMet News

TriMet News

  • (VIDEO) Join TriMet’s maintenance team and make over $90,000 in year one

    (VIDEO) Join TriMet’s maintenance team and make over $90,000 in year one

    Workers receive excellent benefits, union representation and opportunities for advancement

    Image of a TriMet maintenance worker operating machinery at the Ruby Junction Rail Operations Facility.

    Are you a mechanic or vehicle technician looking for a new job?

    Come join the team that keeps our region moving! TriMet is hiring bus mechanics, light rail vehicle technicians and other important positions that are eligible for a $7,500 hiring bonus!

    Buses, trains and streetcars get thousands of people in the Portland metro area where they need to go, every day. These big vehicles are a big responsibility, though. TriMet’s maintenance team keeps them rolling along — tuning up the diesel engines and electric motors that drive our bus fleet, tending to the power supply for our zero-emissions MAX trains, and much more.

    What TriMet offers

    New mechanics, technicians and maintainers start at $43.83 an hour. Working full time, a maintenance worker at TriMet can make over $90,000 in their first year on the job.

    These positions are represented by the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 757. Under a new labor agreement between TriMet and the union, workers get a pay increase each year — as well as a 9% employer contribution to their 401(a) retirement plan, which will increase to 10% in 2028. The contract includes a 13.64% increase over four years.

    Union employees are also entitled to important benefits, which include:

    • Affordable, flexible health care coverage options, including dental and vision care plans.
    • A tuition reimbursement of up to $5,250 annually, supporting employees as they work toward a degree or certificate.
    • A child care subsidy of up to $150 monthly, helping employees to support their families.

    We support our employees who are looking for opportunities to progress in their careers! TriMet hires supervisors from within. Additionally, leadership and learning courses are available to all TriMet employees, at no cost to them.

    Speaking from experience

    Joe Ruffin has worked at TriMet’s Ruby Junction Rail Operations Facility in Gresham for nearly 30 years. He’s now seen six generations of MAX vehicles come through his maintenance shop.

    “I never thought I’d be here this long,” Joe laughs.

    But, he adds, “I love it. From the start, I fell in love with it.”

    Joe is one of many hardworking light rail vehicle technicians at Ruby Junction and the Elmonica Rail Operations Facility in Beaverton. TriMet’s approximately 150 light rail vehicles call these two facilities home.

    It takes a lot of work to keep our MAX trains in good working condition. In a typical month, our train cars log about 700,000 miles in total, crisscrossing the region on 60 miles of trackway. That’s enough to wrap around the Earth 28 times!

    But while our maintenance team works with machinery, their priority is people.

    “We’re doing a public service, and we’re doing a good thing for the public. And that’s what I always tell everyone: Look at all the people we’re helping,” Joe explains. “We want to make sure they have a nice, safe, comfortable ride.”

    Joe is active in the union, too. He’s passionate about the pay and benefits that he and other employees earn at TriMet.

    “It’s a good place to work. It’s a good place to build a career,” Joe says. “We’ve got a really good Working and Wage Agreement and working relationship with management.”

    Apply today!

    TriMet is hiring! Check out our current job openings at trimet.org/careers.

    Details about each open position are available, including the job description and requirements, an explanation of the pay and benefits, and information on how to apply and what to expect during the hiring process.

    Our website also lists which positions are eligible for a $7,500 hiring bonus.

    You can apply online! Find the details on what you need to apply on our website.

  • (VIDEO) Say ‘thanks’ to the region’s transit operators on Transit Driver Appreciation Day

    (VIDEO) Say ‘thanks’ to the region’s transit operators on Transit Driver Appreciation Day

    Join TriMet in recognizing the hard work and dedication of our region’s transit operators on Tuesday, March 18

    TriMet employees participate in “Tunnel of Appreciation” at Pioneer Courthouse Square, 2024

    What’s the best way to show a transit operator you appreciate the work they do?

    There’s the classic Portland way, with a wave and a “thank you” as you head out the door, and there’s the more formal way, when you call, text or connect with TriMet customer service online, to submit a commendation. For example:

    “Shout-out to Operator Sean! His friendly face and cheerful greeting each morning on Line 14 get my workday off to a great start. I appreciate him, and I can see his other riders do, too.”

    “He is very personable… Being on a first-name basis makes me feel more connected to the community. He is also always on time and a great driver. I want him to know how much I appreciate him.”

    And there’s another way to show your appreciation: Transit Driver Appreciation Day is coming up on Tuesday, March 18. This one makes it easy for everyone, riders and non-riders alike, to say “thanks.” Simply share a wave, a smile or a kind word with any transit driver you see! Visit trimet.org/thankyou to learn more and find ideas for showing support.

    Look for our big public display in Downtown Portland. The annual “Tunnel of Appreciation” is a daylong gathering of cheering employees and supporters on the Portland Transit Mall. This year, we’ll come together from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., on Southwest 6th Avenue, between Alder and Yamhill, and Southwest 5th Avenue, between Main and Jefferson. We’re also posting banners that the public can sign, at PSU Urban Plaza and four regional transit centers: Beaverton, Clacakamas Town Center, Gresham Central and Rose Quarter. Stop by and join us!

    A little something for everyone

    Every day, TriMet operators maneuver massive machines – buses that weigh up to 40,000 pounds and MAX trains that weigh up to 100,000 pounds – safely through the streets of Portland and communities throughout Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas counties. They serve thousands of stops and stations and tens of thousands of people daily, but it’s the personal connections that keep them going.

    “Ninety-nine percent of it is just great people getting around. Sometimes, you know, somebody needs a little help. So that’s what we do,” said Line 14-Hawthorne/Foster bus operator, Sean.

    With about a decade of service behind the wheel for TriMet, Sean keeps the job interesting by connecting with riders one-on-one.

    “I talk a lot … probably more than I should,” he said. “But I greet everybody the same – always. And I thank you out the door.”

    “I want to make a commendation about one of my drivers that is super awesome. He’s helped me so much in the last 6 months. He’s been a really good spirit in my heart and kept me going. His name is Sean. He also got together with other people and got me an electric-powered wheelchair, and I can’t tell you how thankful I am.”
    – Bill

    One of those riders was Bill Townsend. Bill has a degenerative bone disease, and he recently started using a manual wheelchair to get around his Southeast Portland neighborhood. Bill rides the bus a lot, and it did not take Sean long to notice that using the manual wheelchair seemed to take its toll on Bill’s strength and energy. Sean wanted to do something to help. An unexpected message from his mom gave him an idea.

    Bill met TriMet General Manager Sam Desue Jr. during a lunch visit with Sean in Southeast Portland

    “Bless her heart, she lost her little brother, my uncle,” Sean recalled. “She texted and said, ‘Hey, do you know anybody that could use a mobility device?’ And I said, ‘Yeah, I think I really do.’ And that was Bill.”

    Sean picked up the motorized device and held on to it until he could coordinate a special delivery for bus rider Bill, who in a very short time had become a close friend. 

    “We were texting back and forth, and Bill said, ‘I’ve got something to show you.’ He comes cruising down the road and I was like, ‘Wow, sweet!’ It was really heartwarming.” 

    More than 1,600 reasons to say ‘thanks’

    TriMet has more than 1,600 bus and rail operators, and Sean believes every single one would have done the same thing for a person in need.

    For 55 years, TriMet has helped millions of people travel throughout the three counties that we serve. Our buses and trains provide a safe, convenient and reliable ride to destinations across our service area, and the people who operate them bring a friendly face with a promise of hope and support along the way.

    Our operators are essential frontline workers who are up early and out late, connecting people to jobs, education, shopping and vital services. They are friendly faces with steady hands, cool heads and unwavering commitments to the community. Let’s join together, to give them their due, on Transit Driver Appreciation Day!

  • TriMet releases proposed FY2026 budget

    TriMet releases proposed FY2026 budget

    The public comment period begins today, March 5, 2025, for TriMet’s proposed budget for the upcoming year. Our fiscal year 2026 begins July 1, 2025, and  runs through June 30, 2026. The proposed budget is posted online at trimet.org/budget.

    TriMet’s fiscal year 2026 proposed budget outlines $1.94 billion in spending and holds the line—with no increases beyond necessary contractual obligations, such as rising electricity costs. We will continue working toward the adopted budget to be released later this spring for Board consideration. That budget will reflect key priorities, including:

    • Mission-critical staffing needs
    • Service level requirements
    • System and facility maintenance
    • State of Good Repair investments
    • Capital project planning and construction


    We have also updated our financial forecasts, evaluated revenue assumptions, and analyzed multiple funding scenarios to prepare for potential funding cuts. Given the uncertainty at the federal level—where grants have been frozen and FTA staff reductions have occurred—we are increasing the budgeted amount of contingency funds to allow time to adjust, if needed.

    Like other public transit agencies across the nation, TriMet is facing financial challenges and has been operating on reduced revenues since the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic led to a dramatic drop in ridership with stay-at-home orders followed by an increase in remote work. TriMet’s ridership has also been impacted by community-wide challenges including civil unrest, extreme weather events, crime, open-drug use and the homeless epidemic. TriMet has made considerable investments in response. That includes historic investments in safety and security.

    Today, TriMet has more safety and security personnel on our transit system than ever. As we have increased that personnel to almost 500 over the past three years — double the number of personnel we had at the end of 2022. Calls for police services have decreased more than 40% during that same time.

    TriMet ridership is increasing with the investments in security, along with other efforts to improve the customer experience and adjust bus service through our Forward Together service plan to bring it closer to more people who rely upon it.  Those efforts, combined with more return to in-person work and events, has generally led to year-to-year increases in monthly ridership since 2020. However, TriMet’s ridership remains about 30% below pre-pandemic figures. Lower ridership equals lower passenger fare revenue. We have been using federal pandemic relief funds, which have proved a lifeline for public transit agencies across the nation, to backfill the drop in fare revenue, but those one-time stimulus funds have now been depleted.

    TriMet will continue to identify efficiencies to this financial plan as we move forward in the budget process before the TriMet Board adopts a FY2026 budget, which is expected to occur at its May 28, 2025 business meeting. 

    People can view the proposed budget at trimet.org/budget and submit feedback through Wednesday, March 26, via email to hello@trimet.org or by calling our Customer Service team at 503-238-7433 (RIDE). The public can also provide comment during the public forum period at upcoming TriMet Board meetings on March 26, April 23 and May 28, or during the public hearing on the budget at the Multnomah County Tax and Supervision Conservation Committee (TSCC) meeting on April 23. Meeting details will be posted on trimet.org/meetings/board.

    About TriMet

    TriMet has provided public transit service in the greater Portland metro area since 1969. At that time, we only ran buses, and there were less than 881,000 living in the tri-county region of Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington.

    Over the past 55-plus years, TriMet service has grown from buses only, to also include MAX light rail, WES commuter rail and LIFT paratransit service. Our service district stretches 533-square miles across a tri-county area where 1.7 million people live today. Our safe, reliable, convenient transit service provides millions of trips each month. In fact, the Portland metro area enjoys the 13th-largest transit ridership in the country, even though it is only the 23rd-largest metro area in the country. Among the 60 largest metro areas in the United States, TriMet and the Portland area rank 10th in transit boardings per capita.

  • (VIDEO) TriMet connects communities, commuters on Line 40

    (VIDEO) TriMet connects communities, commuters on Line 40

    New bus line, with weekly ridership over 5,000, runs from Sellwood to Swan Island

    Image of a Line 40 bus with the header "Via Portland City Center" and Portland's docks in the background.

    TriMet rolled out new bus lines in 2024, as we continue to implement our Forward Together service concept.

    The most popular of these new lines, so far? Line 40-Tacoma/Swan Island, with service connecting Portland City Center to the Sellwood neighborhood in Southeast Portland and the Swan Island industrial area in North Portland.

    Line 40 replaced service on two lesser-used bus lines (85 and 99). It serves commuters from early in the morning to late at night, improves connections for riders, and connects some of Portland’s most iconic neighborhoods.

    Since Line 40 began serving riders in August 2024, it has averaged over 5,000 weekly rides. Ridership has grown as people get to know the new line!

    Community support

    The new Line 40 was created with the support of the Sellwood-Moreland Improvement League (SMILE), one of Portland’s neighborhood associations.

    “We’re not just a suburban neighborhood,” explains Grant Huling, who chairs SMILE’s Transportation Committee. “We have a mix of renters and owners, apartments and single-family and townhomes, which we’re proud of and really creates our character.”

    Huling adds: “The perennial transit issue for Sellwood and Moreland is that we’re bisected by Tacoma Street, which is what feeds onto the Sellwood Bridge.”

    Line 40 provides reliable service across the Sellwood Bridge, seven days a week. Residents can leave their cars at home, or at the SE Tacoma/Johnson Creek Park & Ride, and take the bus across the bridge instead. That means less traffic — and more opportunities for people in the community.

    “Having a bus that actually goes over the bridge consistently and not just during rush hour is super-helpful to me,” says community member Frankie Spurbeck.

    Spurbeck has been riding the Line 40 nearly every week since it started service. They take the bus to travel between neighborhoods and visit friends on the other side of the Willamette River.

    Convenience and connectivity

    Spurbeck says they’ve been amazed by how fast and easy it is to take the new Line 40. The line has reduced the time it takes them to travel between the South Waterfront and Sellwood to mere minutes.

    “It’s ridiculous how quickly I can get around with it,” Spurbeck says. “I think it rocks.”

    Huling describes Line 40 as “a true commuter-reliable line.” The line serves largely residential neighborhoods like Sellwood, as well as employment areas like Swan Island, connecting jobs and homes. On weekdays, Line 40 runs about every half-hour, from 5 a.m. until after midnight, using a shortened route late at night.

    Line 40 connects with all five of TriMet’s MAX lines: the MAX Orange Line at SE Tacoma/Johnson Creek, and the MAX Blue, Green, Red and Yellow lines at the Rose Quarter Transit Center. Riders can also transfer between Line 40 and other bus lines, as well as MAX and the Portland Streetcar, on the Transit Mall.

    It’s easy to plan your trip at trimet.org, including transfers.

    Meeting people where they live

    Huling and Spurbeck see people from all walks of life using the new Line 40. Workers take Line 40 north to jobs in the Swan Island industrial area. Students ride Line 40, too, with stops at Portland State University. Students and commuters alike can also ride Line 40 to Oregon Health & Science University. The line connects to Marquam Hill via the Portland Aerial Tram.

    “It’s a way to make the city more livable for people who don’t have cars, and an easier place to live,” says Spurbeck, who doesn’t own a car and prefers to take TriMet.

    “The only option to maintain that character of a small, tightknit city with neighborhoods is to not double down on cars,” adds Huling.

    As an advocate for Line 40 and other bus service improvements, Huling appreciates that Portland has sought to preserve neighborhoods like Sellwood, investing in transit and multimodal transportation rather than widening roads.

    “We have a pretty light roadway footprint here, and that enables everything else you love about Portland,” Huling says. “The less gray, the more green.”

    Forward Together

    The new Line 40 was developed with community input through Forward Together.

    TriMet is revamping bus service with Forward Together. We’ve enlisted the help of community members and leaders in this effort. Public feedback helps to shape our service! Our goal is to increase ridership and create a better bus system — especially for people with low and limited incomes. Line 40 is a cornerstone of that improved network.

    SMILE gives TriMet credit for listening to the community’s wishes and working with residents to create a line that meets their needs.

    “TriMet stepped up,” Huling says.

    TriMet will roll out additional service improvements on Sunday, March 2. The improvements include new routes for Line 6-Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd and Line 47-Main/Evergreen. Stay tuned for more news on improvements to come later this year!

  • More buses, better connections on TriMet for workers

    More buses, better connections on TriMet for workers

    March 2 brings upgrades for 10 bus lines, along with adjustments to schedules, stop locations

    Image of a TriMet bus serving Line 70-12th/NE 33rd Ave.

    Does rush-hour traffic get you down? Leave your car behind and take the bus to work!

    TriMet is adding new service to employment centers in Hillsboro and North Portland on Sunday, March 2. We’re improving several bus lines to better serve riders’ needs, especially those who count on TriMet to get to and from jobs and classes.

    We’re also improving two of our new bus lines running in place of MAX late at night, providing more late-night service to the Portland International Airport.

    Plan your trip now at trimet.org! Be sure to set the date in the trip planner to March 2 or later.

    Improving TriMet’s bus service

    We’re improving service on 10 bus lines starting March 2.

    Some buses on Line 6-Martin Luther King Jr Blvd will now serve Amazon facilities in North Portland. Buses on Line 6 will alternate between a route that serves Northeast Vancouver Way and a route along North Schmeer Road, between Northeast Gertz Road and the Delta Park/Vanport MAX Station.

    Line 47-Main/Evergreen will serve a new route with stops at Intel’s Ronler Acres campus and the Willow Creek Transit Center in Hillsboro. This improvement connects Line 47 riders to the MAX Blue and Red lines and additional bus lines at Willow Creek. It also provides direct service to one of the region’s largest employment centers.

    The new route means Line 47 will no longer serve Northwest Bronson Road, 174th Avenue and Laidlaw Road, due to low ridership. However, we’re adding more trips on Line 67-Bethany/158th, both earlier in the morning and later in the evening on weekdays, so we can better serve riders in the Bethany area. Line 67 will continue to provide TriMet bus service to the Portland Community College Rock Creek Campus.

    We’re also adding more buses on these Frequent Service lines:

    Riders of Line 70-12th/NE 33rd Ave will also see more weekday morning service.

    We’re improving service on Line 287-Blue Eastside Bus and Line 292-Red Bus as well. These lines are among TriMet’s newest bus lines. We rolled them out last August to provide late-night service in place of MAX trains, giving maintenance crews more time to work on the MAX light rail system overnight. We’re adding buses on these two lines to better address our riders’ needs.

    Additionally, we’re adjusting some bus stop locations at Clackamas Community College, the Parkrose Transit Center and the Willow Creek Transit Center to improve connections.

    You can find more information and updated schedules at trimet.org/servicechange.

    Schedule adjustments

    We periodically adjust bus schedules to make it easier for riders to make connections and get where they’re going on time.

    Starting March 2, we’re moving some bus arrival times by 6 minutes or more on the following lines:

    Two morning trips on Line 8-Jackson Park/NE 15th that only run between Downtown Portland and Marquam Hill will be discontinued due to low use.

    If you ride one or more of these bus lines, be sure to check trimet.org and plan your trip! Set the date for March 2 or later to find the best travel option for you.

    Improving service with Forward Together

    The March 2 service improvements are part of TriMet’s Forward Together service concept, developed with the community. Through Forward Together, we’re revamping our bus service throughout the region to make bus better, especially for people with low and limited incomes. Many people rely on TriMet to access opportunities and meet their essential needs. We provide tens of thousands of rides to work, school, health care and other services every day.

  • Timbers ticketholders take TriMet to and from home games for free!

    Timbers ticketholders take TriMet to and from home games for free!

    Leave your car at local Park & Ride, show your digital game ticket on board as proof of fare

    Image of four people, two of them wearing Portland Timbers caps, standing in the doorway of a TriMet MAX train.

    The Portland Timbers kick off their home schedule Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025.

    So, what’s the best way to get to Providence Park and cheer on the home team? Take TriMet! If you have a ticket to any Timbers home game in 2025 or 2026, you also have a ticket to ride TriMet for free on match days, from three hours before kickoff to three hours after the final whistle. Tickets are valid fare on all TriMet buses, MAX and LIFT.

    Planning to cheer on the Portland Thorns FC at their home opener Friday, March 21, 2025, or any other home game in 2025 or 2026? It’s the same deal — just show your digital ticket to the game, and that’s your ticket to ride!

    New this year, this ticket promotion covers concerts at Providence Park! Take TriMet to see Post Malone with Jelly Roll on Saturday, June 28, 2025. Your digital concert ticket is your proof of fare on TriMet for up to three hours before and after the show.

    Visit trimet.org to plan your trip today!

    Saving money, skipping stress

    Traffic and parking in the area around Providence Park can be a major headache on game day. Event pricing means parking costs more, and limited availability means soccer fans are often in for a long walk or roll to the stadium.

    Fortunately, there’s an easy way around all of that: ride with TriMet!

    The MAX Blue and Red lines will drop you off just feet from Providence Park. Several bus lines also have stops at or near the stadium, including:

    If you use our LIFT paratransit service, you can also book a trip at lift.trimet.org and present your digital ticket to the game or concert as your ticket to ride.

    Getting there from where you are

    It’s easy to ride TriMet, even if you don’t live near a bus stop or MAX station.

    We have dozens of parking facilities throughout the region, where you can leave your car and hop on board. At every TriMet Park & Ride, parking is free for anyone taking TriMet.

    That’s right: If you have a ticket to a game or concert at Providence Park, you can both park and ride TriMet to and from the event at no additional cost!

    Some of our most popular Park & Rides, like the Sunset Transit Center, can fill up during the day, especially on game day. Instead, consider one of our other westside Park & Rides also served by the MAX Blue and Red lines, such as:

    • Millikan Way, SW Millikan Way and 141st Avenue in Beaverton
    • Beaverton Creek, SW 153rd Avenue and Millikan Way in Beaverton
    • Elmonica/SW 170th Ave, 1200 SW 170th Ave in Beaverton
    • Hillsboro Airport/Fairgrounds, 601 NE 34th Ave in Hillsboro
    • Willow Creek/SW 185th Ave Transit Center, 375 SW 185th Ave in Hillsboro

    We also have eastside Park & Ride locations where riders can leave their car and get to the game, including:

    • Cleveland Ave, NE 8th Street & Cleveland Avenue in Gresham (served by the MAX Blue Line)
    • Delta Park/Vanport, 1940 N Victory Blvd in Portland (served by the MAX Yellow Line and bus Line 6)
    • Gateway/NE 99th Ave Transit Center, 9839 NE Multnomah Street in Portland (served by the MAX Blue, Red and Green lines and multiple bus lines, including Line 15 and Line 24)
    • Gresham Central Transit Center, NE 8th Street & Kelly Avenue in Gresham (served by the MAX Blue Line and multiple bus lines, including Line 20)
    • Parkrose/Sumner Transit Center, 9525 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland (served by the MAX Red Line)
    • SE Park Ave, 2735 SE Park Ave in Oak Grove (served by the MAX Orange Line)
    • SE Tacoma/Johnson Creek, 8300 SE McLoughlin Blvd in Portland (served by the MAX Orange Line)

    The MAX Green, Orange and Yellow lines do not serve the Providence Park MAX Station directly. Riders can transfer at Pioneer Courthouse Square, which is served by all five MAX lines, or take the 15-minute stroll to the park.

    Plan your trip in advance at trimet.org and find the best travel option for you!

    Be a savvy TriMet rider!

    It’s easy to get around on TriMet! Our website has resources for riders, including our trip planner, safety and security information, and ways to contact us. Information is available in multiple languages.

    When you’re traveling to or from Providence Park for a Timbers or Thorns game or concert, remember to present your digital ticket to your bus or LIFT operator, or if a TriMet Customer Safety Supervisor asks for your fare on MAX. Children 6 and under always ride for free on TriMet.

    Check out our Rules for Riding before you go. You can also reach TriMet Security 24 hours a day by calling or texting 503-238-7433 (RIDE).

    Visit trimet.org/providencepark for more information.

  • Lower your costs: Sign up for reduced fare and ride TriMet for $28 a month

    Lower your costs: Sign up for reduced fare and ride TriMet for $28 a month

    With the 2025 increase to the federal poverty rate, more people across TriMet’s tri-county service area qualify for reduced fare based on income

    During a time when groceries, electricity bills and other expenses are going up, bring monthly costs down by riding TriMet. TriMet’s Honored Citizen reduced fare allows for unlimited rides for $28 a month for those who qualify. More people signed up to ride with TriMet’s reduced fare based on their income in 2024 than ever before, and now a change in the federal poverty level gives even more people the opportunity to ride for less.

    More people qualify in 2025

    To qualify for Honored Citizen reduced fare based on income, you must be an Oregon resident between the ages of 18 and 64 and earn up to 200% of the federal poverty level. New 2025 income guidelines increased the federal poverty rate, which means the income level for those who qualify for TriMet’s reduced fare went up by more than a thousand dollars to $31,300 per year. Those who participate in an assistance program such as the Oregon Health Plan (OHP) or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) also qualify.

    It is easy to enroll. Go to trimet.org/income to fill out an application online and find a list of locations to get in-person help Those include the TriMet Customer Support Center, Portland State University Transportation Office and five Worksource Portland locations. Once enrolled, receive a personalized Honored Citizen Hop card pre-loaded with a month’s fare —$28 —at no cost. The card and first month of rides are free!

    With your Hop card in hand, start saving! Just remember to tap with every ride. The tap serves as proof of fare.

    More people signed up in 2024

    Last year, more than 15,500 people took steps to reduce their transportation costs with TriMet’s Honored Citizen reduced fare based on income. That is the highest number of new sign-ups we have ever seen since we added the income qualification in 2018. Where did all of those riders come from? The biggest driver was students returning to in-person classes at local colleges and universities following the COVID-19 pandemic. It makes sense. Whether it’s school, work, shopping or vital services, every ride on TriMet connects you with opportunity.

    More assistance available for those who need it

    TriMet also has reduced fare options for Youth ages 7 to 17, and our Honored Citizen fare is also available to those who are 65+, on Medicare or experiencing a verifiable disability. Honored Citizen reduced fare is also available to active duty, reserve and veteran members of the United States Armed Forces.

    More partnerships providing free and reduced fares

    For some facing challenges like housing and hunger, $28 per month is a hardship. That is why we partner with nearly 150 community-based organizations, agencies and service providers throughout our region to put free and reduced fare into the hands of those who need it. Since 2015, we have provided more than $15.3 million in assistance through our Access Transit Fare programs. These programs were designed to increase independence, improve access to employment and employment resources and provide connections for thousands of people in our community with low and limited incomes.

  • (VIDEO) Students, staff team up with TriMet for ‘I ride with Rosa’ assembly on Rosa Parks Day

    (VIDEO) Students, staff team up with TriMet for ‘I ride with Rosa’ assembly on Rosa Parks Day

    The first-of-its-kind Rosa Parks Elementary all-school assembly included a debut performance of the song, “We Ride with Rosa,” by Portland-based musician Aaron Nigel Smith

    Rosa Parks School student body performing ‘We Ride with Rosa’ as part of an all-school assembly

    Something special happened when TriMet teamed up with the students and staff of Portland’s Rosa Parks Elementary School. The students received an in-depth history and civics lesson about their school’s namesake: civil rights icon, Rosa Parks. 

    It is the second year we have worked with Rosa Parks School to highlight the celebration of Rosa Parks Day. No fares are collected on TriMet buses, trains or our LIFT paratransit service each Feb. 4, to honor Parks’ life and legacy. It’s an annual tradition for TriMet and our local transit partners, now in its fifth year.

    While riders hopped on board buses and trains to get going on Tuesday morning, students wearing bold black “I ride with Rosa” t-shirts took the stage inside the North Portland pre-Kindergarten through 5th-grade school. It was time for their first-ever “I Ride with Rosa” all-school assembly.

    Following an introduction by Principal Tina Joyce, each class performed a tribute to Rosa Parks. Students recited poems, prose and phrases spoken by Parks. They showed off artwork they had created and performed a reading of a play that described Rosa Parks’ history. They listened as TriMet General Manager Sam Desue Jr. explained how her heroic acts still influence our world today. 

    “One significant outcome was the United States Supreme Court declaring that segregation on city buses was unconstitutional,” TriMet General Manager Sam Desue Jr. “The ruling helped bring equality to public transportation… That’s why we at TriMet live by the words you see printed on the tribute bus we have parked outside, we welcome all on TriMet.”

    The assembly culminated with a debut performance of the song, “We Ride with Rosa,” written by Portland-based, Grammy-nominated musician Aaron Nigel Smith. Smith, an experienced music educator, rehearsed the song with the student body for several weeks, to prepare them for the show.

    “We ride with Rosa
    Through the streets of change
    We ride with Rosa
    On our way to brighter days
    One woman’s courage
    Pave the road and showed the way
    We ride with Rosa
    Next stop Freedom Lane!”

    Following the performance, Smith led everyone in singing Happy Birthday to Rosa Parks. Born in Tuskegee, Alabama in 1913, Rosa Parks would have been 112 years old today. She died in 2005. 

    Rosa Parks School students wearing ‘I ride with Rosa’ t-shirts pose in front of TriMet’s 2025 Rosa Parks tribute bus

    All are welcome on TriMet. Today we join transit agencies across the country in celebrating transit equity by honoring the late Rosa Parks. 

    This December marks 70 years since that fateful day that Parks chose to remain seated when she was told to give up her seat to a white person on a city bus in Montgomery, Alabama. Her bravery and defiance led to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision that segregation on city buses was unconstitutional and fueled the civil rights movement across America. 

  • Ride free on TriMet to celebrate Rosa Parks Day

    Ride free on TriMet to celebrate Rosa Parks Day

    To commemorate the birthday of the civil rights icon, TriMet will not collect fares on Tuesday, Feb. 4

    TriMet will not collect fares on Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025 — on what would have been the 112th birthday of civil rights legend Rosa Parks.

    It’s the fifth straight year that TriMet will celebrate the life and heroism of Rosa Parks by not collecting fares on our buses, trains and LIFT paratransit vehicles for the day. Our transit partners, C-TRAN and Portland Streetcar, also won’t ask for fare on Feb. 4, in support of transit equity.

    “Rosa Parks is an inspiration to me,” said TriMet General Manager Sam Desue Jr. “Seventy years ago, she had the courage to defy injustice and segregation. By keeping her seat, she took a stand. As the first Black person to serve as TriMet General Manager, my life has been shaped by Rosa’s legacy, and I’m proud to say that on TriMet, all are welcome. Please, join us, and ride with Rosa!”

    On Feb. 4, there’s no need to buy a ticket or tap your Hop card – just come on board!

    Honoring Rosa Parks

    Rosa Parks is an important figure in the history of transit, as well as in the civil rights movement. In December 1955, she courageously refused to give up her seat on a bus in segregated Montgomery, Alabama. Parks was arrested and fined for her act of civil disobedience, and the incident inspired a federal lawsuit that led to the desegregation of all public transportation in the United States.

    Today, a major thoroughfare and an elementary school in North Portland bear Rosa Parks’ name, and she is widely celebrated as the “Mother of the Civil Rights Movement.” TriMet renamed our Portland Avenue MAX Yellow Line Station for Rosa Parks in 2009, and in 2020, our Board of Directors passed a resolution declaring Feb. 4 as Rosa Parks Day.

    This annual day of remembrance also acknowledges the role of transit in our community. Rosa Parks believed all should be welcome on transit, and no one should be treated differently because of the color of their skin. Accessibility and equity are key values for TriMet, and all are welcome on our buses and trains. We are proud to celebrate her legacy on Rosa Parks Day every year.

  • (VIDEO) Opportunities abound at TriMet hiring event

    Portland’s regional transit agency to add bus operators, mechanics and more in 2025

    Image of three TriMet employees posing next to a sign reading "TriMet Hiring Event Interviews."

    TriMet will welcome job applicants for our first hiring event of the year on Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025.

    We hired more than 400 new transit operators in 2024. Forbes Magazine even listed TriMet as one of the top five places to work in Oregon — and the top Oregon-based employer — in their ranking of America’s Best-In-State Employers for 2024. We want to build on that momentum in 2025.

    Join our team! Check out the jobs we have available at trimet.org/careers. Some positions come with a $7,500 hiring bonus. All TriMet employees receive competitive pay and excellent benefits, including an employer contribution for their 401(a) retirement account, paid time off, a child care subsidy, and flexible and affordable health coverage plans.

    TriMet’s hiring event will run from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 19, at the Hyatt Regency at the Oregon Convention Center, 375 NE Holladay Street in Portland. TriMet staff will answer questions, take applications and share what it’s like to work at TriMet. Some applicants may be invited to interview on the spot!

    Driving for TriMet is ‘a dream come true’

    Operator Jim Zinn loves serving his riders! He greets everyone as they board, sometimes handing out stickers with words of encouragement like “You Make a Difference!” and “Thank You for Being Amazing!” to people who look like they might need them.

    “You can create the atmosphere that you want on your bus,” Jim says.

    Jim also appreciates the excellent benefits he receives as a TriMet employee, as well as the new four-year union contract that took effect in December 2024.

    “As someone who has a family, there’s some guarantees in here,” says Jim, a father of four. “And that’s what I really appreciate, because it’s security for my family.”

    Quick with a smile, Jim brightens up TriMet’s Powell Operations Facility in Southeast Portland — where he and many other TriMet bus operators report to begin their shifts. His humor and empathy resonate with coworkers. He also volunteers as a mentor for new bus operators.

    “I want to help other people get through the doors,” Jim explains, adding, “There’s so many operators that are willing to help invest into our new employees and people looking into the future.”

    TriMet offers mentorship and training opportunities to help employees advance in their careers. Employees who take higher or continuing education courses may also qualify for tuition reimbursement of up to $5,250 per year. We support our employees and invest in their success!

    Last year, we established a new four-year labor agreement with the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 757. This agreement guarantees an annual raise for all union employees and expands benefits. Under the new contract, the hourly wage for TriMet operators starts at $29.35 and increases to $42.75 within three years.

    Learn more, apply and join our team!

    The Feb. 19 hiring event offers resources for anyone interested in becoming a bus operator or joining TriMet’s maintenance team. These are important positions for us to fill as we work to expand transit service.

    The hiring event will be held at the Hyatt Regency at the Oregon Convention Center, located just feet from the Convention Center MAX Station. The station is served by the MAX Blue, Green and Red lines. Additionally, bus lines 4, 6, 8, 44 and 77 stop within three blocks of the venue, as do the Portland Streetcar’s A and B loops. Plan your trip now at trimet.org!

    If you plan on driving to the event, parking is available in the garage on Northeast 2nd Avenue, between Holladay and Multnomah streets. We will validate parking for attendees. If the garage is full, street parking is generally available in the surrounding area. TriMet also maintains a number of Park & Ride locations where you can leave your car and take transit.

    TriMet is an equal opportunity employer. We believe people have a place at TriMet regardless of their race, color, creed, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age, protected veteran status, or any other status protected by law.

    Even if you can’t make it to the hiring event, you can always learn more about opportunities at TriMet, and find out how to apply, at trimet.org/careers.