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  • TriMet is ready for summer season

    When temperatures reach 100 degrees Fahrenheit, expect delays on MAX and WES

    MAX Red Line train on a warm, sunny day in Downtown Portland.

    Summer is officially here!

    With warm, dry weather prevailing throughout the season, it’s the best time of the year to get out and see all our region has to offer. TriMet connects people to opportunities every day. Whether you’re going to work, traveling to an appointment or seeking fun in the sun, why not ride with TriMet this summer?

    We’ve made improvements in recent years to better weather the summer heat. On the vast majority of summer days, you can expect TriMet to provide regular service, including air-conditioned comfort on our buses and trains.

    Extreme heat, however, can affect operations and our riders. Here’s what you need to know about TriMet in hot weather.

    Triple digits means delays

    If temperatures rise to 100 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, we will restrict the speed of MAX trains in certain areas for safety.

    MAX draws power from a system of overhead wires that are sensitive to heat. We limit speeds on MAX to no more than 35 mph when it’s at least 100 degrees, to reduce the risk of damage and keep our system running smoothly. Trains already run below 35 mph in areas where they run alongside or cross other traffic. But in restricted right-of-way areas, trains travel up to 55 mph. When the speed restriction is in place due to the heat, riders should expect up to 30-minute delays on MAX.

    WES commuter trains will also run no faster than 40 mph when temperatures soar above 100-degree temperatures. This may result in delays up to 10 minutes.

    Our buses are designed to operate in a wide range of weather conditions. There is no temperature threshold at which we’ll suspend or reduce bus service across our system. However, traffic and mechanical issues caused by extreme weather can sometimes result in delays. We’ll share the latest service information online at trimet.org/alerts, as well as with riders directly via email and text updates.

    Adapting to summer heat

    We’ve been working to improve how our transit system performs in hot weather.

    MAX was originally designed to operate in the climate Portland enjoyed in the 20th century. But as our region sees more extreme weather and rising summer temperatures, we are making adaptations to keep MAX running more smoothly for more of the summer. Similarly, we’ve worked with Portland & Western Railroad to improve heat resiliency on WES.

    On the MAX system, we have re-engineered parts of our overhead wire system to reduce sagging caused by intense summer heat. Because metals like copper and steel expand when it’s hot, we have to use counterweights to keep the overhead lines taut. With the improvements we’ve made, those counterweights work better in hotter weather, so MAX can keep running at regular speeds in all but the most extreme heat.

    Since 2018, the MAX Blue and Red lines have been able to proceed at normal speeds up to 100 degrees. The MAX Yellow Line followed in 2019. Now, as of this summer, all of our MAX lines are able to run regularly up to 100 degrees.

    Operating when it’s safe

    The safety of our riders and employees during extreme weather is central in TriMet’s decision-making. Above 105 degrees, we may adjust or suspend service on MAX if conditions warrant. These decisions are made with care and will depend on the conditions we’re seeing throughout our system.

    When temperatures hit 105 degrees, we will suspend service on WES and replace trains with shuttle buses.

    While we’ve made big upgrades to keep our trains running more reliably when it’s hot, extreme weather does place an additional strain on our machinery and electronics. Be prepared for trips to take extra time.

    You can learn more about our thresholds for extreme heat by visiting trimet.org/heat.

    Line 4-Fessenden on the road on a sunny day.

    Keeping cool on transit

    TriMet buses, including LIFT paratransit vehicles, have air conditioning on board for the comfort and safety of our riders and employees. So do MAX trains, WES trains and Portland Streetcar vehicles.

    But summer heat can be dangerous! When it’s hot outside, we encourage riders to:

    • Wear sun protection.
    • Pack a water bottle or sports drink with electrolytes to stay hydrated.
    • Consider using a personal fan or mister to keep cool.
    • If possible, stay in the shade when waiting at our stops and stations. Shade may not be available at all stops and stations. Carrying an umbrella can also provide cover from harmful UV radiation and relief when it’s hot and sunny.

    You can track your bus or MAX train at trimet.org. Our real-time map shows where the vehicle is and how long before it will arrive at the stop or station. Be sure to check weather reports as well as our website, trimet.org/alerts, for service information before you head out.

  • Beat the traffic, celebrate Portland Rose Festival with TriMet

    Transit is the most convenient, cost-effective and environmentally friendly way to experience the annual festivities

    TriMet bus in service during the Starlight Parade.

    One of Portland’s biggest and most beloved annual celebrations kicks off this Friday, May 24.

    During the Rose Festival, traveling to, from and around Portland City Center can be, well, thorny. Roads may be closed off for parades and other special events, parking is at a premium, and the traffic alone can make you wish you’d stayed home.

    Thankfully, you can enjoy the Rose Festival with none of those driving worries. Leave your car at home, or at one of TriMet’s Park & Rides, and take transit!

    What’s on tap?

    The Portland Rose Festival celebrates the annual blooming of roses, Portland’s signature flower. You’ll see roses in red, white, pink, yellow, orange and more in late spring. With gorgeous weather, beautiful blooms and community celebrations, this is one of the best times of year to get out and explore Downtown Portland.

    The official first day of the Rose Festival is Friday, May 24. That’s the kickoff with the big fireworks show over the Willamette River. It’s also when CityFair opens at Tom McCall Waterfront Park. This fair with classic carnival attractions and family fun runs on three consecutive weekends: May 24-27, May 31-June 2 and June 7-9.

    This year, CityFair also features a Celebration of Oregon Brewers Festival, with a selection of beers on tap. Transit is always a great option if you’re knocking back some pints, or if you’re indulging in the Starry Night Wine Walk next Thursday, May 30. It’s the smart, safe and responsible way to get home. Please, never drink and drive.

    When to go

    One of the biggest days for travel in Downtown Portland is expected to be Saturday, June 1. That’s both the day of the Starlight Run, from 6:30-7:30 p.m., and the CareOregon Starlight Parade, from 8-10 p.m.; and of a big game at Providence Park as the Portland Timbers host the Houston Dynamo, kicking off at 7:30 p.m. Skip the hassle and save on parking by taking TriMet! We’ll have extra MAX trains in service for riders’ convenience.

    If you have a ticket for the Timbers game, that ticket serves as your fare on any TriMet bus or MAX. Just show your digital ticket to the bus operator or Customer Safety Supervisor. Match-day tickets for both the Timbers and Thorns are valid fare on TriMet from three hours before kickoff until three hours after the final whistle. Find more information at trimet.org/providencepark.

    Other major events that you won’t want to miss, and which you can enjoy by traveling with TriMet, include:

    Please keep in mind that there may be short delays on TriMet during parades as our vehicles share the right-of-way.

    Fleet Week is June 5-9 at Tom McCall Waterfront Park! U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard and Royal Canadian Navy ships will be visiting. The Steel Bridge will be lifted Wednesday afternoon, June 5, for the arrival of Fleet Week ships. Remember, MAX and TriMet buses are unable to cross the Steel Bridge while it is lifted. Trains and buses will hold at nearby stops and stations. Plan for trips to take extra time June 5 and check trimet.org/alerts before setting out.

    TriMet riders at the Goose Hollow/SW Jefferson MAX Station.

    Ways to ride

    TriMet’s bus and MAX service, as well as Portland Streetcar, will provide regular service during the Rose Festival.

    One fare is good for all three modes of transit, thanks to Hop Fastpass®. You can purchase 2½-Hour Fare for a one-way trip or a shorter outing, or a Day Pass to travel on TriMet and Portland Streetcar an unlimited number of times for the day.

    Payment is simple, too. Riders can skip the ticket machine — our green Hop Fastpass® readers accept contactless payments with credit and debit cards as well as smartphones. Just tap to pay with your preferred payment method, check the screen for confirmation, and you’re good to go! Plus, you earn toward Day and Month passes whenever you tap. That means you’ll never pay more than $5.60 per day or $100 per month to ride TriMet. Learn more at trimet.org/fares.

    Updated display screens, including e-paper displays, show arrival times and destinations for all our lines that serve a particular stop or station.

    You can also plan ahead by visiting trimet.org. Check out our Trip Planner, which shows you the best options for getting to your destination, including when you can expect to arrive. You can even customize your trip plan for how far you’re willing to walk and which modes of transit you want to use.

    Questions? Contact TriMet Customer Service via live chat with a representative at support.trimet.org, or call or text 503-238-7433, from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. any day of the week.

  • Adding more bus service where our riders say they need it

    At TriMet, we’re improving some of our most popular lines starting next month

    Line 8-Jackson Park/NE 15th bus in Downtown Portland.

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

    TriMet riders say they want more service on our most popular, high-demand bus lines.

    We’re listening — and taking action! Four of our Frequent Service bus lines will soon see more buses arriving every 15 minutes or better earlier and later on weekdays, with more improvements on the way to make riding TriMet faster, easier and better.

    The improvements starting Sunday, June 2, are part of TriMet’s Forward Together service concept. Through Forward Together, we’re making bus service better for the riders who count on it every day — and a better option for more people throughout our service district. Forward Together is increasing ridership and connecting our region by taking what the community tells us they want and putting it into practice.

    Bolstering the bus

    We’re speeding up bus arrivals on the following lines on weekday mornings and evenings:

    These lines have among the highest ridership of all of TriMet’s more than 75 bus lines, with a combined average weekly ridership of about 102,000. All four number among our 18 Frequent Service bus lines. Buses on our Frequent Service lines arrive every 15 minutes or better for most of the day, every day.

    We’ll also add more service on weekday mornings along Line 21-Sandy Blvd/223rd. That improvement means workers on the early shift at the Amazon warehouse in Fairview can get to their jobs by bus.

    Several other bus lines will see schedule adjustments to keep buses running on time and help riders make their connections. Schedules could change by up to 12 minutes. Riders can always check their bus schedule and plan their trip at trimet.org. Make sure to set the date for June 2 or later!

    TriMet buses connect riders to jobs and school, as well as health care and other services. We know how important those opportunities are, and we are always working to improve the experience for commuters and other riders who depend on TriMet.

    Looking ahead

    With Forward Together, TriMet is taking the long view. We want to increase ridership and expand access to transit, especially for historically marginalized communities. We’re considering all of the resources at our disposal and deciding how to use them for the greatest benefit. We also know that we’re building a better bus system to serve people now, five years from now, 10 years from now, 20 years from now, and well beyond.

    We always envisioned Forward Together as a multiyear program. However, we haven’t yet been able to implement many of the service improvements we had hoped to make by now.

    To add service, we need the staff to support it. TriMet is offering a $7,500 hiring bonus for new operators, as well as a $2,500 hiring bonus for many maintenance positions. These are vital positions for us to fill so we can meet the needs of our community and continue to move Forward Together.

    Come join us! Visit trimet.org/careers to learn more about the opportunities at TriMet.

    We have many more improvements yet to come — some in the second half of this year, and others in the years ahead. They include adding more bus lines, upgrading popular bus lines to Frequent Service and extending the MAX Red Line to Hillsboro. We look forward to welcoming you aboard!

  • New bus-only signal saves time for TriMet riders

    Transit signal priority makes bus travel faster and more reliable by moving our riders around traffic

    Bus-only signal at SE Hawthorne/11th, part of TriMet and the City of Portland's transit signal priority (TSP) system.

    No one likes being stuck in traffic.

    For bus riders, however, TriMet has a workaround. In partnership with the Portland Bureau of Transportation, we’re making it easier for buses to move through intersections — and past heavy traffic. That means riders can reach their destination faster on the bus than they would by driving!

    A bus-only signal is now online at the intersection of Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard and 11th Avenue in Portland. That signal is part of a network of recent improvements on the Southeast Hawthorne and Madison Street couplet, benefiting four popular bus lines.

    This new system saves riders in this corridor nearly 30 seconds, on average, every time they go by bus. How is that possible? We use cutting-edge technology that reduces the amount of time buses have to wait at red lights. Powered by artificial intelligence, transit signal priority is changing the game for bus travel on Portland’s east side.

    The science behind the signal

    Just like every other vehicle on the road, TriMet buses have to contend with rush-hour jams and other traffic delays. Our buses share the road with passenger vehicles, semi-trucks, bicycles, motorcycles, school buses, motorized scooters and more.

    Our buses can’t avoid traffic altogether. With transit signal priority, however, traffic signals get an automated alert when a bus is approaching. This changes the timing of the light, giving the bus a green light to proceed. Seven signals along Hawthorne/Madison have now been improved with this technology. These signals communicate with buses and each other using a cloud-based network, and they harness the power of artificial intelligence to keep buses on the move.

    A bus-only signal, like the one at Hawthorne and 11th, can even allow buses to safely proceed after the light turns red for other vehicles, or give them the go-ahead before the light turns green for everyone else. Thanks to this bus-only signal, our buses can move ahead of the traffic flow and serve the stop at Southeast 12th Avenue.

    The signal is designed with safety in mind. Having two identical sets of lights, one for buses and one for everyone else, would be confusing. Instead, the bus-only signal displays simple icons. Whether the main light is green, yellow or red, our bus operators can see the icon displayed by that bus-only signal and know whether to stop or go.

    Altogether, transit signal priority means riders spend less time sitting in traffic, and it means buses arrive on time more often, too.

    Time savings

    Transit signal priority along Hawthorne/Madison, between 12th Avenue and Grand Avenue, builds on the success of the transit-only Rose Lanes that are painted on these major roads.

    Together, these innovations reduce the amount of time that buses on Line 6-Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Line 10-Harold St, Line 14-Hawthorne/Foster and Line 70-12th/NE 33rd Ave — lines with a combined weekly ridership of more than 68,500 — have to wait due to red lights and congestion, even when traffic is heavy.

    As we’ve implemented transit signal priority in this corridor, we’ve seen time savings upward of 20 seconds per trip. In some cases, it’s closer to 40 seconds. Those savings add up, helping to keep our buses on time and get riders to their destination faster throughout the day.

    We know transit signal priority works, because we’ve seen it in action on TriMet FX®. Our Frequent Express line, FX2-Division, saves up to six minutes in each direction thanks to a transit signal priority network, as well as Rose Lanes along Southeast Division Street. There are 57 traffic signals in this network, including 11 bus-only signals, along Division Street from Cleveland Avenue in Gresham to Southeast 11th Avenue in Portland.

    Working together with our local partners, we plan to add transit signal priority in other congestion-prone parts of our service area, making bus a better alternative to driving for more residents.

  • Celebrating our outstanding operators on Transit Driver Appreciation Day

    Community turns out to thank those who drive buses, trains and streetcars

    From our mini-run operators to our MAX operators, TriMet is driven — quite literally! — by the people who keep our region moving every day.

    TriMet is all about connecting our riders to opportunities. Our buses, trains and LIFT vehicles serve as vital links to work, school, health care and other services. Many of our riders also take TriMet to shopping, dining and other recreation destinations. Tens of thousands of riders every day rely on TriMet to get them where they need to go. And wherever our riders are going, they count on our operators to get them there.

    Driving for TriMet is more than a job for many of our operators. It’s a way for them to improve people’s lives. Some have been driving their routes for 10 years or more, and they look forward every day to greeting their regular riders. We also have many newer operators, both full-time and part-time, who bring enthusiasm and passion to the driver’s seat. From our transit veterans to our newest hires, our operators care about the people on their bus or train, and they take pride in getting them to their destination safely and on time.

    Monday, March 18, is Transit Driver Appreciation Day. We’re celebrating our operators all throughout the TriMet service district today!

    Meet the operators

    This year, for Transit Driver Appreciation Day, we’re featuring four operators who go above and beyond for their riders. They exemplify the very best of TriMet.

    These operators love what they do, and that love shines through in their work. As TriMet is hiring for more operators and other positions, they’re happy to share their perspective with anyone who is curious about the opportunities at TriMet — and to encourage them to apply for a job at trimet.org/careers.

    Joe Wiggins

    You might remember Joe Wiggins as the bus operator who drove one of his riders to the hospital on New Year’s Eve. When the rider experienced a medical emergency and asked Joe to call 911, he sprang into action, alerting our Operations Command Center and bringing in first responders. Since there were no ambulances available, Joe took the rider to the hospital in his bus, with a Portland Fire & Rescue escort.

    The TriMet Board recently honored Joe and fellow TriMet employees who responded to this emergency. But Joe says any other TriMet operator would have done the same thing in his position. “It’s what we do,” he explains.

    What you might not know about Joe is that he has his own business in Gresham, where he sells livestock equipment. He’s been in the business since the 1970s. Difficult economic conditions had Joe looking elsewhere for a new source of income, though, in 2018. He started driving for TriMet as a way to earn some money on the side. While he certainly appreciates TriMet’s competitive pay and excellent benefits, Joe has also fallen in love with the job, and he’s glad to be part of our team — just as we’re glad to have him!

    Shari Humphries

    TriMet is always working to improve the service we provide. But what does that mean? For bus operator Shari Humphries, it was advocating for one of her riders. Shari makes a point of saying hello and goodbye to everyone on her bus, every day, even on busy Line 72-Killingsworth/82nd. One night last fall, she picked up a rider who was visually impaired, and in talking with him, she found out he’d had to walk almost a mile from his workplace, in an area with poor lighting and limited sidewalks, to get to the bus stop.

    Shari wanted her rider to be safe, and she knew this wasn’t a one-off situation. Working with her supervisor, she successfully advocated for a service change that would allow her to better serve this rider and keep him from having to make that long trek to catch the bus. TriMet employees from multiple departments all worked together to make this improvement within weeks.

    For nearly three decades, Shari was a school bus driver. She worked for several metro-area school districts before deciding it was time for a change in 2019. Shari applied for a job with TriMet and became a full-time bus operator. Although her passengers have changed, Shari’s commitment to service and spreading joy have not. She says she loves driving because of all the people she is able to help, each and every day.

    Yulinda Highsmith

    This isn’t Yulinda Highsmith’s first time in the spotlight. When she was still a relatively new part-time bus operator, Yulinda remembers being featured in a hiring campaign. Her face was splashed across the sides of buses and displayed at bus shelters, part of our effort to say: “Come work for TriMet!”

    Yulinda has been driving for TriMet since 2005. She previously worked in retail, and as she tells it, she was ready for a career change. She saw TriMet as a place where she could have a real career pathway. The pay was better, the benefits were great and she loved the flexibility of the job.

    Nineteen years later, and now working as a full-time operator, Yulinda is still passionate about TriMet. She loves getting to know her riders, and she says she gets to meet people from all over the world on her route. She also enjoys the view from the driver’s seat of the city where she grew up. Yulinda is proud to drive for one of the best transit systems around, and she stands by that message from the hiring campaign in which she was featured all those years ago: TriMet is a great place to work!

    Jeff Flanagan

    When Jeff Flanagan is in the MAX operator’s cabin, he says, “It feels like being a captain of a ship.” It’s an awesome responsibility, and it’s one that Jeff — like all of TriMet’s approximately 180 rail operators — has earned.

    While Jeff is proud to be a rail operator, his career with TriMet has switched tracks a couple times. Originally from Alaska, Jeff first started working for TriMet as a contracted transit security officer in 2011. The following year, he was hired as a bus operator. In 2014, Jeff earned a promotion to rail operator. Many bus operators love their jobs and wouldn’t trade in their wheels for rails, but Jeff was drawn to MAX in part because of the challenge. Light rail vehicles are complicated to operate, but Jeff finds the job to be immensely rewarding.

    TriMet has featured Jeff in videos before about MAX. He’s a bona fide expert on operating MAX as he approaches 10 years in light rail, and it’s still a job that brings him great satisfaction. Serving some of the busiest parts of our region, MAX provides opportunities for riders to get to jobs, schools, shops, restaurants, parks, libraries and more every day. Wherever they’re headed, Jeff enjoys greeting his riders and getting them to their destination safely and on time.

    Thanking every operator

    TriMet is proud to support our transit operators and to celebrate them every year by observing Transit Driver Appreciation Day, an annual tradition since 2013.

    TriMet employees and volunteers are turning out for our operators all day Monday, March 18. We’re cheering on buses and MAX trains on the Transit Mall in Downtown Portland; hanging banners at the Beaverton, Clackamas Town Center, Gresham and Rose Quarter transit centers; and serving snacks for operators at our bus garages and rail yards in Beaverton, Gresham and Portland.

    Riders and other community members are welcome to join in the festivities! Writing a short message or simply adding their signature to one of our thank-you banners, or on our website at trimet.org/thankyou, can help to brighten our operators’ day. If you’re on the Transit Mall this sunny spring day, join us in raising a cheer for our hard-working operators. And on Transit Driver Appreciation Day, and every day, you can show your gratitude and support for our operators by giving them a wave and a smile, being a courteous rider by following TriMet’s rules for riding, and thanking them for the ride. Even small gestures of kindness and respect can go a long way!

    We’re on the lookout for our operators of the future, too! These are good-paying union jobs with excellent benefits and employee resources. Other opportunities are available as well. Learn more at trimet.org/careers.

  • Extended-range electric buses supercharge TriMet’s zero-emissions push

    Latest generation of GILLIG battery-electric buses could welcome riders aboard as soon as spring, improving our region’s livability and sustainability

    On a partly sunny February day, the first of a new generation of zero-emissions buses rolled into TriMet’s Columbia Operations Facility.

    The long-range battery-electric buses had been driven up to Portland from GILLIG’s manufacturing center in Livermore, California. On the way to their new home, they had to contend with freeway traffic and mountain passes. All told, they traveled some 650 miles.

    And with TriMet, they’ll be traveling many, many more.

    TriMet is driving ahead with our ambitious goal to have a 100% zero-emissions bus fleet by 2040. Our latest arrivals bring us one step closer to achieving this goal.

    What’s new?

    The first four buses from the order of 24 third-generation battery-electric buses — sometimes called e-buses — arrived earlier this month, and a fifth is on the way. More are scheduled for delivery this spring and summer. Some of the new electric buses could be in service as soon as this spring.

    We’re building upon the successes we’ve seen with battery-electric buses already in service. Our first-generation battery-electric buses, which we introduced in 2019, are short-range buses that charge mid-route. Our second-generation battery-electric buses, like the new ones, are longer-range electric buses brought on board in 2021.

    TriMet’s e-buses are popular with riders, who enjoy the quiet, smooth ride they provide with their powerful electric motors, as well as their eco-friendly technology. The new e-buses incorporate that same comfort and cleanliness, but with boosted battery life and extended range.

    These new buses can hold more of a charge than our existing long-range buses, with a 33% boost to energy storage compared to our second-generation buses. Our testing will determine the effective range of the buses, which we estimate to be at least 150 miles year-round.

    They’re also equipped for flexible charging. Unlike our previous long-range buses, these new buses have overhead charge rails that will allow them to be easily hooked up to TriMet’s fast charging stations in Beaverton, as well as charging ports they’ll use at our Powell Operations Facility in Southeast Portland, where they initially will be housed. We’ve already installed 24 plug-in chargers in anticipation of their arrival.

    This is the largest expansion yet of our electric bus fleet. With these new vehicles, we will more than triple the number of e-buses in service with TriMet this year. That means many more riders will benefit, and many more neighborhoods will see zero-emissions buses rolling down the street on a regular basis.

    What’s next?

    Over the coming weeks and months, we’ll be performing rigorous testing and inspections of the new e-buses for safety and efficiency.

    Once we’ve completed our testing and inspections on each bus, we can begin welcoming riders aboard. Depending on how long this process takes, you could be riding on one of these new electric buses this spring, even before all 24 have arrived in Portland. Call it a “rolling start” for these new buses!

    We hope to have the full two dozen in service by September.

    In the meantime, we’ll be putting the buses through their paces. That includes determining exactly how far they’ll go on a single charge under normal conditions, getting a sense for the effects that city traffic, hilly terrain and weather have on battery life. We’ll also be making sure that the safety features on each bus, such as our on-board cameras, are working properly.

    Our operators will also be getting comfortable with how the new buses handle, and our mechanics will be learning their (literal) ins and outs.

    While we’re still determining when and where we’ll be rolling out each bus, our goal is to bring more zero-emissions buses to areas where improving air quality will benefit vulnerable populations. That goal is in keeping with our Green Corridors Plan, which guides us as we do our part to reduce air pollution and create a healthier, more livable region.

    Switching to renewable diesel for our fixed-route diesel buses and WES trains has reduced TriMet’s emissions by nearly 70% since 2022. Reaching zero emissions by 2040, however, means investing in new emerging technologies like battery-electric buses. Our electric bus fleet runs off of 100% renewable electricity.

  • Now hiring! TriMet welcomes applicants for maintenance, operator jobs

    Jobseekers can learn more about opportunities — and maybe even land an offer — at our Feb. 29 hiring event at DoubleTree Lloyd Center

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

    What’s it like to work for TriMet?

    Come find out at our next big hiring event Thursday, Feb. 29, at DoubleTree by Hilton in Northeast Portland.

    TriMet is hiring for a whole range of positions, including maintenance service workers, mechanics, technicians and bus operators. New hires for some of these positions are eligible for a hiring bonus!

    If you’re thinking about a career with TriMet, this is your chance to learn about the opportunities we offer and apply for a job! We may even extend conditional job offers at this hiring event to certain applicants.

    TriMet is offering $2,500 hiring bonuses for many maintenance positions and $7,500 hiring bonuses for bus operators.

    What to expect

    The hiring event is from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. It includes hour-long information sessions:

    • 11:15 a.m.: Maintenance Service Worker Job Presentation
    • 12:15 p.m.: Q&A with TriMet Panel
    • 1:15 p.m.: Bus Driver Job Presentation

    If you’re interested in learning more about the available positions, you can hear from current TriMet employees about their experience, as well as ask questions of your own.

    You might even leave this hiring event with a conditional job offer! We’ll be interviewing applicants for diesel mechanic and maintenance service positions at the event. If we identify one or more of our maintenance service workers of the future, we could make an offer on the spot!

    Be savvy

    If you want to apply for a position, you can save some time at the hiring event by filling out an application online before you go. Just visit trimet.org/careers.

    You’re welcome to stay for the whole event or just show up for a session that interests you. Drop-ins welcome!

    Applicants should plan on bringing a valid driver’s license. A resume is not required.

    There’s no formal dress code for this hiring event. You’re welcome to wear casual attire or work clothes.

    Getting there

    The DoubleTree by Hilton is located in the Lloyd Center neighborhood in Northeast Portland, at 1000 NE Multnomah St. in Portland. It is accessible via transit.

    Currently, the venue is served by MAX Blue Line trains and shuttle buses, as well as by Portland Streetcar’s A and B Loops, as well as TriMet bus lines 8, 70 and 77. Plan your trip at trimet.org.

    For jobseekers driving to the event, free parking will be available on-site.

    About TriMet

    TriMet is the Portland metro area’s transit agency. We operate more than 75 bus lines; MAX light rail service between Portland and major suburbs like Beaverton, Clackamas, Gresham, Hillsboro and Milwaukie; and WES commuter rail and LIFT paratransit service as well.

    We’ve been around since 1969. TriMet is a municipal corporation of the State of Oregon, and our more than 3,000 workers are public employees.

    TriMet offers great benefits for employees, job stability and a welcoming, supportive work environment. Some of our operators have been driving for TriMet for more than 30 years! TriMet has generous retirement options, affordable medical, dental and vision plans, and other amenities for employees.

    Check out trimet.org/careers to learn more, or drop by and meet us at the Feb. 29 hiring event.