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TriMet warns of cuts to transit service without an increase in transit funding in 2025 Oregon transportation package
Oregon Transit Association calls for 0.4% increase in Statewide Transportation Improvement Fund employee payroll tax

TriMet joins the Oregon Transit Association in appealing to Oregon legislators to increase funding for public transit in the upcoming 2025 transportation package. We appreciate the efforts of the Oregon Legislature to assemble a package that balances funding for all modes of transportation. However, the amount of funding for public transit currently being proposed is not enough to avoid service cuts that will leave tens of thousands of Oregonians stranded without the transportation they depend on, including in TriMet’s tri-county service district.

TriMet provides bus, MAX light rail, WES commuter rail and LIFT paratransit services across 533 square miles of the state’s three most populous counties — Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas counties. Our transit service connects people with their community, while easing traffic congestion and reducing air pollution — making our region a better place to live.

The phased increase of 0.4% in the Statewide Transportation Improvement Fund (STIF) employee payroll tax over eight years sought by the Oregon Transit Association is necessary to avoid cuts to the transit service that is essential for TriMet riders — more than 67% of whom tell us they rely on our service to get them where they need to go. Under the current proposed 0.08% increase, TriMet would need to begin cutting service by July 1, 2027. We would need to cut 15% of service in 2027, with an additional 5% cut every two years after that, until our operating budget deficit is resolved.

Transit funding only a sliver of Oregon’s transportation investment

In 2017, the Oregon Legislature passed the first transportation package in state history that dedicated funding to improve transit service around the state, including providing free or discounted fare programs for students and Oregonians living on a low income. While welcome by transit agencies, public transportation receives just 8% as much state funding as the state highway fund receives each year in the face of rising costs and financial challenges.

Like other public transit agencies in Oregon and across the nation, TriMet has seen operating costs skyrocket, mainly due to inflation. Our operating costs per vehicle have increased 53% from 2019 to 2024. TriMet has tripled our budget for safety and security in the last several years, to address community-wide public safety challenges that affect our transit system.

TriMet has been operating on reduced revenues since the COVID-19 pandemic and is currently facing a *$50.2 million deficit for the fiscal year ahead, which begins July 1, 2025. As our deficit continues to grow year-to-year, we’re using our reserves to avoid reducing services, and we’re making meaningful cuts to our discretionary spending and implementing changes to right-size our budget.
*Note: The original news release stated a $74.4 million deficit projected for fiscal year 2026. As of May 28, 2025, the projected deficit is now at $50.2 million due to spending cuts and other budget efficiencies identified during the fiscal year 2026 budgeting process.

Federal COVID-19 relief funds provided a lifeline for public transit agencies thrust into turmoil brought by the global pandemic and grappling with systemic changes due to commute patterns and remote work. However, those one-time stimulus funds have now been depleted, and TriMet faces a fiscal cliff in 2031. We’re working with lawmakers now to identify additional state funding, before our deficit becomes unmanageable.

With a 0.4% phased increase in the STIF employee payroll tax, transit funding would still be less than the funding for other transportation modes. A person making Oregon’s median income would pay $16.75 a month by 2032. In comparison, by that time the average driver would spend roughly $60 a month in gas taxes and vehicle fees under the Legislature’s proposed transportation package framework.

Without that phased increase, TriMet will be forced to make drastic service cuts, including reducing frequency, hours of operation, and eliminating some bus lines altogether. Just considering our bus service alone, of our 78 current bus lines, TriMet would need to eliminate up to:
- 34 bus lines by July 2027,
- 7 more bus lines by July 2029,
- And 10 more bus lines by July 2031.
That means up to 51 of our current 78 bus lines would need to be eliminated by July 2031.

Maintaining — and increasing — public transit service is necessary to ensure that everyone has access to transportation regardless of ability or income. TriMet represents independence for the 35% of riders who are transit-dependent, meaning they do not own a personal vehicle or cannot/do not drive. We are a vital part of their lives, providing essential access to jobs, health care and daily needs.

Public transit benefits everyone

Everyone benefits from TriMet, even if you don’t ride. More people taking public transit means fewer cars on the road. Not only does our service reduce congestion, it reduces pollution and decreases the number of traffic collisions and fatalities. Our public transit also helps the economy. Every $1 invested in transit generates $5 for a local economy, according to research by the American Public Transportation Association. Directly, public transit helps support jobs by giving people access to work, education, stores, services and recreation, and by putting people to work. TriMet currently employs 3,600 people, and most of those positions — nearly 3,000 — are union jobs.

TriMet is grateful for the support of the lawmakers who penned a letter to legislative leadership on March 28, 2025, urging them to, “prioritize a phased increase to the Statewide Transportation Improvement Fund (STIF) payroll tax, to reach ½ of 1% by 2033 to ensure there are no cuts to local transit service.” According to that letter signed by the 10 legislators, 64% of the public comments received during the Joint Committee on Transportation’s 2024 community roadshow identified investments in transit as a top priority for the 2025 transportation package.

TriMet believes that every Oregonian deserves access to safe, reliable and affordable transportation options, and we urge legislators to increase funding for public transit in the upcoming 2025 transportation package.
April 17, 2025
(VIDEO) Join TriMet’s maintenance team and make over $90,000 in year one
Workers receive excellent benefits, union representation and opportunities for advancement

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. That includes new bus mechanics, light rail vehicle technicians, transit operators and more!

You can apply online! Find the details on what you need to apply on our website.
March 13, 2025
(VIDEO) Opportunities abound at TriMet hiring event

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

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 2^nd 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.

January 22, 2025
TriMet gives union workers a raise
New Working and Wage Agreement, effective Dec. 1, 2024, brings new benefits for employees represented by Amalgamated Transit Union Local 757

One of the top places to work in Oregon just got even better!

Effective this week, TriMet’s union employees earned a 4% raise. That wage increase is part of a new Working and Wage Agreement TriMet negotiated with the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 757, which took effect Dec. 1. The contract runs through late 2028. It includes annual increases in pay, with an overall 13.64% increase over the four-year contract.

The contract also has new and expanded benefits for union employees, including:
- A tuition reimbursement of up to $5,250 per year, intended to support employees who are taking higher and continuing education courses.
- A child care subsidy of up to $150 per month, helping to allay the increased cost of child care. (Effective Jan. 1, 2025)
- An increase in TriMet’s employer contribution to each employee’s 401(a) retirement plan, now at 9% and increasing to 10% in 2028.
Those who join the TriMet team in the months ahead will enjoy the higher pay and expanded benefits as well! We’re currently hiring bus and rail operators, mechanics, technicians, and maintainers, among other key positions. Visit trimet.org/careers to learn more. Joining TriMet now will help us continue expanding and improving our transit service as we keep the region moving.

Forbes Magazine ranks TriMet as one of the top five places to work in Oregon and the top Oregon-based employer. Competitive pay, excellent benefits and opportunities for growth are just a few of the reasons why.

What’s the deal?

The Working and Wage Agreement covers more than 2,800 union employees at TriMet.

To provide greater stability for everyone involved, TriMet and ATU leadership this year negotiated a four-year contract, instead of the usual three-year deal.

In addition to upping pay, the new contract increases longevity pay for most employees with eight or more years of service, as well as hourly wages for certain overnight maintenance shifts.

We’re also adding new utility cleaner positions. Together with improvements in how we schedule cleaning crews, this furthers our mission to create a world-class rider experience on TriMet.

Join our team!

Whether you’re looking to start a long-term career, trying to line up a part-time job or something in between, TriMet has great opportunities for people with a wide range of abilities and qualifications.

TriMet’s bus and rail operators skillfully serve riders, getting them where they need to go safely and efficiently every day.

Our maintenance workers keep our fleet of buses and trains on the move and our facilities clean and welcoming for riders.

Our customer service representatives connect with riders and help them to have a good experience using our system.

Many positions come with a $7,500 hiring bonus! We also offer learning and leadership courses, apprenticeships and mentoring opportunities, and more to help our employees grow, succeed and thrive at TriMet. Certain jobs are only open to internal applicants — part of our efforts to provide a pathway to advancement for TriMet employees who want to progress in their career.

Check out a full listing of job opportunities at trimet.org/careers. You can also sign up to receive new job postings and event notices by email.
December 2, 2024
(VIDEO) TriMet’s 2024 Rail Operator of the Year: ‘You should apply here!’

Shana Peck says it ‘makes my day to make people happy,’ getting riders to their destination on MAX

TriMet is hiring bus and MAX operators!

These positions come with a $7,500 hiring bonus! TriMet is also giving operators a raise and expanding benefits under our new Working and Wage Agreement with the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 757. The union represents most of our employees, including all operators. Under the new contract, the hourly wage for operators starts at $29.35 and increases to $42.75 within three years.

Learn more about being a TriMet bus operator at trimet.org/driveforus. Those interested in operating MAX should check out trimet.org/maxoperator. Applications are being accepted now at trimet.org/careers.

TriMet recently honored outstanding employees with our Employee Choice Awards. Our 2024 Rail Operator of the Year, Shana Peck, was excited to be recognized even though she’s only been with TriMet for a little over two years.

For Shana, joining TriMet was a great way to advance her career and serve her community. She says others should consider making the same leap.

Beginning a ‘real career’ with TriMet

Shana Peck officially joined TriMet in 2022. She had been working closely with the organization for nearly a decade, including six years as a supervisor for LIFT, TriMet’s paratransit service. LIFT operators and supervisors are contractors, but TriMet oversees operations.

“I just decided TriMet’s where I wanted to begin my real career,” Shana says.

Her dream was to run MAX trains. At the time Shana joined TriMet, only employees who had driven a TriMet bus were eligible to apply for MAX operator jobs. With her previous experience driving for LIFT, Shana took the wheel for TriMet before soon moving to MAX.

This year, TriMet has a new policy. We’re now accepting MAX operator applicants from outside TriMet. Applicants should have at least one year of experience in the transportation industry, one year of customer service experience and three years of driving experience. Find details at trimet.org/maxoperator.

“I think it’s fun operating the trains,” Shana says. “And I’m excited to see where I grow in my career here.”

Opportunities and possibilities

TriMet invests in our employees, helping them succeed, excel and thrive.

“There’s lots of room for growth,” Shana says, speaking from personal experience.

TriMet offers learning and development courses for employees, as well as financial support for employees who enroll in higher and continuing education courses outside of TriMet. The new Working and Wage Agreement increases that support, also offering a child care subsidy and more expanded benefits.

“You should apply here!” Shana says. Joining TriMet is a “great opportunity,” she adds, with family-wage jobs and excellent benefits. Having moved from bus to MAX, it makes Shana feel good to know TriMet supports employees in reaching their goals. TriMet often promotes from within the organization, so employees with leadership skills can further advance in their careers.

Applying with TriMet

TriMet has big plans to expand and improve service throughout our 533-square-mile service district, which covers parts of Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington counties. In August, we rolled out one of the biggest service updates in our 55-year history. We want to build on that momentum!

Right now, though, we need more operators to provide the level of service we envision. That includes more Frequent Service bus lines, better connections between neighborhoods and job centers, and extended service to growing communities in places like Beaverton, Happy Valley and Hillsboro.

Visit trimet.org/careers to browse available jobs and apply online. We now offer a $7,500 hiring bonus for new mechanics, technicians and maintainers, as well as operators! We’re also hiring for many other positions.

TriMet was recently ranked by Forbes Magazine as the top Oregon-based employer in the state, as well as Oregon’s top “Transportation and Logistics” employer. Forbes’ ranking is based on a survey of employees in each state.

November 12, 2024
Considering a career with TriMet? Learn more, apply, even interview at hiring event

Join our team! We’re looking for operators, maintenance workers, mechanics and more — and offering big hiring bonuses for some jobs

Join the TriMet team and jump start a career with opportunities for advancement.

Competitive pay. Great benefits. Opportunities for advancement.

That’s what’s waiting for you when you join Oregon’s largest transportation service provider — TriMet.

We’re eager to continue improving and expanding our service, and that depends on bringing more operators, mechanics and support staff on board. Find out what it’s like to work for TriMet, ask questions, apply for open positions and maybe even interview on the spot on Wednesday, Oct. 9, at our hiring event. See if you have what it takes to join our team of nearly 3,500 employees and counting!

What’s on offer?

Whether you’ve pictured yourself behind the controls of a MAX train, at the wheel of a bus or tuning up a diesel engine, TriMet’s big hiring event is for you! We also have entry level jobs too, including service worker positions starting at $22.62/an hour.

We invite anyone interested in a job with TriMet to join us for this hiring event. It runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the DoubleTree by Hilton, 1000 NE Multnomah St. in Portland. This venue in the Lloyd District is accessible by the MAX Blue, Green and Red lines, TriMet bus lines 8, 70 and 77, and Portland Streetcar’s A and B loops. Plan your trip at trimet.org!

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

Check out our complete list of open positions at trimet.org/careers. Job descriptions are available, including salary ranges, minimum qualifications and areas of responsibility.

We’re hiring transit operators, maintenance service workers, mechanics and technicians, among other positions. These serve vital functions at TriMet, allowing us to provide and add service throughout our tri-county service area.

New hires at certain positions are eligible for hiring bonuses, including a $7,500 bonus for new bus and MAX operators, and a $2,500 for select maintenance positions!

TriMet approved a new Working and Wage Agreement with the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 757 last month. Under this new contract, the hourly wage for operators starts at $29.35 and increases to $42.75 within three years!

About TriMet

TriMet provides transit service throughout much of the Portland metro area. We operate bus, MAX light rail, WES commuter rail and LIFT paratransit service across parts of Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington counties.

Established in 1969, TriMet is a municipal corporation of the State of Oregon. Our nearly 3,500 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 us for more than 30 years! TriMet provides affordable medical, dental and vision plans, and other amenities for employees. Coming in the years ahead are new perks for union employees, including $150 monthly childcare subsidy, $5,200 in annual tuition reimbursement and an increase to 10% for the employer contribution to each union employee’s 401(a) retirement plan.

Check out trimet.org/careers to learn more, or drop by and meet us at the hiring event on Oct. 9.

October 2, 2024
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

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.
February 22, 2024