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.
Increased bonus for many union maintenance positions and training opportunities aims to bolster TriMet’s ability to provide reliable transit service
At TriMet, we are dedicated to providing safe and reliable transit service. The backbone to that is our amazing Maintenance team. To increase its ranks, we are increasing our hiring bonus for select maintenance positions to $7,500, up from $2,500. Eligible maintenance jobs include mechanic, technician and maintainer positions, along with apprentices and trainees for those positions.
The increased hiring bonus comes as pay increases go into effect for all TriMet union positions Dec. 1, 2024, as part of our new Working and Wage Agreement with the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 757. In addition to medical, dental, vision, disability and life insurance plans at low or no monthly cost, the new four-year contract brings new benefits and opportunities:
Increased employer contribution to union employees’ 401(a) retirement plans.
Tuition reimbursement of up to $5,250
Child care subsidy of up to $150 per month
TriMet also supports employees by offering pathways for career advancement. In-person and virtual learning classes are offered throughout the year, free of charge, to all employees. Mentoring opportunities are available for many employees. Certain jobs, like transportation supervisor, are 100% filled through internal promotions.
Building our workforce to keep region moving
Earning a $7,500 bonus is a fantastic way to start a career at TriMet. We continue to offer it to both bus and MAX operators. As we bring more operators on board, we must increase our staffing at maintenance positions that support bus, MAX, WES and Portland Streetcar operations too.
TriMet is committed to providing a transit system that meets the needs of our regions, both now and in the future. That’s why we are investing in a skilled workforce that supports bus and rail service throughout our service area. We plan to add more service in the coming months and years, even after extending the MAX Red Line and creating new bus lines in August — one of the biggest service expansions in TriMet’s history.
With well over 3,500 employees, TriMet isn’t just one of Oregon’s best-rated employers — we’re one of Oregon’s largest employers, too.
TriMet provides transit service throughout a 533-square-mile area, which includes parts of Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington counties. That service includes bus lines, five MAX light rail lines, the WES commuter rail line and LIFT paratransit service. We also provide employees and training for the Portland Streetcar, which is owned by the City of Portland and operated separately from TriMet.
Buses and trains don’t run by themselves! We count on our more than 2,800 union workers not only to operate our vehicles, but also to maintain them and keep our system ship-shape.
From bus mechanics to rail technicians and beyond, many of the jobs that keep TriMet and our community moving now offer a $7,500 hiring bonus. You can see a full list of open positions at trimet.org/careers.
Join the agency that keeps the greater Portland metro region moving!
Take it from our employees: TriMet is one of the best places to work in Oregon!
Forbes Magazine recently ranked TriMet as one of the top five places to work in Oregon. In that listing, TriMet is the number one Oregon-based employer in the state, as well as the top “Transportation and Logistics” employer in the state. The Forbes listing of the America’s Best-In-State Employers for 2024 comes from a survey of employees in each state.
“This honor reflects TriMet’s dedication to our employees and our community,” said TriMet General Manager Sam Desue Jr. “Our employees are the heart and soul of TriMet. We could not provide the transit service so many people rely on without their hard work and determination. And, as we work to support our employees in all aspects of their work, we know they in turn help connect our riders to opportunities throughout our region.”
TriMet employs more than 3,500 people. Our diverse workforce reflects the community and people we serve. We’re continuing to hire and add to our growing team, which includes bus and rail operators, mechanics, safety and security personnel, maintenance service workers, dispatchers, planners and schedulers, and more.
TriMet keeps our region on the move
TriMet has been serving the Portland metro region since 1969. That’s nearly 55 years of getting people where they need to go!
We operate bus, MAX light rail, WES commuter rail and LIFT paratransit service across TriMet’s 533-square-mile service area, which includes parts of Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington counties.
TriMet plays a central role in the daily life, transportation and economy of our region. In September 2024, we provided about 1.3 million rides a week. 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.
Many of our riders rely on TriMet to get to work, school, health care and other services. Others choose TriMet because it’s an accessible, affordable and sustainable way to travel throughout the Portland metro region. And, our employees come to TriMet for rewarding work, financial stability and opportunities for growth.
Why employees rank TriMet as the best Oregon-based employer: Wages & benefits
TriMet’s top Forbes rating comes from a survey of employees, and it reflects why TriMet is a great place to work. Whether it’s stepping into a great family-wage job, providing a public service to the community, exploring opportunities for advancement, charting a new career path, improving job skills, continuing education or saving for retirement, you can do it at TriMet. We offer benefits and programs to meet our employees’ needs and help turn their dreams into reality.
We offer competitive salaries and have excellent benefits that can save employees tens or hundreds of dollars every month over most private employers. Among the benefits:
Medical, dental, vision, disability and life insurance plans at low or no monthly cost
Optional health care coverage for spouses, domestic partners and dependents
Health and dependent care spending accounts
Two retirement plans, including a 401(a) plan with employer contribution of up to 8-10%
Paid vacation and sick leave
Annual transit pass (valued up to $1,200) for employee and eligible family members
More than 2,800 TriMet employees are represented by the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 757, a valued partner to TriMet. Working together, TriMet and the union recently negotiated a four-year contract that expands benefits and gives union workers a 13.64% pay increase. This new Working and Wage Agreement takes effect Dec. 1, 2024. The agreement isn’t just good for TriMet employees — it also supports the work we’re doing to make our transit system cleaner and more reliable, so riders will benefit as well.
Why employees rank TriMet as the best Oregon-based employer: Supportive & welcoming work environment
TriMet’s commitment to our employees stretches from support across many avenues to development that extends far beyond traditional training.
TriMet employees have access to financial coaching, estate planning, counseling and more through TriMet’s Employee Assistance Program. This program provides individualized and confidential support that is available to every TriMet employee. Also, peer-to-peer support is available to employees through our Critical Incident Stress Management Team. Team members undergo intensive training on mental health and coping resources to help coworkers through stressful or traumatic incidents, supporting our employees’ well-being.
Employees can take advantage of another TriMet benefit to stay physically fit. For a low monthly fee, we offer 24-hour access to five fitness centers for TriMet employees and their families. These fitness centers are conveniently located at facilities where many of our employees work, so they can hit the gym or even take an exercise class before or after their shift.
TriMet also offers learning and leadership courses that are open to all employees. Our Engage, Empower and Expand (E3) Learning Program is designed to help employees thrive by offering a wide range of classes, with topics such as project management, effective communication and creating inclusive environments. We partner with Portland Community College to bring in industry-leading instructors, giving employees access to high-quality, college-level learning experiences — at no cost to employees. On average, we see about 1,500 enrollments per year.
Diversity, equity and inclusion are core values at TriMet. We welcome and support employees of all backgrounds. Any employee can choose to participate in one or more of TriMet’s Employee Resource Groups. We have nine of these resource groups, and counting — each a community of employees with shared life experiences, offering them an inclusive space to socialize, reflect, innovate and grow.
Why employees rank TriMet as the best Oregon-based employer: Room for advancement & longevity
Our employees have opportunities to advance in their careers at TriMet. We promote from within for many management positions. Certain jobs — like our transportation supervisors, who help keep our system running every day — are only open to internal applicants.
We’re expanding mentorship opportunities for employees, helping them improve their job skills and develop new ones. We pair up employees as mentors and mentees for nine months, fostering meaningful professional relationships and sharing knowledge across TriMet.
We have dozens of employees who have been with TriMet for decades. More than 70 current employees have at least 30 years of service at TriMet. We recognize long-tenured employees with service awards, celebrating their many years of helping move our region forward. Just this past summer, one of our dedicated bus operators received an award for 40 years of service, a remarkable milestone — although still not the longest tenure for an active employee!
For some of our employees, TriMet is a family affair. Fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, husbands and wives have all worked alongside each other at TriMet, Forbes’ top Oregon-based employer. In one family, three generations of women have taken the wheel for TriMet over the decades, serving our region through times of growth and change.
TriMet is hiring and offering bonuses for some positions
Learn what our employees know! Join Team TriMet. We’re hiring bus and MAX operators, maintenance service workers, mechanics and technicians, and others. New hires at certain positions are eligible for hiring bonuses, including a $7,500 bonus for new operators and a $2,500 for select maintenance positions! Check out our complete list of open positions at trimet.org/careers.
About Forbes’ list of America’s Best-In-State Employers
TriMet is honored to be recognized on the Forbes list of America’s Best-In-State Employers for 2024. According to Forbes and its partner Statista Inc., the list is based on “an independent survey from a vast sample of over 160,000 employees working for companies employing at least 500 people within the U.S. The ranking is open to companies from all industry sectors. Around 4.4 million employer evaluations were considered. The consideration of data from 3 years allowed a robust differentiation between organizations that consistently perform well from those that may only have had a single good year.”
According to Statista Inc., an employer’s final score is based upon two types of employee evaluations:
1. Personal Evaluations: Employees’ willingness to recommend their own employers to friends and family
2. Public Evaluations: Recommendations from friends and family members of employees, or members of the public who work in the same industry- also known as indirect evaluations
About Statista Inc.
From Statista: “Statista publishes hundreds of worldwide industry rankings and company listings with high-profile media partners. This research and analysis service is based on the success of statista.com, the leading data and business intelligence portal that provides statistics, relevant business data, and various market and consumer studies and surveys.”
