mechanic

  • (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. 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.

  • (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.

  • 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.