TriMet Service Changes Begin August 23

Riders encouraged to plan ahead

 A person with groceries approaches a TriMet bus (Photo courtesy of TriMet)

TriMet is urging riders to plan ahead and prepare for big changes coming to our transit system beginning Sunday, Aug. 23. Their website – trimet.org – has been updated to include the adjustments we are making this year to help address our current $158 million long-term budget deficit. The adjustments affect 33 bus lines and the MAX Green Line. They bring changes for thousands of riders who depend on TriMet for safe, reliable transportation to work, school, medical appointments and much more, who may now have a longer walk; an added transfer; or an adjusted route, as part of their trip on TriMet. 

The service adjustments coming in August are part of TriMet’s multi-year strategy to resolve our deficit by reducing expenses and increasing revenue. These changes streamline our service, focusing on areas where people are most likely to ride, while reducing duplication and eliminating service where ridership is very low. 

TriMet’s upcoming service changes, taking effect Aug. 23, were developed with input from riders and the community to preserve as much service as possible while addressing budget challenges. The changes will reduce overlapping routes and discontinue service in areas where ridership is low. The MAX Green Line will operate a shorter route, running only between Gateway and Clackamas Town Center transit centers. Riders will still be able to connect with other MAX lines at Gateway, and for many passengers, a bus route may provide a faster option for reaching Downtown Portland. Dozens of bus lines will be combined or adjusted where routes overlap or run close to one another, helping create a more efficient system while maximizing service investments. Some routes will be modified to maintain service in higher-ridership areas, while others will run less frequently during times when fewer people are riding. Two bus lines will be discontinued in areas with very low ridership and no nearby alternative TriMet service.

A total of 34 of TriMet’s 79 bus lines and five MAX lines will be directly affected by the upcoming service changes, including the elimination of two bus lines. Riders throughout the system may experience changes to their daily commutes, and TriMet encourages passengers to visit trimet.org and plan a trip for Aug. 23 to understand how the updates may impact their travel. Later this summer, TriMet will also update its Trip Planner with information on bus service for Portland high schools. While that service will continue, some students may need to adjust their routes compared with previous years.

The August service changes are part of a larger effort by TriMet to align spending with available resources and address the agency’s significant long-term budget deficit. During the current fiscal year, which began July 1, much of the effort to reduce the budget gap comes from internal spending cuts, including a historic reduction in staffing levels.