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  • Free Rides, Full History: TriMet Honors Rosa Parks – KXL

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    TriMet will not collect fares on Wednesday, Feb 4, to highlight and honor the legacy of Rosa Parks. Image courtesy TriMet.

    PORTLAND, OR – You can board TriMet buses and trains for free Wednesday, February 4th, as the regional transit agency marks Rosa Parks Day and honors the civil rights icon whose defiance helped dismantle segregated public transit.

    TriMet will not collect fares for the annual day of remembrance, its sixth consecutive year observing Rosa Parks Day. Portland Streetcar and C-TRAN in Clark County will also waive fares in partnership with TriMet.

    The observance commemorates Parks’ arrest in 1955 after she refused to give up her seat to a white passenger on a Montgomery, Alabama, bus. Her action sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott, a yearlong protest in which Black residents stopped riding city buses to challenge segregated seating. At the time, about 75% of Montgomery’s bus riders were Black, and many people walked long distances — sometimes 10 to 20 miles a day — to get to work instead of using the bus.

    On November 13, 1956, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled bus segregation unconstitutional under the 14th Amendment. The court ordered Montgomery to integrate its buses just over a month later. The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. urged boycotters to return to riding, and historical accounts say Parks was among the first passengers back on board.

    TriMet said free rides on February 4th are intended to encourage riders to reflect on Parks’ role in advancing fairness on public transportation. For one day, riders do not need to tap a Hop card, show a badge or pay cash in the fare box.

    TriMet’s Board of Directors formally established the observance in 2020, adopting a resolution designating February 4th as Rosa Parks Transit Equity Day. The board later approved an ordinance permanently updating the agency’s fare code to allow free rides each year on February 4th.

    The first local observance took place in 2021 and will continue annually, TriMet said, as a way to remember Parks’ courage and the role public transit played in the civil rights movement.

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    Tim Lantz

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  • TriMet Proposes Bus And MAX Service Cuts To Close $300 Million Budget Gap – KXL

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    File Photo (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

    PORTLAND, Ore. –

    TriMet is proposing significant bus and light rail service changes beginning in August 2026 as part of a plan to close a projected $300 million annual budget shortfall.

    The proposal would reduce or modify service on 35 bus lines, shorten the MAX Green Line, and eliminate bus service in parts of South Gresham, West Linn and Tualatin. The changes are aimed at reducing duplication between bus and MAX routes while maintaining service where ridership is highest.

    TriMet officials say the proposed cuts, combined with about $150 million in previously identified spending reductions, are necessary to stabilize the agency’s finances.

    “The proposals focus on efficiency and cost savings, while continuing to provide the most service possible for the people who rely on us every day,” TriMet General Manager Sam Desue Jr. said in a statement. “Despite some necessary service reductions, our goal remains the same – to ensure long-term financial stability.”

    According to TriMet, rising costs driven by inflation, lower fare revenue and insufficient long-term funding have contributed to the budget gap. Without changes, the agency has warned it could face a fiscal cliff that would force deeper service reductions.

    Under the plan, TriMet would prioritize maintaining Frequent Service lines and access to key destinations such as schools and medical facilities. Some bus routes with very low ridership would be discontinued, and service frequency would be reduced during periods when fewer people are riding.

    The MAX Green Line would be shortened, and bus service would be eliminated along Stafford and Salamo roads in West Linn and Tualatin-Sherwood Road in Tualatin. TriMet says many of the route changes are designed to shift service rather than eliminate it entirely, preserving transit access in areas with higher demand.

    The agency is targeting Aug. 23, 2026, for most of the changes, earlier than initially planned. TriMet officials said launching the new service plan in late summer would allow the majority of changes to take effect before high school and college students return to campus. Additional adjustments could follow later in 2026 and into 2027.

    The proposal also includes a slight adjustment to the service boundary for TriMet’s LIFT paratransit program. TriMet estimates the change would affect fewer than 0.5% of LIFT trips.

    TriMet is asking riders and community members to review the proposal and provide feedback by Jan. 31. The agency has launched an online survey and scheduled in-person and virtual open houses across its tri-county service area throughout January.

    The cuts and changes are described in detail here.

    Public comment will also be accepted during TriMet Board meetings in January, February and March. A special board listening session is scheduled for March 18 in downtown Portland.

    The proposed service plan is based on ridership data and feedback collected in late 2025, when more than 4,800 people responded to a TriMet survey about how the agency should approach one of the largest service reductions in its history. Respondents said TriMet should first reduce overlapping routes, preserve Frequent Service lines and maintain access to critical destinations.

    TriMet’s Board of Directors is expected to review the plan in March and vote in April. If approved, the service changes would be included in the agency’s budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026.

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    Jordan Vawter

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  • Alleged TriMet Bus Attackers Facing Charges – KXL

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    MULTNOMAH COUNTY, ORE — The Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office reports that three men are facing attempted murder charges for allegedly assaulting someone on a TriMet bus.

    Just before 9:00 p.m. on October 15, 2025, Transit Police received reports of three men assaulting a fourth man in the doorway of a bus near Southeast Stark Street and Southeast 142nd Avenue in Portland.

    According to court documents, the three suspects, 28-year-old Greffy Tom, 27-year-old Rinson Tom, and 33-year-old Audric Yesiki, tried to get on the bus, but the alleged suspect felt they delaying the bus from leaving.  He reportedly attempted to intervene somehow, and that’s when the three men are accused of assaulting him.

    When the passenger, only identified by authorities as “a 50-year-old man,” attempted to intervene, the three men are accused of assaulting him.  He was taken to the hospital by paramedics who described his injuries as severe and serious.

    When officers from TriMet’s Transit Police Division arrived at the scene, the suspects had left.  However, they and deputies were able to find all three.  

    On October 24, 2025, a Multnomah County Grand Jury indicted the three suspects on the following charges:

    • Attempted Murder in the Second Degree
    • Three counts of Assault in the First Degree
    • Three counts of Assault in the Second Degree
    • Attempted Assault in the Second Degree
    • Assault in the Third Degree
    • Three counts of Unlawful Use of a Weapon
    • Two counts of Interfering with Public Transportation
    • Escape in the Third Degree
    • Attempted Murder in the Second Degree
    • Two counts of Assault in the First Degree
    • Two counts of Assault in the Second Degree
    • Assault in the Third Degree
    • Two counts of Unlawful Use of a Weapon
    • Two counts of Interfering with Public Transportation
    • Escape in the Third Degree
    • Attempted Murder in the Second Degree
    • Two counts of Assault in the First Degree
    • Two counts of Assault in the Second Degree
    • Assault in the Third Degree
    • Two counts of Unlawful Use of a Weapon
    • Two counts of Strangulation
    • Two counts of Interfering with Public Transportation
    • Escape in the Third Degree

    All three suspects remain in custody, pending court proceedings.

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    Tim Lantz

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  • MAX Red Line Service Resumes After Seven-Day Disruption – KXL

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    A worker helps to replace fishhook rail during the MAX Red Line improvements. Courtesy TriMet.

    PORTLAND, OR – MAX Red Line returned to regular service on Sunday, October 19th, following a seven days of maintenance work on the east side.

    TriMet said crews have replaced curved rail at the Gateway/NE 99th Avenue Transit Center, as well as near Cascades Station. They have also deep cleaned stations, cleared litter from the tracks, cleaned the ballast, and replaced rail ties.  All of that, they add, should mean passengers will get a smoother ride, cleaner stations, and improved reliability along the MAX Red Line.

    On the west side, TriMet recently finished the Robertson Tunnel MAX Improvements Project. During that project, crews improved the track, cleaned inside and outside the tunnel, and replaced portions of the overhead wire system.

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    Tim Lantz

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  • TriMet Hold Open House Events On Service Cuts – KXL

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    TriMet is holding open houses this month to hear from riders as they prepare for deep service cuts coming in late 2026 and 2027. Image courtesy TriMet

    PORTLAND, OR – TriMet will hold open houses this month to hear from riders as public transit officials prepare for deep service cuts coming in late 2026 and 2027.  You are welcome to express your thoughts in-person this week at the following locations:

    • 5-7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 14, at the Rosewood Initiative, 14127 SE Stark St. in Portland
    • 5-7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 15, at the Clackamas Community College Harmony Campus, 7738 SE Harmony Road, Rooms 120/130, in Milwaukie
    • 5-7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 16, at Fairview City Hall, 1300 N Village St. in Fairview

    The open houses provide an opportunity to get additional information about the cuts being considered, see maps, and ask questions of planners.

    You also will have an opportunity to fill out the Service Priorities survey, which is also available online, through October 31st.

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    Tim Lantz

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  • TriMet Expands Blue-Light Security Phone Network – KXL

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    TriMet expands safety network with more blue-light security phones. Courtesy TriMet

    PORTLAND, OR – Over the past year, TriMet officials say crews have installed more blue-light security phone kiosks on MAX platforms.  The phone provide instant connection to dispatchers at public TriMet’s security operations center, which serves as the central hub for monitoring the transit system and dispatching public safety teams.

    “Security incidents reported at the locations where we have installed the phones have decreased,” TriMet’s Chief Safety and Security Officer Andrew Wilson said. “We think seeing a security kiosk, which has a light on it, and knowing there’s someone you can reach, helps to create a safer experience and a safer location.”

    The blue-light phones were introduced in October 2024 at a handful of MAX stations, and due to that successful rollout, an additional 30 phones are scheduled for installation on the MAX Yellow, Green, and Orange lines in the coming weeks.  Approximately 20 more are scheduled to be installed across the entire MAX system by June 2026.

    According to Trimet, the technology is simple to use.  A person presses the red button on the front of the emergency station and within seconds a dispatcher is supposed to respond.  Inside the security operations center, TriMet staff can see who is calling, get a good look at their surroundings thanks to a camera mounted near the phone.

    Along with providing people immediate access to security staff, the call stations are meant to provide deterrents.  The blue lights, similar to those used in shopping center parking lots and on college campuses, are easy to spot, especially at night.  The presence of cameras on the vibrant red towers, distinguished by the word “security,” are also supposed to discourage crime.

    However, TriMet notes the blue-light cameras not meant to be a substitute for 9-1-1 services.

    For more information about TriMet’s security efforts, visit trimet.org/security.

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    Tim Lantz

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  • Robertson Tunnel Closed, MAX Blue And Red Lines Disrupted – KXL

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    TriMet has closed the Robertson Tunnel for maintenance work until September 14th. Image courtesy TriMet.

    PORTLAND, OR – A weeklong disruption to TriMet’s MAX Blue and Red lines through the Robertson Tunnel is underway and expected to last through September 13th.  The tunnel closure is considered essential, as workers will focus on a part of the MAX system that has been in service for nearly 30 years.

    During the seven-day disruption, crews will complete two major projects. One will replace about a mile of the overhead wire used to power MAX trains, including the installation of a new wire tensioning system just west of the tunnel.  In addition, crews will replace about 700 feet of track between Washington Park and Goose Hollow, will replace some rail ties, and perform deep cleaning inside the tunnel.

    Shuttle buses will replace MAX service, arriving at stops from the Sunset Transit Center and the Providence Park MAX Station about every five minutes on weekdays and every seven minutes during next Saturday, September 13th.

    Some trips may take up to 45 minutes longer than usual, according to TriMet.  They encourage riders traveling to and from Portland International Airport to be aware of the extra travel time and to plan ahead.  In some cases, regularly scheduled bus service may offer a faster or more direct option than using a combination of trains and buses.  Riders can plan ahead for their trips at trimet.org/planner.

    For questions or help planning your trip, contact TriMet’s Customer Support Center at 503-238-RIDE (7433), available Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

    The Robertson Tunnel has been in use since 1998.  TriMet officials say it stretches three miles and contains the deepest transit station in North America, the Washington Park MAX Station, listed at 260 feet below the surface, the equivalent of the length of a football field.

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    Tim Lantz

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  • Portland Police Rejoins TriMet Transit Division To Boost Rider Safety – KXL

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    PORTLAND, Ore. — The Portland Police Bureau is officially back on board with TriMet’s Transit Police Division after a nearly four-year hiatus, marking a renewed partnership city and regional leaders say will enhance rider safety and boost public confidence in the transit system.

    TriMet and the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office announced the move during a joint news conference on Friday, Aug. 29, alongside Portland Mayor Keith Wilson and Police Chief Bob Day.

    “As the largest city in TriMet’s service area, renewing our relationship with the City of Portland and the Portland Police Bureau is a benefit for TriMet, our riders, and the region,” said TriMet General Manager Sam Desue Jr.

    Under the new agreement, Portland is assigning five officers and one sergeant to the Transit Police Division. This addition brings the total number of law enforcement personnel in the unit to 31, including members from the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO), Port of Portland Police, and the Beaverton and Hillsboro police departments.

    The City of Portland previously ended its agreement with TriMet in 2020. MCSO took over as the lead agency for Transit Police in 2021 and continues in that role.

    “Welcoming the Portland Police Bureau back to Transit Police will increase our collective presence on the transit system, deterring crime, building trust, and reassuring riders,” said Multnomah County Sheriff Nicole Morrisey O’Donnell. “It also expands our capacity for high-visibility safety missions in areas with elevated public concern.”

    The move comes as Portland sees a downward trend in both violent and property crimes.

    “Portland has seen a promising decrease in crime, thanks to collaboration and community engagement,” said Mayor Wilson. “Bringing the Portland Police Bureau back into Transit Police builds on this momentum and ensures riders feel safe and supported.”

    PPB Chief Bob Day echoed the sentiment, calling the partnership essential as the city continues to grow.

    “The Portland Police Bureau is proud to rejoin Transit Police to help ensure the safety and security of our community on and around the transit system,” Day said.

    A Collaborative Safety Model

    TriMet’s Transit Police Division operates as a task-force model, contracting with local police agencies to assign officers to patrol the transit system. Officers respond to incidents via the regional 911 system, ensuring fast deployment.

    At its peak, the division included 65 officers from 15 agencies. But like many departments nationwide, it has faced staffing shortages following the COVID-19 pandemic and the national police recruitment crisis.

    TriMet continues to work with local agencies to bolster participation. Recent additions include a lieutenant from MCSO and three new officers from the Port of Portland Police Department.

    “The more we’re able to collaborate across agencies, the better we can serve our community, ensure safety, and maintain a consistent presence,” said Beverly Pearman, Director of Public Safety & Security at the Port of Portland.

    Safety Investments Pay Off

    Since 2021, TriMet has expanded its public safety network beyond sworn officers. Nearly 500 personnel — including Transit Security Officers, Customer Safety Officers, and social service outreach teams — now support TriMet’s safety efforts.

    As a result, calls for police services on the system — including crimes and non-criminal incidents like welfare checks — dropped nearly 50% between 2021 and 2024.

    “TriMet provides about 1.3 million trips a week,” Desue said. “The vast majority occur without incident thanks to the dedication of the Transit Police staff, their fellow officers, and our safety and security teams.”

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    Jordan Vawter

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