TriMet, the largest public transportation system in Oregon, has unveiled a significant plan to address a daunting budget deficit of $300 million by cutting 10% of its services over the next two years.
This decision, announced at a press conference on Wednesday, involves the elimination and reduction of services across multiple bus and MAX train lines, with potential workforce layoffs starting in November.
TriMet General Manager Sam Desue Jr. emphasized the urgency of these measures.
He stated, “I am taking swift and deliberate actions to balance the budget, both for today and for the long term.
In order to avoid the approaching fiscal cliff and an insurmountable budget deficit, we need to balance our budget in three years.”
The initial wave of cuts, commencing in November, will notably affect morning and evening services on several bus lines, including the FX2-Division line.
Additionally, eight other lines may experience frequency reductions during the day.
Desue indicated that by March 2026, TriMet could eliminate bus lines with low ridership, adjust route structures, and significantly cut back service on the MAX Green Line.
Currently, the Green Line connects Clackamas Town Center to Portland State University, but under the proposed plan, it would be limited to running between Clackamas Town Center and the Gateway Transit Center.
Riders would then need to switch to either the Red or Blue lines or take buses to continue their journey.
By the summer of 2027, further reductions could lead to less frequent MAX train service across all lines, combined with more bus line eliminations.
These cuts are expected to yield approximately $159 million in savings.
However, without a substantial increase in revenue from both state funding and rider fares by 2027, TriMet could be facing an additional $48 million in necessary cuts.
This announcement follows a call by Governor Tina Kotek for a special legislative session to address transportation funding, particularly after state lawmakers failed to pass a significant transportation bill in the most recent session.
The urgency is underscored by the Oregon Department of Transportation’s announcement of a workforce reduction involving 10% of its employees.
While the immediate cuts will take effect in November regardless of the outcome of the legislative session, TriMet officials are hopeful that state legislators will agree to an increase in the payroll tax to prevent even steeper reductions.
As it stands, Oregon’s payroll tax for public transportation is 0.1% of employees’ earnings.
On Tuesday, Kotek proposed to double this tax to 0.2%, yet Desue contends that this increment will not sufficiently bridge TriMet’s funding gap.
Consequently, the agency is advocating for an increase to 0.36%.
TriMet’s challenges have compounded in recent years, particularly as ridership has significantly declined since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to agency statistics, passenger fare revenue has fallen by an estimated $55 million to $60 million annually since 2020.
This drop in income is attributed in part to a decrease in the number of commuters traveling to downtown Portland, as well as lingering concerns over security on TriMet services.
TriMet has responded to these security concerns by tripling its expenditure on security measures in the past two years.
Despite a gradual recovery in ridership over the past couple of years, passenger numbers remain 32% lower compared to pre-pandemic figures from 2019 to 2024.
As a primary consequence of the service reductions, TriMet’s workforce is expected to shrink significantly, with 140 operator positions projected for elimination over the next two years.
There will also be additional cuts to maintenance and support positions.
TriMet holds that it will achieve these workforce reductions by not filling certain positions as they become vacant, although officials have acknowledged that some layoffs may be unavoidable.
The timing of these layoffs has yet to be determined.
Desue noted, “We’re going to look holistically across the agency to make sure that, again, we’re setting ourselves up for the future.”
Bruce Hansen, President of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 757, which represents TriMet operators, expressed disappointment regarding the cuts and potential layoffs.
He remarked, “They’re both harmful for our members and harmful for our community.
Anytime we cut services, it also impacts the community members we serve.”
Hansen confirmed that the union supports TriMet’s appeal for a payroll tax increase to 0.36%.
Additionally, TriMet has announced a fare increase set to take effect starting August 2028, which will raise the price by 20 cents for adults and 10 cents for children, veterans, people with disabilities, and seniors.
The cost of a one-way ride for most adults will rise to $3.
This follows a previous fare hike in 2024, where fares increased from $2.50 to $2.80.
Even if funding can be bolstered through increased taxes and fares, TriMet warns that some service reductions will still be unavoidable, and it has been made clear that the November cuts are final.
The outcome of the legislative discussions in Salem next month has the potential to influence the cuts planned for 2026.
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