Portland’s public transit agency, TriMet, will implement significant reductions to bus and MAX light rail services this summer, along with staff layoffs, as it struggles to address a persistent budget deficit. The new measures are part of a $1.75 billion budget approved for the upcoming fiscal year beginning July 1.
Service and Staffing Reductions
TriMet plans to cut 33 transit lines, eliminate two bus routes, and shorten the MAX Green Line to operate only between Clackamas Town Center and Gateway Transit Center. Certain bus lines will be combined or shortened where routes overlap, including the 82 bus line in south Gresham and the 153 bus connecting West Linn to Lake Oswego.
Alongside service cuts, the agency will eliminate approximately 400 positions, 140 of which are currently vacant. Of the filled positions, 170 employees will be laid off, while union members may transfer to other roles within the agency. Additional reductions will affect customer services, including shorter hours at the call center and Lost & Found.
Addressing the Budget Deficit
The planned reductions aim to tackle a $224 million structural deficit identified last year. Despite earlier cuts of around $150 million, rising operating expenses have continued to pressure TriMet’s finances. The new measures are expected to reduce the deficit to $160 million, leaving the agency still reliant on additional revenue or future cuts.
A statewide transportation funding measure, Measure 120, which could have provided extra payroll tax revenue, was rejected by voters in May, leaving TriMet with fewer funding options.
Ridership and Operational Challenges
TriMet’s ridership remains approximately one-third below pre-pandemic levels, with factors including remote work and safety concerns from attacks on buses and MAX trains contributing to lower passenger numbers. In fiscal year 2025, around 65 million riders boarded TriMet services, compared with over 103 million in 2012 and 96 million in 2019.
Meanwhile, TriMet’s operating costs have surged 56% between 2019 and 2025, putting additional strain on its finances.
Leadership Response
General Manager Sam Desue Jr. described the reductions as some of the hardest decisions in his 30-year tenure, reports Oregonlive. He emphasized that the cuts are necessary to maintain core transit services for the long term and urged residents and employers to support the system by returning to downtown commutes and using buses and MAX.
Desue Jr. has also frozen executive salaries for a second consecutive year and is reviewing executive staff expenditures to curb costs further.
Moving Forward
The new budget relies on $127 million in reserve funds to cover the gap between revenues and expenses. Officials warn that while these measures are painful, they are essential to ensure the sustainability of Portland’s public transit network in the face of declining ridership, higher costs, and limited funding options.
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