Starting Sunday, TriMet will enact a historic wave of cuts and consolidation to its services, potentially impacting thousands of riders across its system.

It’s part of an effort to reduce the agency’s estimated $300 million budget shortfall, brought about by stagnating ridership and soaring operational costs. Thirty-four bus lines and one MAX line will be impacted, either by eliminating lines, combining them, or changing their routes.

One of the largest changes will come to the MAX Green Line. The line currently runs from Clackamas Town Center to Portland State University. Soon, riders will have to change trains at the Gateway Station before traveling to downtown Portland.

Bus Line 82, which runs through Gresham, and Line 153, operating through Lake Oswego and West Linn, will be discontinued.

TriMet also eliminated more than 400 staff positions in July, saving a total of $28 million.

The massive budget shortfall has been years in the making. Ridership plummeted during the COVID-19 pandemic to historic lows, as far fewer people commuted to work.

Post-pandemic, leadership had planned on those riders returning, increasing staff to meet the anticipated demand. But that growth never materialized. Ridership has plateaued at around 70% of what it was before the pandemic, said Tia York, TriMet media relations manager.

“We were, prior to these cuts beginning, a much larger agency than we were in 2019,” York said. “Yet, our ridership and our revenues are much lower. This is part of an effort to bring everything into balance.”

In addition to a decrease in riders, the agency has spent through the federal assistance provided during the pandemic. Expenses for security, fuel and software also soared, further draining the agency’s coffers.

“Our reserves are almost gone, and we decided we need to take action now,” York said.

It’s the largest service reduction in TriMet’s 57-year history. While commute times will increase for many, the long-term ramifications for riders and staff remain to be seen.

Bruce Hansen is president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 757, which represents TriMet operators, and said the changes will likely result in some staff having completely new schedules. He also lamented the impact on riders, especially those who used lines that will be eliminated entirely.

“I hate the fact that our service, our community, is suffering because of this,” Hansen said. “It is not their fault because of poor decisions of management.”

These cuts, though, will not completely solve TriMet’s budgetary problems. The agency will still have a long-term deficit of $158 million, York said.

TriMet had originally planned a second wave of cuts to take place in August 2027, but officials have walked back those plans. York said the agency will analyze the impacts of this first wave of cuts and reductions before enacting any more.

And the agency is already looking toward the next state legislative session, where it will seek more permanent funding to fill the gap. Oregonians in May overwhelmingly rejected a proposed gas tax that would have, in part, provided more short-term funding for public transit.

“We can’t cut our way out of this crisis,” York said. “What we are focused on right now is finding long-term sustainable revenue.”

News Source : https://www.opb.org/article/2026/08/22/portland-trimet-sweeping-service-cuts-budget-shortfall/