The TriMet board of directors in the Portland, Oregon, area approved a fiscal year 2027 budget on Wednesday that includes what it terms "historic" reductions. The plan involves cutting approximately 400 positions and suspending or modifying numerous bus and MAX light rail services starting in August to address a worsening financial deficit.

This $64.5 million reduction plan translates to the elimination of around 400 jobs. However, with 140 of those positions currently vacant and affected union members eligible to return to their previous union roles, TriMet states the actual number of employees facing layoffs is 170. Non-union employees will receive severance packages.

Regarding service adjustments, effective August 23, a total of 33 bus lines will be impacted. Two lines will be eliminated entirely, while others will be consolidated. One of the most significant changes is a major truncation of the MAX Green Line, which will now operate only between Clackamas Town Center and Gateway Transit Center. Passengers traveling to downtown Portland will need to transfer to the Red or Blue lines at Gateway.

TriMet attributes the crisis to a dual pressure of soaring operational costs and insufficient revenue. Data shows the agency's operating costs have surged approximately 56% since 2019, while core ridership remains about 30% below pre-pandemic levels, leading to a sharp decline in fare revenue. Although TriMet previously advocated for state legislation to raise the payroll tax on employers to support operations, the transportation bill failed in 2025. Subsequently, voters rejected the Measure 120 proposal earlier this month, which aimed to fund transportation, leaving the funding gap completely unaddressed.

In addition to these large-scale adjustments, TriMet's customer service call center will reduce its operating hours starting next week, closing on weekends. The lost and found office hours will also be shortened from 12 to 10 hours daily. Board members emphasized that these austerity measures are not due to mismanagement but are necessary actions in the absence of new funding, intended to ensure the agency can maintain core services and avoid a "fiscal cliff."