TriMet announced numerous changes to bus and light rail service on Sunday, calling it one of the most significant days in its history in terms of transit innovation.

Changes include converting the MAX light rail’s nighttime service to buses and creating two new bus routes. TriMet also eliminated three low-ridership bus routes that overlapped with other routes. Additional bus routes were extended and now offer higher frequency. About 550 bus stops were upgraded and new signage was added.

The last nighttime MAX trips, which begin around midnight, will now be made by bus. The change gives TriMet more time to clean and maintain the system. The system has the second-shortest window in the country for nighttime maintenance, according to spokesman Mark Miller. A small number of U.S. cities maintain light rail systems.

The agency expects the additional maintenance time will reduce service interruptions. In January, Willamette Week reported that the change could also save money and address safety concerns.

Safety remains a problem in the public transit system. As The Oregonian/OregonLive reported in March, the number of TriMet passengers who felt very or moderately safe on buses and trains fell between 2018 and 2023, although reports of assaults on TriMet vehicles and platforms have also declined in recent years.

TriMet serves Multnomah, Washington, and Clackamas counties. It is funded by payroll taxes, the federal government, and fares.

What are the changes to TriMet’s MAX overnight service?

From around midnight, MAX trips will be offered by bus instead of by tram:

• Route 287 runs along the MAX Blue Line from Goose Hollow to Gresham.
• Line 288 runs along the MAX Blue Line from Hillsboro to the Rose Quarter.
• Route 291 will supplement northbound service along the MAX Orange Line between Milwaukie and downtown Portland.
• Route 292 runs along the MAX Red Line between Goose Hollow and the airport.
• The 293 line runs along the MAX Yellow Line between a stop near Portland State University and the Expo Center.

What are TriMet’s new bus routes?

• Line 40 will connect Southeast Portland and Swan Island.
• Route 153 provides weekday service between Lake Oswego and West Linn.

How are TriMet bus routes changing?

• Some Route 76 trips operate on an extended route between Beaverton and Oregon City.
• Route 25 runs daily between Gateway and Mt. Hood Community College.
• Route 29, which runs weekdays between Milwaukie and Clackamas, will offer more service during the day to make it easier for passengers to get to Lake Road Health Center in Clackamas County.
• Route 34, which runs between Oregon City and Clackamas, will provide expanded service in the Clackamas Heights neighborhood of Oregon City.

Which bus routes were eliminated by TriMet?

• Routes 85 and 99, which served Swan Island and Macadam/McLoughlin, will be replaced by route 40, which runs between Sellwood and Swan Island.
• Route 154, which served Willamette and Clackamas Heights, will be replaced by the new Route 153, which runs between Lake Oswego and Willamette Falls. The old route of Route 154 is also served by Routes 34 and 76, which have been upgraded and run between Clackamas and Oregon City and Beaverton and Oregon City, respectively.

When is the MAX Red Line extension open?

• The MAX Red Line, which previously stopped in Beaverton, will now continue operating to Hillsboro, an additional 10 stops.

What are the new MAX station names?

• The Fair Complex/Hillsboro Airport, served by the MAX Blue and Red Lines, is now called Hillsboro Airport/Fairgrounds.
• The Tuality Hospital/SE 8th Ave. stop, served by the MAX Blue Line, is now the Hillsboro Health District stop.
• The Hollywood/NE 42nd Ave Transit Center, which serves the Blue, Green, and Red lines, is now the Hollywood/NE 42nd Ave stop.

For more information about the service changes, visit the TriMet website.

— Matthew Kish covers business, including the sportswear and banking industries. Reach him at 503-221-4386, [email protected] or @matthewkish.

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