Public transit provider TriMet plans to reduce services due to insufficient backing for the Oregon Transportation Reinvestment Package
In a significant blow to Oregon's public transportation sector, House Bill 2025—Oregon Transportation Reinvestment Package—failed to pass during the 2025 legislative session, leaving a funding gap for transportation agencies across the state.
As a direct consequence, TriMet, the largest public transit provider in Oregon, is bracing for service cuts and budget reductions starting from late 2025. The agency anticipates closing a $300 million funding gap over the next few years without legislative action.
The failure of HB 2025 has led to a growing fiscal challenge for TriMet, with a projected budget shortfall looming in the coming years. In response, the agency has announced plans to reduce its workforce by at least 140 operators and additional staff in maintenance and support functions.
Moreover, TriMet is forced to cut another $48 million in service and other spending without additional revenue. The service reductions are planned for November 2025 and March 2026, with further cuts expected beyond that unless new funding is secured.
Governor Tina Kotek has proposed a special legislative session to revisit transportation funding, but as of August 2025, no new funding measures have been passed.
TriMet is committed to working with lawmakers to ensure that transit funding is part of any future effort to increase state transportation revenue. The agency will also work to reduce contract expenses by five percent annually and perform an overall staffing analysis to right-size the agency, resulting in a reduction of non-union jobs.
In an effort to keep the public informed, TriMet will launch a dedicated web page to provide information about the budget challenges, the steps the agency is taking to address them, and what the changes mean for riders and the region.
The anticipated service cuts add up to about an 18 percent overall reduction in MAX service—the largest cut to MAX in its history—and about an eight percent reduction in bus service—the third largest cut since at least 1986. Service cuts will focus on reducing frequencies on some bus lines, eliminating some bus lines, adjusting some bus routes, adjusting MAX service, and reducing LIFT paratransit service.
Some staffing reductions will be handled through normal attrition, but layoffs will likely be necessary. TriMet will not add spending for new initiatives over the next three years as it works to balance its budget.
The Oregon Legislature's failure to pass HB 2025 leaves many of the state's transit agencies without sufficient funding for the years ahead, according to TriMet. The agency urges lawmakers to prioritise transportation funding in future sessions to avoid deeper, catastrophic cuts in the future and preserve essential transit service.
The special session called by Gov. Kotek is scheduled to begin on Aug. 29. It remains to be seen whether legislators will be able to find a solution to the funding crisis facing TriMet and other transportation agencies in Oregon.
- The Oregon Legislature's failure to pass HB 2025 has created a significant funding gap for transportation agencies like TriMet, forcing them to reconsider their management strategies.
- Due to the financial crisis, TriMet is planning to reduce its workforce by at least 140 operators and additional staff in maintenance and support functions, as well as performing an overall staffing analysis to right-size the agency.
- In the political arena, Governor Tina Kotek has proposed a special legislative session to revisit transportation funding, hoping to secure new funds and prevent further financial hardships for agencies like TriMet.
- As a result of the funding gap, TriMet will be implementing significant service cuts, including an 18 percent overall reduction in MAX service, adjustments to bus routes, and reductions in LIFT paratransit service, all in an effort to balance their budget.
