As the world continues to come out of the pandemic, TriMet wants to make sure that its transit service reflects the current needs of the community. That’s why it’s launching a new phase of community engagement around changes to TriMet bus service that the agency is thinking about as part of a bigger transit concept, “Forward Together.”
As part of Forward Together, TriMet says it took the most in-depth and comprehensive look at the bus network ever. TriMet has now developed a service concept that would be a sweeping re-envisioning of the bus network and would give more people access to services, to reach more jobs and places.
TriMet conducted an initial survey in spring 2022. Based on feedback from 5,500 riders, stakeholders and community members, TriMet developed a draft concept that would change more than 80 percent of the bus service. It would also:
- Bring bus service closer to 50,000 more residents.
- Make weekend service available to 100,000 more people.
- Provide frequent service to 50 percent more people and jobs.
- Make it easier to reach more jobs in 45 minutes or less.
TriMet is accepting community feedback through Oct. 31; people can submit comments via an online survey, virtual or in-person open houses.
Why Forward Together?
TriMet says it would like to expand service by as much as 30 percent in the coming years, but what that could look like is much different today than before the COVID-19 pandemic. The Forward Together concept helps connect the dots. Early community engagement found broad support for two key goals: focusing on ridership and improving connections to destinations for people with low and limited incomes.
Feedback received about the Forward Together concept now could have a significant impact on how it looks in the future. That’s why public involvement is so important. TriMet is also seeking feedback on these guiding principles and service priorities:
- Improving access to opportunities.
- An expanded grid, with new routes serving new areas in all three counties, especially East Multnomah County.
- More Frequent Service bus lines.
- More bus lines with service running every 30 minutes or better.
- More and better weekend service.
- New lines serving areas that are far from transit today.
- Reduced service to some low-demand, mostly higher-income areas.
Based on what TriMet hears from riders, the community and employees through October, it will update the Forward Together concept into a plan for the future.
Riders could see the first system and service changes as early as 2023. However, full implementation of Forward Together is dependent upon ending the operator shortage. While TriMet is making progress, it is unable to predict when that might happen. TriMet says it hopes to roll out new service changes around the Forward Together concept within the next five years.
