December 15 2020
TriMet will play a key role in getting employees, particularly low-wage workers, back on the job in the Portland metro area.
There's a looming crisis on the horizon in 2021, one that most people haven't heard about yet — though the impacts will be severe.
COVID-19 is wreaking havoc on public transportation budgets everywhere, and unfortunately TriMet is no exception. Due to necessary and effective social distancing measures, revenue from transit fares and local taxes have evaporated. In addition, the increased costs for cleaning and purchasing protective masks and gloves has forced many transit agencies to announce dramatic service cuts.
The devastating cuts planned in New York City, Atlanta and Washington, D.C., include canceling weekend and late-night service and cutting half of bus and train service during the week. This will most likely happen in Portland, too, if Congress doesn't pass at least $32 billion in emergency relief. And it will severely hurt Portland residents and small businesses.