In late May, TriMet announced that it will make major spending cuts and a historic staffing reduction beginning July 1, 2026, as they continue taking action to address an annual budget deficit, and preserve core transit service for riders and the region, even in the face of rising costs.

The plan will streamline overall spending by about $64.5 million, reflecting about $53 million in administrative spending cuts and about $11 million in service cuts. TriMet first announced a $300 million structural budget deficit in July 2025. Despite internal spending cuts, a staffing reduction in fall 2025, and pausing planned bus service increases that totaled about $150 million in savings, the deficit grew faster than they can reduce it. That’s because the costs of operating public transit continue to rise, including sharp increases this year, and revenue is not keeping up with those increases.

In the first quarter of the fiscal year starting July 1 TriMet will eliminate approximately 400 positions, about 140 of which are vacant.

Beginning August 23, service changes will affect 33 lines, including eliminating two bus lines, with other cuts and adjustments for network efficiency. Those involve shortening the MAX Green Line and combining bus lines or reducing where lines run near others and moving routes to maintain as much service in areas and at times when more people ride. 

In Beaverton and northwest Portland, they will extend Frequent Service Line 76 to replace Frequent Service Line 20 service between Beaverton Transit Center and Sunset Transit Center. Line 20 continues to run between Sunset and Gresham transit centers. Buses between NW 24th Place and Sunset Transit Center arrive about every 30 to 40 minutes most of the day, as fewer people ride in that area.