TriMet adopts tighter budget that cuts staff, services

TriMet's board on May 27 adopted a fiscal-year 2027 budget that streamlines overall spending with both staff and service reductions. The budget will take effect on July 1.

The Portland, Oregon, transit agency's adopted budget reduces spending by about $64.5 million, reflecting $53 million in administrative spending cuts and $11 million in service cuts, for a total FY27 budget of $1.75 billion. About $1.14 billion is slated for service, operations and capital costs. The agency is still relying on $127 million in reserve funds to close a gap between expenses and revenue, TriMet officials said in a press release.

TriMet will eliminate 400 positions, about 140 of which are currently vacant. Many workers will be eligible to return to prior union positions, meaning the total number of employees facing layoffs is 170, about 100 non-union workers and 70 union employees, TriMet officials said.

Beginning in August, TriMet will eliminate multiple bus lines, combine bus lines and shorten the light-rail MAX Green Line. This will reduce weekly MAX service hours by 8.7%.

TriMet first announced a $300 million structural budget deficit in July 2025. The agency in fall 2025 reduced internal spending and staff and paused service increases. However, the cost of operating public transit continued to rise and revenue did not keep pace, TriMet officials said. The agency is working with state and local partners to identify future revenue sources.

With the additional cuts in the FY27 budget, the long-term deficit now sits at $224 million. TriMet anticipates it will run out of reserve funds by May 2029.