Portland Public Transportation
The Portland Metropolitan Area has been served by the Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon, or TriMet since 1969. This system replaced a 5 company, private system that operated buses in the 3 county area (Multnomah, Washington, and Clackamas). The original TriMet system only replace the Rose City Transit company, did not run in the suburban counties of the Metropolitan Area until 1970 when the four remaining companies were taken over.
The City's Light Rail system started in 1986 and was named MAX, short for Metropolitan Area Express. They then opened new lines to Westside (1998), Portland International Airport (2001), Interstate Ave. (2004), and Clackamas (2009). The Metro also operates a commuter rail line between Beaverton and Wilsonville.
Light Rail
Beginning construction in 1978 and starting operation in 1986, the TriMex Light Rail system operates 127 cars on 5 lines that encompass 52 miles of track and serve 85 stations.
Every one of the TriMet stations is considered "Frequent Service Lines", that operate at 17 minute headways from 5am to 2am 7 days a week. 12 of these "Frequent Service Lines" coincide with 11 of the Bus system's 17 Frequent Service Lines, to provide easy transfers between systems.
There are currently four operating lines in the TriMex system.
1. The Yellow Line: Serves North Portland between the City Center and Expo Center on Interstate Avenue
2. The Red Line: Connects Portland International Airport with the City Center
3. The West Blue Line: Connects Beaverton, Hillsboro and the CIty Center
4. The East Blue Line: Connects Gresham with the City Center
5. The Green Line: Connects the Clackamas Town Center with the Portland City Center
TriMex also contracts with the Portland and Western Railroad to run the Westside Express Service, a commuter rail line between Beaverton and Wilsonville.
The TriMex Light Rail lines have become a model for proper land use, transportation and community planning. The construction of all 5 lines was completed on or ahead of schedule, as well as at budget, or below budget costs. In addition, more than $6billion in construction has occurred around the lines and their stops since the introduction of the light rail system in 1978, highlighting the Metro's success in Transit Oriented Development.
Beginning construction in 1978 and starting operation in 1986, the TriMex Light Rail system operates 127 cars on 5 lines that encompass 52 miles of track and serve 85 stations.
Every one of the TriMet stations is considered "Frequent Service Lines", that operate at 17 minute headways from 5am to 2am 7 days a week. 12 of these "Frequent Service Lines" coincide with 11 of the Bus system's 17 Frequent Service Lines, to provide easy transfers between systems.
There are currently four operating lines in the TriMex system.
1. The Yellow Line: Serves North Portland between the City Center and Expo Center on Interstate Avenue
2. The Red Line: Connects Portland International Airport with the City Center
3. The West Blue Line: Connects Beaverton, Hillsboro and the CIty Center
4. The East Blue Line: Connects Gresham with the City Center
5. The Green Line: Connects the Clackamas Town Center with the Portland City Center
TriMex also contracts with the Portland and Western Railroad to run the Westside Express Service, a commuter rail line between Beaverton and Wilsonville.
The TriMex Light Rail lines have become a model for proper land use, transportation and community planning. The construction of all 5 lines was completed on or ahead of schedule, as well as at budget, or below budget costs. In addition, more than $6billion in construction has occurred around the lines and their stops since the introduction of the light rail system in 1978, highlighting the Metro's success in Transit Oriented Development.
Bus Fleet
The TriMet Bus fleet as of 2012 consisted of 625 buses with lengths of either 30 or 40 feet. About half of these are low floor, air conditioned buses, a type of bus that TriMet is replacing the rest of it's fleet of high floor, non air conditioned buses with as the high floored buses reach the end of their lifespan. Since 1992 every TriMet bus has the capacity to carry 2 bicycles.
TriMet also operates a paratransit fleet of vehicles that consists of 254 minibuses and 15 vans.
There are 79 bus lines in the Metro Area. These lines are based out of 17 transit centers, where multiple bus lines converge. In addition, 11 of these transit centers are also TriMex stations, where easy transfers from rail to bus can occur.
In 2002 two electric hybrid buses entered service, but preformed insufficiently compared to the TriMet's newest bio diesel buses. Every bus and paratransit minibus in the TriMet fleet has been fueled with B5 bio diesel since 2006. In 2012 four newer hybrid buses were acquired by TriMet for trial. These buses were placed on a mostly level North- South route to reduce stress and improve efficiency.
The TriMet Bus fleet as of 2012 consisted of 625 buses with lengths of either 30 or 40 feet. About half of these are low floor, air conditioned buses, a type of bus that TriMet is replacing the rest of it's fleet of high floor, non air conditioned buses with as the high floored buses reach the end of their lifespan. Since 1992 every TriMet bus has the capacity to carry 2 bicycles.
TriMet also operates a paratransit fleet of vehicles that consists of 254 minibuses and 15 vans.
There are 79 bus lines in the Metro Area. These lines are based out of 17 transit centers, where multiple bus lines converge. In addition, 11 of these transit centers are also TriMex stations, where easy transfers from rail to bus can occur.
In 2002 two electric hybrid buses entered service, but preformed insufficiently compared to the TriMet's newest bio diesel buses. Every bus and paratransit minibus in the TriMet fleet has been fueled with B5 bio diesel since 2006. In 2012 four newer hybrid buses were acquired by TriMet for trial. These buses were placed on a mostly level North- South route to reduce stress and improve efficiency.