PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Service on some bus lines in the Portland metro area will once again be trimmed down — and in some places, canceled altogether — as TriMet continues to battle its worst driver shortage in history.
The transit agency announced the newest service reduction affecting 10 bus lines in a press release Wednesday morning.
Here are the changes bus riders can expect:
- Two bus lines, 50-Cedar Mill and 92-South Beaverton Express, will be canceled altogether.
- Hours will be reduced to only “peak travel time for high school students” on three lines: 1-Vermont, 18-Hillside and 26-Thurman/Northwest 18th.
- Weekend service will be canceled for Line 26-Thurman/NW 18th.
- Ridership trends have changed for three bus lines, officials said, and extra weekday rush-hour trips will be canceled for Lines 8-Jackson Park/NE 15th, 9-Powell Boulevard and 72-Killingsworth/82nd Avenue.
- Extra trips that were added to facilitate social distancing will be canceled on Line 81-Kane/257th.
- Line 82-South Gresham, which officials described as having low ridership, will see reduced frequency.
The schedule change doesn’t hit until the fall, however, becoming effective on Sept. 18.
TriMet officials said most of the affected bus lines see low amounts of riders.
The agency said it has been careful to preserve continuous service to areas with “high concentrations of people with low-incomes and communities of color.”
Get more information on TriMet’s service changes here.