TriMet is in the process of completing a round of organizational changes as part of ongoing efforts to address a “significant structural budget gap and bring staffing levels in line with revenues.”

The agency eliminated 68 positions in total, as more than half were vacant, and 26 employees were laid off. According to an agency release, no union employees were let go in this round of layoffs, but some union employees were transferred to other jobs under the Working and Wage Agreement, as their positions were among those being eliminated.

The staff reductions come after a thorough workforce analysis and were based on operational streamlining, TriMet clarified, and are “not a reflection of the contributions of individuals who held the positions. Where possible, reductions were made through attrition to reduce the need for involuntary separations.”

For employees who were laid off, TriMet is offering severance and reemployment assistance. The staffing reductions follow earlier cost-cutting measures, including a hiring freeze, discretionary spending cuts, and efforts to identify internal efficiencies.

TriMet Outlines Recovery Plan Amid $300M Budget Shortfall

TriMet faces a $300 million shortfall between projected revenues and expenditures over the next several years. Internal budget cuts so far have reduced spending by $17.7 million.

“These administrative cuts are part of a broader recovery plan to stabilize TriMet’s finances and ensure long-term sustainability so we can continue providing the public transit service our region needs for decades to come,” TriMet General Manager Sam Desue Jr. said.

That plan includes pursuing new funding sources, as well as exploring a fare increase and new revenue opportunities. The goal is to balance the agency’s budget by July 1, 2028.

“Layoffs are always a last resort,” Desue said. “We’ve worked hard to limit them as much as possible, but the financial realities we face made some layoffs unavoidable.”

Future changes include:

• Service changes beginning Nov. 30, 2025, and March 2026, meaning fewer buses on some bus lines during lower-ridership periods.

• More extensive service cuts are planned for later in 2026 and 2027 to align service levels with funding.

• Necessary employee reductions will first be made through attrition to limit the need for involuntary separations.

“With rising costs and challenges around sustainable funding, our expenses have outpaced our revenue, despite our efforts to increase ridership and make riding easier and safer,” Desue added. “We remain committed to taking the action needed to protect the core transit services our community depends on.”

Learn more at trimet.org/servicecuts.