TriMet ridership is rebounding from the depths of the COVID-19 crash, thanks in large part to regional bus line realignments based on the agency’s Forward Together community planning process.
Like public transit agencies around the world, TriMet ridership fell of the cliff at the beginning of the pandemic — dropping 67% between January and April 2020 as governments shut down schools, businesses, community gatherings, and their own operations to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Bus ridership fell slightly more year-to-year, with a 69% loss that April.
Four years later, weekly boardings have more than doubled to 1.26 million in March 2024. Although that is still about one-third less than the high of 1.83 million in January 2020, the growth has been steady since early 2023. Bus ridership has led with a 124% increase.
Much of that is because the transit agency that serves Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington counties recognized the pandemic changed travel patterns in the long term. Downtown Portland is no longer the dominant regional employment center it once was. The work-at-home trend means fewer employees are commuting to and from its urban office towers and government buildings. Instead, demand has grown for service outside of downtown between outlying neighborhoods and other employment, educational and retail destinations.
TriMet launched Forward Together in late 2021 with an analysis that aimed at documenting existing travel needs. A series of community meetings were then held throughout the region to better understand the shift in demand. Better serving low-income communities was also declared a priority. That led to the first of a series of bus line changes intended to respond to new travel patterns in early 2023. They ranged from increasing weekend and evening service to adding more Frequent Service, which means buses arrive every 15 minutes.
Twenty-six of TriMet’s 76 current bus lines have seen Forward Together changes to date. Although overall agency ridership has improved as the economy has recovered, those adjustments are clearly paying off. According to the most recent TriMet figures, after the adjustments, bus ridership increased 12.5%. Lines that were not affected by the changes only increased 11%, however. Those with Forward Together adjustments increased more than 17%, excluding six that saw service reductions because of low demand.
“For over 50 years, TriMet has connected our region and provided access to opportunities for our riders. Today, we’re improving the rider experience, expanding access for people who rely on transit and growing our ridership with Forward Together. It’s an exciting time for TriMet as we reimagine bus service throughout Portland and its suburbs, building a system that meets our riders’ needs now and in the future,” said TriMet General Manager Sam Desue Jr.
The most significant Forward Together percentage increase to date is Line 43-Taylors Ferry/Marquam Hill, a link between Tigard and the Oregon Health & Science University on Marquam Hill in outer Southwest Portland. It was one of the least used lines until TriMet reworked it and added more trips last August, including weekend service. Weekly ridership has more than quadrupled from 400 to 2,550 — an increase of 537.5%.
Other lines with the largest Forward Together increases so far include:
Line 48-Cornell, which runs runs between the Hillsboro, Tanasbourne, Cedar Mill, and Sunset transit centers. It was upgraded to Frequent Service in December 2023. Weekly ridership increased from 6,990 to 11,920 this past winter — more than 70%.Line 54-Beaverton-Hillsdale Hwy, which connects the Beaverton Transit Center to the Raleigh Hills, Hillsdale, and Portland via Beaverton-Hillsdale Highway, Southwest Capitol Highway, and Southwest Barbur Boulevard. It was upgraded to Frequent Service in August 2023. Weekly ridership has nearly doubled, from 7,500 to 14,750.Line 19-Woodstock/Glisan, which serves inner and outer Southeast Portland. Weekly ridership increased by more than 45%, from 10,480 to 15,290, after TriMet added more trips and adjusted the route last August. It now uses the Tilikum Crossing to get across the Willamette River instead of the Ross Island Bridge, keeping it out of heavy traffic.Line 35-Macadam/Greeley, which serves stops from North Portland to Lake Oswego. Ridership increased by about 40%, from 8,100 to 11,400, with more frequent arrivals and an adjusted route that now serves Lewis & Clark College and the surrounding neighborhood.
Increased ridership from the Forward Together adjustments are expected to increase as additional changes are made in coming years.
“This is a multi-year investment to look at our entire bus system and redraw the map to meet the needs of our present and future ridership. We have much more to come as we continue to roll out improvements with Forward Together, and we are optimistic and excited about the future as more and more people get on board,” TriMet Public Information Officer Mark Miller said.
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