Why Cities and Counties Should Consider Leaving TriMet

Please join us for Cascade’s monthly Policy Picnic led by Cascade President John Charles on Wednesday, November 20th, at noon.

Portland’s regional transit monopoly, TriMet, has reduced service five times in the past four years and forecasts much deeper cuts beginning 2017. The agency has no long-term financial plan to address its unsustainable operating costs. However, there is an escape route for affected jurisdictions: leaving the transit district. Six communities have left TriMet since 1988, and four have established their own districts. All of them provide better service at lower cost than TriMet. In this session, we will discuss TriMet’s financial condition and examine the experience of the four opt-out transit districts.