TriMet, more formally known as the Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon, is a public agency that operates mass transit in a region that spans most of the Portland metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Oregon. Created in 1969 by the Oregon legislature, the district replaced five private bus companies that operated in the three counties; Multnomah, Washington, and Clackamas. TriMet started operating a light rail system named MAX in 1986, and opened new lines in 1998 (Westside), 2001 (Airport), 2004 (Interstate Ave.), and 2009 (Clackamas), as well as a commuter rail line in 2009. It also operates the City of Portland-owned Portland Streetcar system. In addition to rail lines, TriMet provides the region’s bus system, as well as LIFT paratransit service. There are 603 buses in TriMet’s fleet that operate on 79 routes. In Fiscal Year 2013, the entire system averaged almost 316,700 rides per weekday and operates buses and trains between the hours of approximately 5 a.m. and 2 a.m. with no “night owl” service. TriMet’s annual budget for FY2014 is $489 million, with over half of revenues coming from a district-wide payroll tax. The district is overseen by a seven-person board of governors appointed by the state’s governor. In 2014, the agency has around 2,500 employees.
